Recipe Favorites: Taco Soup Recipe from A Pinch of Salt Lake

(updated January 2008) This recipe for Taco Soup was adapted from A Pinch of Salt Lake, a classic cookbook by the Junior League of Salt Lake, and my copy is one I got as a gift from a student. I'd always wanted the book, and when Nathan showed up with it one day, I was quite excited. In the honest way kids have he said, "My mom didn't think she'd ever use it," which made me smile.

There were a couple of reasons I thought this soup should become one of my Recipe Favorites. Besides the fact that it matches my new soup header so well (thanks, Rand!) this is really a tasty soup. It would be a great family recipe if parents were on the South Beach Diet because you could add corn chips to please the kids and the soup is still great without them for dieters. When we had it for a family party, I skipped the chips and didn't feel deprived at all. Best of all, the soup is easy to make, and uses ingredients you probably already have on hand.

Easy Taco Soup
(Makes 6-8 servings, recipe from A Pinch of Salt Lake, with adaptations by Kalyn.)

1 lb. ground beef (use very lean ground beef for South Beach Diet)
1-2 tsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped small
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 cans beef broth, (or 3 - 4 cups homemade beef stock)
2 cans diced tomatoes with juice (14.5 oz size can, I like Muir Glen Fire Roasted organic canned tomatoes)
2 cans pinto beans or kidney beans with juice (15 oz. size can)
2 T dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
2 T ground cumin
1 T ground ancho chile powder (I used ground ancho chile powder from Penzeys, if you don't have ancho chile powder just use more regular chile powder)
1 T regular chile powder

Toppings to add to the soup:
diced avocado
grated cheddar cheese (I used Mexican Cheese Blend from Costco which is a lower fat cheese blend)
corn chips (not for South Beach dieters)
sour cream (use light sour cream for South Beach diet)
chopped fresh cilantro

Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in frying pan, add ground beef and cook until well browned, breaking into small pieces with turner as you cook it. Remove beef to large soup pot.

In same frying pan heat second tsp. of olive oil, add onions and garlic, and saute until onions are starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add veggies to soup pot. Rinse out frying pan with one cup beef broth and add to pot with rest of broth, canned tomatoes, canned beans, and spices. Let soup simmer at very low simmer 45 minutes to one hour, stirring occasionally and adding a bit more water if it cooks down very much. (If you want a thicker soup, cook 30 minutes, then remove a few cups of soup, puree with food processor or immersion blender and add back into the soup, then cook remaining time.) Serve hot, with toppings as desired.

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South Beach Suggestions:

With low fat ground beef, low fat cheese, light sour cream, and skipping the corn chips, this soup would be fine for any phase of the South Beach Diet. Many people don't know that beans are allowed, even for phase one, but they're considered a "good carb" on South Beach.

More Soups for Cold Weather:
Not Just For the Superbowl Chili
Turkey and White Bean Chili with Chocolate
Chicken, Black Bean and Cilantro Soup
Italian Sausage and Bean Soup with Chard
Chicken and Pinto Bean Soup with Lime and Cilantro