The thing I love the most about living in Pennsylvania is the change of seasons that we experience four times a year—and fall is my personal favorite. I love the beautiful orange, red, and yellow leaves that signify the new season, along with the pumpkins that surround front doors, and the crisp smell of the autumn air. The change in season is also to perfect opportunity for a change in menu items and includes some of my favorite soup recipes.
A few weeks ago, as I was browsing on Pinterest, I spotted this taco soup recipe and hoped it tasted as good as it looked. So, with the cool weather in the forecast this past weekend, I knew it was time to give this recipe a try. The original recipe was from www.classycooking.com, but I made a few modifications to fit my personal food preferences. I’m a total wimp when it comes to spicy foods, so I removed the jalapeños and green chilies from the recipes. If you’re a fan of spicy foods, feel free to add them back in! The two additional items I added were cooked brown rice and salsa. They fit perfectly with this particular recipe and add a nice bit of flavor (salsa) and texture (rice). Serve your soup with a freshly baked cornbread muffin . . .and enjoy! It’s a recipe that is low on calories but high on flavor and satisfaction!
Taco Soup
Yield: About 10 servings
**I made the full recipe, and froze several bags of this soup for later in the season!**
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 lbs lean ground turkey
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped (1 1/2 cups)
- 2 bell peppers, seeded and diced (I used a red and green bell peppers)*
- 1 ½ cups brown rice, cooked
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans organic diced tomatoes
- 3 (14 oz) can low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 jar of mild salsa
- 2 Tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 pack of dry ranch dressing mix
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
Optional toppings:
- Shredded Mexican blend cheese
- Avocado, sliced
- Low-fat sour cream
Directions
- In a large pot, combine the ground turkey, chopped onion, and bell peppers. Stir occasionally until the vegetables are tender and the turkey is crumbled and browned. Once cooked, drain off the excess fat and add in the cooked brown rice, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salsa, and spices (chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, ranch dressing mix, pepper and salt). Cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes.
- Add in the black beans, pinto beans, and corn and cook until heated thoroughly.
- Spoon the desired amount into a bowl, and add the shredded cheese, avocado slices, and sour cream as a garnish.
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