Taco Soup
I tried this soup at a friend's home and it is fantastic! I didn't use canned beans because it is cheaper to use dry beans and convert.
I tried this soup at a friend's home and it is fantastic! I didn't use canned beans because it is cheaper to use dry beans and convert.
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 package taco seasoning
- 2 cans pinto beans
- 1 can tomatoes w/chiles
- 2 c ground beef browned
- 2 c diced onions sauteed
- 2 cans kidney beans
- 1 can can whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 can stewed mexican tomatoes
- 2 4 oz cans chopped green chiles
- 1 4-6oz can sliced black olives
- 1/2 cup sliced green olives
- 1 package original ranch style dressing
- sour cream, cheese, jalepenos optional to top
- Carbohydrate 136.34952 g
- Cholesterol 85.0485693 mg
- Fat 32.9978631 g
- Fiber 43.973071468544 g
- Protein 57.99029736224 g
- Saturated Fat 11.879463040444 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (1242g)
- Sodium 2536.485121908 mg
- Sugar 92.376448531456 g
- Trans Fat 6.11887308588 g
- Calories 1064 calories
Step-by-step
- Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a large slow cooker or a stockpot.
- Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, black olives, green olives, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove.
- To serve, place a few corn chips in each bowl and ladle soup over them.
- Top with sour cream, cheese, green onions and jalapenos
Operating under strict budget constraints often leads to creative adaptations in the kitchen, turning pantry staples into hearty meals without requiring specialized culinary training. This approach reflects the pragmatic spirit of Tex-Mex cooking, a regional cuisine born from the blending of northern Mexican traditions and Texan ingredients where preserved items like canned chiles, dried spices, and canned legumes provided reliable sustenance long before modern refrigeration. While traditional tacos demand hand-held assembly, this adaptation translates those exact flavor profiles into a liquid medium, relying on commercial seasoning packets and dry ranch dressing mixes to deliver a concentrated hit of herbs, garlic, and dehydrated buttermilk powder. Using canned beans and tomatoes simplifies the process significantly, though fresh onions and browned ground beef introduce essential savory depth through the Maillard reaction. When building the base in a large skillet, ensure the beef achieves a deep brown crust and the onions turn translucent before transferring them to the pot. Simmering the mixture over low heat on the stovetop for about one hour allows the starches from the beans and corn to thicken the surrounding liquid naturally, while a slow cooker set to low for six to eight hours melds the aggressive sodium and spice notes into a cohesive broth. Placing corn chips at the base of each bowl before ladling provides a structural contrast that prevents the chips from immediately dissolving into a paste, offering a textural crunch against the tender beans and soft vegetables.
