Makes 5 ½ cups - 4 to 6 servings

The salsa garnish and crispy tortilla strips add texture, flavor, substance, and visual appeal to this bean and tomato soup. The ingredient list is long, but the dish is surprisingly quick and easy to prepare. Serve it as a main course accompanied by a greens and vegetable salad.

For the salsa

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons minced jalapeño chili
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of sugar
1 medium avocado, cut into ½-inch cubes
¼ cup shoepeg corn (see Tip)
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro, or more to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
½ red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk and green tops, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups vegetable stock
One 15-ounce can stewed tomatoes
One 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

For the tortilla strips

1 tablespoon olive oil
Three 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into ¼-inch strips

To make the salsa, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, chili, garlic, and sugar in a small bowl. Gently stir in the avocado, corn, red onion, and cilantro. Season to taste; set aside.

To make the soup, heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the vegetable stock, tomatoes, beans, cumin, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Increase the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the parsley and salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

While the soup is cooking, prepare the tortilla strips. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the tortilla strips in a single layer. Cook for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs, until the strips are light brown and crispy. Transfer the strips to a plate lined with a paper towel.

To serve, top each bowl of soup with tortilla strips and a mound of the salsa.

Advance preparation

This soup will keep for up to 1 week in a covered container in the refrigerator. It's best to make the salsa no more than 2 hours before serving.