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Vegan Taco Soup

Victoria Drake

Every time I get just a taste of fall weather, I am beyond ready for soups and casseroles! My favorite kinds of soups are more like stews, with lots of hearty ingredients in them. I grew up eating this recipe, but with ground beef instead of vegan meat. It resembles chili, but has the taste of tacos due to the seasoning so we always called it “taco soup.”

Now? I use Gardein’s Beefless Crumbles or just some plain old textured vegetable protein (TVP). Add beans, broth, and spices and you’re good to go! It definitely takes on the life of more of a chili, but the taco seasoning gives it that awesome flavor. I love to pair this with some vegan cornbread with vegan butter. You can also add vegan cheese, sour cream, and cilantro too! (TRUE pro tip: To make this dish even more fun, crumble some Fritos on top! This adds a perfect crunch and flavor.)

This recipe makes quite a bit of soup. Luckily this recipe freezes really well, which you’ll be happy for when you come home on a cold night and want some more of this!

Vegan Taco Soup

1 onion, diced

1 can corn, drained

1 can red kidney beans, rinsed

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 can tomatoes with green chiles

1 packet taco seasoning (check to make sure it’s vegan!)

1 cup vegan ground beef*

2 teaspoons Better than Bouillon Vegetable Bouillon

3 cups water

*I use Gardein’s Beefless Crumbles or dried TVP. When you add the TVP to the broth, it cooks it––no need to cook or rehydrate in advance. For ready to eat TVP, see my post on How to Make Vegan Ground Beef.

  1. In a large stockpot over medium heat, sauté the diced onion until translucent.

  2. Mix in the corn, kidney beans, black beans, tomatoes, and taco seasoning. Mix well and heat thoroughly for about 4 minutes.

  3. Add the vegan beef, vegetable bouillon, and water. Bring the soup to a boil.

  4. After it comes to a boil, let it simmer for about 10-20 minutes, depending on how much time you have. The longer you let it simmer, the more the flavors have time to meld into the beef.

  5. When it’s done, dish into your favorite bowl and top with vegan cheese, Fritos, or sour cream! You can also add fresh jalapeños or cilantro for more flavor.