Weeknight Taco Soup

I made this the other night for dinner and it was a huge hit! My daughter just loved it and asked me to make again soon. Win! I made ours with Impossible Meat (just as a side note, we prefer Impossible GROUND Beef over all other vegan ground beef brands we have tried).....but I have no doubt this would be incredible with real beef if your family eats meat. 

I was going to serve this soup without blending, but my daughter asked me to blend it for just her....when I tried I was like, oh, this is really yummy blended - the beans made it creamy and thick....so I decided to blend the entire pot before adding the toppings. You can do as you wish. I think it is good both ways. 

Also, please cook the meat/Impossible meat in a separate pan and add it to the soup just before serving as a topping - it really gives a good texture this way! 

I served this soup with some vegan tamales we got at the farmer's market this weekend, but I think a side salad would also be a great way to round out the meal. Enjoy! 

This recipe makes enough for 3 dinner sized portions. Double if needed. 

Ingredients:

1 Tbl olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small jalapeno, minced & seeded (keep seeds if you want more spice)

1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 cup canned tomato sauce

1/3 cup smooth salsa

2 cup beef broth *I used "Better Than Bouillon" No Beef Base

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

15oz can black beans, drained

14 oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

1 Tbl pure maple syrup, optional 

1 lb ground beef OR 12 oz ground IMPOSSIBLE meat *I made this soup with IMPOSSIBLE meat

Topping Ideas:

Cheese or Vegan Cheese

Sour cream or Vegan Sour Cream

Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips

Ripe avocado, cubed

Fresh red onion or pickled onions

Fresh or pickled jalapeños

Roasted corn 

Directions:

Add oil to a large soup pot over low heat. Add the chopped onions and cook for 10 minutes to soften. Stir the onions frequently. If the onions start sticking to the pan you can deglaze them with a little bit of water or broth. I usually add a tablespoon of water every couple of minutes to prevent over browning.  Next add the chopped bell peppers and jalapeños. Again, add water as needed and cook them for about five minutes. Add the chopped garlic along with some water and saute for a minute or two - do NOT let the garlic burn. 

Add the broth, 1 cup of tomato sauce and salsa, stir. Add the spices and salt; stir.  Add the drained black beans, fire roasted tomatoes and maple syrup, if using. Bring soup to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes over low heat to let all the flavors come together. 

While the soup is cooking grab a skillet and cook the ground beef or IMPOSSIBLE meat. Add a little salt if you like. Set aside when finished. 

For my tortilla strips I cut a large tortilla into thin strips and cook them in a separate skillet for about one minute on each side - just to crisp them up. You can skip this step if you're using tortilla chips, but I really like the texture of the homemade strips and it takes about 3 minutes!

Okay, back to the soup. When the soup has simmered for about 20 minutes, turn off the heat and give it a try. If you like the chunky texture, you're good to go. If you would like a more creamy soup, then you can blend it up in a high powered blender or use an immersion blender. You might like the texture a little in between - it's up to you! 

Now it is time to assemble your taco soup. Ladle the soup into bowls and then add the cooked ground beef, cheese, avocado slices, sour cream, tortilla strips, etc. Everyone can make their bowl just how they enjoy it best.