My Mom (Little Man’s Gran) makes some of the best Taco Soup I’ve ever had! My husband asks me to make it so much that it has become a “Regular” on our weekly menus. People in the community apparently love it, too, because the local drugstore deli asked for her recipe and serves it on a regular basis.
This recipe is quick, easy, and delicious! The original recipe calls for canned goods, but please substitute dried beans, fresh tomatoes, or even home preserved goods at your discretion.
The only substitutions I’ve made have been to start making my own taco seasoning and Ranch seasoning instead of using the packets. If you haven’t tried doing so yet, you should start! It’s ridiculously easy, super cheap, and has SO much less sodium than the packets. Not to mention, the packets contain MSG, (monosodium glutamate) which gives me crazy bad headaches so I avoid it at all costs. On to the recipe!Gran’s Taco SoupIngredients:
2lbs ground beef
1 small yellow onion, diced (I prefer big chunks)
2 ½ Tablespoons DIY Taco seasoning (or 1 envelope)
3 Tablespoons DIY Ranch seasoning (or 1 envelope)
1-2 teaspoons TexJoy (“Secret” family ingredient) I use this in just about everything if you haven’t noticed already!
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans
1 (15 oz) can black beans
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans
1 (1o oz) can Rotel (I’m a wuss so I use the Mild Rotel)
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can sweet yellow cornDirections:
Brown ground beef in large stock pot with onion and seasonings. Drain fat. Add beans, corn, and tomatoes with juices. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil then turn down to low-medium heat, and let simmer for 20+ minutes. The longer you let it simmer, the more the flavors will meld. Did I mention how easy this is? Mmmmmmm , Serve by it’s scrumptious self OR with shredded colby jack cheese, sour cream, or cornbread. (All three if you’re feeling naughty!)
As you may know, it is a crime to serve Taco Soup without the perfect cornbread! CRIME, I tell you! Lucky for you, I’ve got an amazing recipe! It’s a Jiffy copycat recipe with a few little tweaks. Bonus: Double or triple the dry ingredients and save them in ziplock bags for next time.
Now, for that cornbread recipe to go with:Perfect Cast Iron Cornbread
Photo Credit: Brown Eyed Baker“Dry” Ingredients:
1 & 1/3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup yellow cornmeal
¾ C granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons baking powder
½ teaspoons salt
Stir all ingredients together until finely mixed (Use an electric mixer to really get it mixed well.) Makes the equivalent of two boxes of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix.To use:
1 portion of dry ingredients
2 large eggs, beaten
2/3 Cup of milk
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 can creamstyle corn
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place your Cast Iron skillet in the oven while it’s pre-heating. The secret to perfectly crispy cornbread is pouring your batter into a hot skillet! , Mix all ingredients well, then pour into a well-seasoned, HOT 12 inch Cast Iron skillet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
You can also make corn muffins: Grease muffin tins or line with liners. Fill muffin tins 1/2 full, and bake for 15-20 minutes. (Makes 24 mini muffins or 12 regular sized muffins)What Do You Think?
Do you have an awesome taco soup or cornbread recipe I need to try? What is it? ,
