Taco Soup!

In my house, Mexican food rules all. If we go out to eat, even for fast food, we head to a Mexican joint 9 times out of 10. We never get sick of it. Ever. So, it only makes sense that we love to cook as stylistically Latin as possible.

Now, let me give you a little background into my life. I come from a long line of women who are total rockstars in the kitchen. And then, I married a “retired” chef. Can we please talk about the intimidation factor here? Unless I was baking, because I’ve always been good at that. But I digress. When I stepped into the kitchen, I was instantly stressed. And nervous. The kitchen was Goliath.

This is one of the first things I made. The Husband came up with the recipe, and I’d watched him make it a dozen times so I felt confident. I knew I could go David all over my kitchen. So, without further ado…

Ryan's Taco Soup

1lb ground beef or ground turkey
1 can corn
1 can black or kidney beans, rinsed
1 can rotel, drained
1 can beef broth
1 taco seasoning packet
1 ranch seasoning packet
1 can beer (you can use any kind, though we prefer our Texas Shiner)
1 tbsp minced garlic
3 tbsp butter
1/2 a small onion, minced
4-6 tbsp salsa (we like to use a nice smoky salsa, like Aruba, for this soup)
Cayenne to taste
Cilantro to taste

Cook meat in a large soup pot, then drain. After draining meat, melt butter in the same pot, add garlic and onion and cook until tender. Add the meat back in and stir. Add corn with 1/2 the liquid from the can, beans, rotel, 1/2 the beef broth, beer, ranch and taco packets, and salsa. Stir well and let simmer. Add the rest of the beef broth as needed to get to your ideal soup consistency. Add chopped cilantro and cayenne to taste. Simmer for at least 30 minutes. Top with cheese, sour cream, cilantro, etc.

This is a serious crowd pleaser. I’ve yet to find anyone who doesn’t love it. The best thing about this soup? It’s amazing right off the stove, but it’s even better the next day.