Southern-Style Taco Soup is something I discovered when I lived down South in Atlanta. My ex-boyfriend’s Mom (a great Southern cook from Alabama) made this for us everytime we came home to visit on a chilly winter night and it was completely delicious – similar to chili yet a warm flavorful soup with corn, black beans, kidney beans and green chilies and diced tomatoes.
The key is the taco seasoning and ranch salad dressing mix – it gives it tons of flavor and a super creamy consistency. Top it off with corn chips, sour cream, jalapeños, cilantro and grated sharp cheddar and you’ve got a hearty soup that eats like a meal. Delish!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 2 cups diced Sweet Vidalia onion
- 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pinto beans
- 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can black beans
- 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can dark red kidney beans
- 1 (15 1/4-ounce) can sweet white kernel baby corn, drained
- 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
- 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomatoes with chiles (Rotel)
- 1 (4 1/2-ounce) can diced green chiles
- Dash of Tabasco or hot pepper sauce (optional)
- 1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
- 1 (1-ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix
- Corn chips, for serving
- Sour cream, for garnish
- Grated sharp cheddar or Mexican blend cheese, for garnish
- Sliced jalapenos, for garnish
- 1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a large stockpot.
- Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, hot sauce, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix, and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove. Alternatively you can cook the soup in a slow cooker on low for about 6 hours which really makes the flavors meld together.
- Serve with corn chips in the bowl and pour soup over the chips. Garnish each bowl with a dollop of sour cream, grated cheese, fresh cilantro and sliced jalapenos.