Food & Drink

Taco Soup

Taco Soup from Soup Night by Maggie Stuckey | Photo Credit: Lara Ferroni

What better way to entertain family and friends than to have a soup night? You provide the soup (two or three pots’ worth), and guests bring their own dishes and silverware, and perhaps a salad or some bread. Neighbors get to know each other by name, people of all ages connect and socialize, and everyone leaves with a full and happy belly. This recipe for Taco Soup from Maggie Stuckey’s Soup Night is a hearty treat, perfect for warming up on cold winter nights.

Taco Soup

“There are lots of versions of taco soup floating around in cyberspace, and I’m sure they’re all good, but this one, the creation of my book-group buddy Marilyn Katz, is extremely easy, delicious, and — thanks to using four different types of beans — very colorful.”

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef
3 (15-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen corn
4 celery stalks, chopped
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 packets taco seasoning
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 (15-ounce) cans beef broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnishes

Grated cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Tortilla chips, lightly crushed
Sliced scallions
Sliced black olives

Instructions

1. Brown the ground beef in a large soup pot over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked; drain away any fat.

2. Add the tomatoes, all the beans, the corn, celery, onions, taco seasoning, garlic powder, chili powder, and broth, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Set out the garnishes in bowls, and serve the soup hot.

Make ahead? Sure. It improves with age.

For large crowds: Easy to multiply, and not expensive.

For vegetarians: Leave out the meat. It won’t be authentically taco-like, but still good.

For more recipes like this, check out Maggie Stuckey’s Soup Night.