These last few weeks of winter have been oddly chilly and rainy in North Carolina. As a full time student and part time social media manager, I am usually exhausted by the end of the day. Since I hate getting take out, I like to look for quick, veggie-friendly dinners. Taco Soup is perfect for one of those cold rainy days when I would rather spend the evening in my blanket on the couch instead of half of the evening in the kitchen.
What is considered Taco Soup in my house is very similar to many chili recipes. Although this may not be the cheapest soup, it’s the fastest dinner I have ever made. I add many ingredients but feel free to to add or leave out anything you wish. It is very hard to mess this up. I would say this recipe makes about 6-8 servings and tastes great when reheated.
Ingredients
For “Meat”:
• 2 tbs of olive oil
• 1 pack of taco seasoning
• 1 bag of Gardein The Ultimate Beefless Ground (or any ground beef substitute)
• 1 cup of water
Soup:
• 1 pack of hidden valley ranch seasoning
• 1 can of tomatoes with chilis
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes
• 1 can of yellow corn
• 1 can of white navy beans
• 1 can of black beans
Toppings:
• preferred kind of shredded cheese
• tortilla chips
• sour cream
• 1 chopped avocado
• lime juice
For the meat, heat oil in a large pot until hot. Then add the “meat,” tacos seasoning and water to pot. Cook until the “meat” is soft. Once the “meat” is ready, drain beans, rinse and add them to the pot. Next, add all of the rest of the ingredients listed under soup ingredients. Heat everything on medium heat for about 10 minutes while stirring occasionally. Next top soup with desired toppings and you’re done! I personally like to crush my tortilla chips and add them to my own bowl of soup.
Alex Writes 