Taco Soup

No, this is not tortilla soup. This is TACO SOUP. There is a difference, I think? I swap out tomato sauce for enchilada sauce, add in some corn, beans, and noodles, and there ya go- TACO SOUP. This soup feels like putting on a warm coat on a cold day, and it tastes like drinking a taco. Yep, I said it. Sorry.

what you need:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 package ground turkey
• 1 can of corn, drained and rinsed
• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 1 can enchilada sauce
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• Salt, as needed
• 1 tsp pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 cup pasta of your choice, I used elbows!
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Sour cream
• Tortilla strips or chips

what you need to do:

• In a large pot or dutch oven, melt the butter on medium-low heat. Add in the onion, jalapeno, and bell pepper, plus 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix well and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 – 7 minutes.
• Add in the turkey and the garlic, and cook the turkey until it is no longer pink. Chop up the turkey with your spoon as it cooks, breaking it up into smaller pieces. Once cooked, add in the taco seasoning and stir until thoroughly combined and seasoning has dissolved into the turkey.
• Add in the drained can of corn and stir to combine. Pour in the enchilada sauce, and then fill up the can with water and add the water. Repeat, adding a total of two cans of water. Add in the chicken broth, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and paprika. Stir well. Cover pot with lid, adjust heat to low, and let simmer for 30 minutes. I checked on it every 10 minutes or so to stir, making sure no bits are sticking to the bottom.
• After 30 minutes, keep the soup covered and on low heat, and then bring a separate pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles for about 5 – 6 minutes. Drain them and add them to the pot, even if they are not cooked all the way, they will continue to cook in the soup. Add the drained black beans as well. Stir well to combine and then cover and let simmer another 10 minutes. Taste the broth and add salt as needed. I find that the taco seasoning combined with the enchilada sauce is pretty salty, so I do not add any additional salt but this is totally up to your preferences!
• When ready to serve, ladle soup into a bowl and top with sour cream, shredded cheese, and tortilla strips (or chips!)
• Additional topping options: chopped tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, corn chips, shredded lettuce.