Taco Soup

It may have only happened a couple of times, but as I remember it, my mom made Taco Soup every Halloween, so that’s exactly what I crave this time of year. It’s comforting and hearty like a chili and really easy to throw together in one pot. Aside from chopping an onion and bell pepper, everything else gets dumped straight into the pot, making this a really quick and easy throw-together meal, perfect for autumn weeknights or hosting friends to watch football (I only say this because food is the only part about football I care about).

It’s a lot like chili, but with simple Southwestern flavors. Between the ‘beefless ground’, black beans, corn and pasta, this soup is incredibly filling (and packs a lot of protein), especially once you add the toppings and eat it with chips, so this recipe feeds quite a few people. Small pasta like macaroni works really well in this dish, and regular, gluten pasta holds up well, especially with leftovers, but feel free to use any type of pasta you like!

This soup is even better the next day and makes for a perfect meal-prepped lunch for school or work. We have always eaten it with tortilla chips or Fritos, and a sprinkle of vegan cheese or sour cream is a wonderful addition as well.

INGREDIENTS

• yellow onion

• green bell pepper

• garlic

• tomato paste

• Gardein Beefless Ground (see notes for alternates)

• canned diced tomatoes

• chili powder

• cumin

• garlic powder

• onion powder

• canned black beans

• macaroni pasta

• frozen corn

• vegan sour cream (these are so hit-or-miss. I really like the Tofutti brand)

• vegan shredded cheddar cheese (also very hit-or-miss. Our favorite brand is Violife)

• green onion

• hot sauce

• Frito’s scoops or tortilla chips

NOTEs

• If you use something like Impossible or Beyond Meat that needs to be cooked instead of the frozen, pre-cooked and seasoned Gardein beefless ground, simply add it to the pot right after the onion and bell pepper. Once it has browned, add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for a minute to intensify those flavors before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.

• The pasta will continue to absorb water, so add water as necessary to reach your desired consistency. In this case, you might need to adjust the seasonings. The soup will thicken quite a bit overnight in the fridge if you have leftovers, so I always add a splash of water when reheating extras.

• Regular, gluten pasta retains its shape and texture the best with leftovers, but I have made it with brown rice pasta before. Feel free to use your favorite pasta and simply turn off the heat before the pasta is completely cooked because it will continue to cook with the residual heat of the soup.

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THE RECIPE

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Taco Soup

Yield: 6-8

Author: MADELINE APPEL

Ingredients

Soup

• 1 TBS olive oil
• 1/2 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 TBS tomato paste
• 1 bag Gardein frozen beefless ground
• 28 oz can diced tomatoes
• 5 cups water
• 5TBS chili powder
• 2 TBS cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• black pepper to taste
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup macaroni pasta
• 1 cup frozen corn

Toppings

• Vegan Sour Cream (I recommend Tofutti)
• Vegan Shredded Cheddar Cheese (I recommend Violife)
• Chopped green onion
• Hot sauce
• Frito's scoops or tortilla chips

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Finely dice the onion and add to the hot pan. Cook until translucent. 
2. Add the diced bell pepper and cook until it has softened. 
3. Add the minced garlic to the pan and stir for 30 seconds - 1 minute, allowing the garlic to cook without burning. Add a splash of water if the garlic starts to stick or burn. 
4. Add the tomato paste and stir for another minute before adding the beefless ground. Stir until the beefless ground has thawed and incorporated into the other ingredients. 
5. Next, add the canned tomatoes, water, frozen corn, and spices (including the salt and pepper).
6. Let this simmer for 5-10 minutes to let the tomatoes cook down and the flavors combine. 
7. Add the pasta and black beans and cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes, adding water as necessary to reach your desired soupiness as the pasta absorbs more liquid. 
8. Serve with vegan sour cream & shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, hot sauce, and Fritos or tortilla chips for dipping.