Taco soup may sound like a newer idea, but it has the same spirit as the old farmhouse soups I grew up with on the prairie—stretching a pound of meat, using what’s in the pantry, and letting the pot do most of the work while you tend to the rest of your day. This slow cooker version is as simple as they come, just six ingredients and hardly any fuss, but it tastes like you’ve been hovering over the stove. It’s the sort of recipe you reach for on a busy weekday, a cold Sunday after church, or when the kids and grandkids are all coming over and you need something everyone can ladle up and fix to their own liking. The flavors are cozy and familiar, like a cross between chili and tacos, and it fills the house with the kind of smell that makes people wander into the kitchen asking when supper will be ready.
This taco soup loves company on the table. I like to set out a basket of warm cornbread or a plate of buttered saltine crackers—both are very Midwestern and very comforting. A simple green salad with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, and a drizzle of ranch dressing balances the richness nicely. If you want to stretch the meal even further, spoon the soup over a little cooked rice in the bottom of each bowl. A side of tortilla chips is always welcome for scooping and crumbling over the top. And if you’ve got them on hand, bowls of shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped onions, or a few pickled jalapeño slices let everyone dress their own bowl just the way they like it.
6-Ingredient Slow Cooker Taco Soup with Ground Beef
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 packet (1 ounce) taco seasoning mix
1 can (15 ounces) chili beans in sauce, undrained
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained (or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn)
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
Directions
see next page
ADVERTISEMENT
