Taco Soup with Quesadillas

Soup in the summer!

Weird, huh?

Not this one, though.  It tastes like a dang taco.  A GOOD dang taco.

This is another vegetarian meal, but you could certainly add shredded chicken or ground beef for an even heartier soup!

I love this and have been making it for years - it's good to throw together at the last minute, or you can make it in advance and simmer it for awhile.  I mix up the veggies all the time so it's never exactly the same, but it's ALWAYS delicious!

Here's what you need:

• salt
• olive oil
• 2 bell peppers (color your choice!)
• 1 small or ½ large onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 jalapeno
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 can hominy (optional)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (the kind with chili's makes it extra spicy!)
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• quesadillas, for serving
• sour cream and guacamole, for topping

This is great.  Every time I make it I'm incredibly glad I did!

Start by preheating a soup pan with a drizzle of olive oil to medium heat.  Then chop your veggies!

Chop the onion and slice the jalapeno....

Then chop the peppers into similar shapes.

Then, mince the garlic.

 

When the pan is hot, add the onion and jalapeno and stir them around for 2 minutes until they start to soften.

Then add the peppers and garlic.

When the vegetables are a bit brown on the edges but still crisp, add the tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, and a sprinkle of salt.

Stir THAT all together.  It'll start to smell like a taco!

When the veggies are all coated in spices and tomato paste, add the tomatoes and their juices and the hominy, drained.

If you don't have hominy don't worry about it - I only use it some times!  It adds kind of the consistency of soups that have diced potato in it....fun, but not anything to freak out about it!  If you want the soup to have more than just peppers and onions you could add a handful of frozen corn or some chopped mushrooms, too!

Stir the veggies all together, and add the vegetable stock.  Taste the soup, and add more salt or spices if you'd like!

Let the soup simmer for 10 minutes or as long as you have - add more stock or some water if the broth evaporates!

I serve this with cheese quesadillas for dunking and homemade guacamole on top.

Perfect every time - easy enough for a Thursday or super fun for a weekend movie supper.

I think I say that about everything I cook.  Sorry.

Happy Mexican night!