Years ago, I found this great cookbook called Cowgirl Up in the Kitchen, by Cowgirls of the West, Inc. That’s where my version of Taco Soup originated. But, as with most recipes that I try my hand at, I had to tweak it. Make it my own. Substitute or just straight up omit, ingredients to suit my family’s tastes and to adjust for the ingredients I didn’t have on hand.
Now, I don’t know what kind of chili your mom made, but this Taco Soup bares an uncanny resemblance to the Chili Soup my mom used to make when we were kids. But, looks can be deceiving. I mean, yeah – the base of both soups is pretty similar with the tomatoes and the ground beef. But, this Taco Soup has a few delicious differences – corn chips are subbed in for saltines, black beans for chili beans, and taco seasoning for chili powder.
Don’t forget the rules of food safety! Here is the short list:
1) Always wash your hands before and after handling raw meat.
2) Never thaw meat on the counter, thaw in the refrigerator, microwave or cool water bath.
3) Always wash cutting boards and plates after having been in contact with raw meat.
4) Always cook to appropriate internal temperatures. Safe internal temperatures vary based on cut. Hamburger must reach a safe and savory 160 degrees, while steak is safe at 145 degrees.
Taco Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 package or 3 tablespoons taco seasoning (I use McCormick Hot Taco Seasoning)
- 1–1oz. package dry ranch dressing
- 1 quart tomato juice
- 1 pint stewed tomatoes
- 1–4oz can chopped green chiles
- 1–15oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
Optional Toppings
- Corn Chips
- Shredded Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Sliced Jalapeno
- Fresh Cilantro
Instructions
- Instructions
- Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions to skillet and sauté until transparent, remove onions and set aside. In the same skillet, brown ground beef.
- Once browned, drain and place in a stockpot. Add onions and taco seasoning to ground beef and mix well. Add remaining ingredients to the pot and simmer for at least 30 minutes.
- Serve with your any combination of your favorite tasty toppings. Enjoy!
Hello! I’m Terryn – the wife, mother, food safety enthusiast, Stormy Kromer fanatic who has slightly (okay, a lot) random tendencies, dabbles in photography, and shares (maybe a little too much) here at FFB.