Taco Beef Soup

Taco Beef Soup

1 lb. ground beef

½ cup chopped onion

3 cups water

2 (26 oz.) cans stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 (16 oz.) cans kidney beans, undrained

1 (16 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 package taco seasoning mix

2 small avocados, chopped

Grated cheddar cheese

Corn chips, broken up

Sour cream

In large saucepan, cook ground beef and onion until meat is browned. Drain off excess fat. Add water, tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning mix.

Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add avocado just before serving. Pass cheese, corn chips, and sour cream to top each serving.

Tiffany's Notes

This is a simple and flexible recipe.  It is quick to throw together--especially if your meat is already browned.  (I buy ground beef in bulk, brown it, drain off any excess fat, divide, and freeze in individual bags--then all you have to do is take a small bag out of the freezer!)  This soup heats quickly on the stove or can also cook in a slow cooker for a couple of hours. 

It is fairly flexible--it's basically a taco flavored tomato soup with some beef and beans.  I used 1 large can of tomatoes and skipped the avocados.  Instead of a can of beans I added a package of preseasoned frozen beans and corn (something I had on hand).  If you don't like chunky tomatoes (like some of my children) you may want to blend your canned tomatoes first. 

I like to put a large handful of corn chips in a bowl, ladle this on top, and then add the cheese and sour cream.  Yum...