Begin by dicing one medium onion and one red bell pepper, ensuring they're evenly cut for even cooking. Rinse and drain the black and red beans under cold water to remove excess sodium. Also, wash a cup of dried red lentils, preparing everything for the delicious Crockpot Vegetarian Tortilla Soup.

In your slow cooker, add two tablespoons of olive oil before layering the prepared vegetables. Toss in the onion, bell pepper, and diced jalapeño for spice. Next, include one cup of corn (fresh, canned, or frozen), one jar of salsa, and one cup of tomato sauce. Season it with smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper (if desired), and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Pour in four cups of vegetable broth to unify all the ingredients for your soup. Stir gently to combine everything, ensuring the lentils, beans, and vegetables are distributed evenly throughout the mixture in your Crockpot Vegetarian Tortilla Soup.

Cover the slow cooker with its lid and set it to cook on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours or LOW for 7 to 8 hours. This gentle cooking allows the lentils to soften and the soup to thicken beautifully.

Once cooking time is complete, lift the lid and stir in 8 ounces of light cream cheese until fully melted and incorporated.

Ladle the piping hot soup into bowls and offer an array of optional toppings such as crushed tortilla chips, diced avocado, and cilantro.