Taco Soup

Every home cook needs an arsenal of good, easy recipes that can be put together quickly with ingredients that are likely always on hand. These are the throw-together recipes for when you are in a hurry, have unexpected company, or are just tired and don’t want to spend a lot of time making (and cleaning up) dinner.

This is the perfect recipe to add to your arsenal. (If I use the word arsenal much more, you’re going to think I watch a lot of police shows… You would be right.) It’s quick, easy, and only uses one pot, which makes my dirty dish-hating husband a happy camper. Basically it’s taco night in a bowl. And who doesn’t love taco night?

Perhaps the best thing about this recipe though, is that it is incredibly versatile. Don’t like zucchini? Substitute some green pepper. Out of corn? Stir in some cooked rice. You get the idea. So go fill up your bowl with hot soup, top it off with some cheese, sour cream, or chips, and dig in. It’ll be like a fiesta in your mouth.
Taco Soup

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 small or 1 large onion, diced
4 cloves (4 tsp.) garlic, minced
3 medium zucchini, diced
2 cups corn
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
16 oz. salsa
1 T. olive oil
1 T. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions:
Brown meat in a large pot over medium-high heat. Drain meat and remove from pot. Set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add olive oil to pot. When hot, add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add zucchini and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add all of the remaining ingredients to the pot.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve hot, garnished with sour cream, cheese, or tortilla chips.