I think that most families have a core set of meals that they rotate through on a regular basis. Growing up, Taco Soup was a staple for my family. It feels like we had this at least once a week, although it was probably more like once or twice a month. Taco Soup was always a hit with my brothers and sisters and I—probably because we got to load it up with tortilla chips and cheese!
Last week we had a chilly day and I started craving my mom’s Taco Soup. I called her from the Whole Foods parking lot and asked for a quick run down of the recipe. One of the ingredients in her recipe is a packet of taco seasoning, but she also made her own. The only taco seasoning packet they had at WF was for spicy fish tacos and I knew I didn’t want to make the soup overly spicy so I went ahead and made my own. The amounts below might seem like a lot, but they make this soup so flavorful!
My mom typically made her soup with ground beef or shredded chicken, and often added black beans. I decided to mimic the look of the shredded chicken with jackfruit. Using just beans would be fine, but I liked having the different textures. I also added quinoa for an extra nutritional punch—a friend of mine made me a chili soup with quinoa when Jonathan was born and it was so good, so I knew I wanted to do it here. Best part—the quinoa just cooks right in the soup so there’s no extra mess!
^^^ Fully loaded!
This soup comes together quickly, making it a perfect weeknight dinner! It’s a one pot wonder—filling and delicious, and no need for side dishes. Just top with some chips, your favorite shredded cheese, avocados and cilantro! Dinner’s ready! I hope you have a chance to try it—when you do, be sure to take a picture, post it on Instagram, and tag it with #frieddandelions!
Yields 6-8 servings
Taco Soup has all of the hearty flavors of a regular taco wrapped up into a big bowl of cozy soup!
5 minPrep Time
25 minCook Time
30 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 large can of young jackfruit in brine, rinsed and shredded (discard pods and "triangle" tips)
- 1 can black beans
- 3 t chili powder
- 2 t cumin
- 1 t salt
- 1 t paprika
- 1 t onion powder
- 1 t garlic powder
- 1 t oregano (preferably Mexican)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 c quinoa, rinsed
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (14.5 oz)
- 6 c water/veggie stock
- 2 c frozen corn
- diced avocado
- cilantro
- green onion
- shredded cheese—we like Daiya cheddar
- tortilla chips
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large soup pot on the stove over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook until starting to brown.
- Add the shredded jackfruit and black beans. Stir and allow to heat through for a minute or two.
- Add all of the spices—chili powder, cumin, salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, and bay leaf. Mix well to incorporate and allow to brown for a minute.
- Add rinsed quinoa and crushed tomatoes and stir again.
- Add the water or veggie stock and stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for about 15 - 20 minutes, until quinoa is tender.
- Add the frozen corn and allow to cook for 5 more minutes to allow the corn to heat through.
- Serve with your favorite toppings!
