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Day 292.
Stephanie O’Dea’s yummy Slow Cooker Taco Soup was one of the very first recipes I veggie-converted for my family back before I was writing the blog and even before Bug or Goose were eating the same meals that we were eating. For whatever reason, after making the regular rotation several times, this one slipped my mind and I had to rediscover its deliciousness. It’s a pretty simple conversion as far as the meat, use 2 cups of lentil-rice “beef” instead of ground beef.
As for veganizing, it’s not much different than I’d normally do, because I never buy those little packets of “ranch dressing mix.” Instead, I mix up the herbs myself and, instead of the dry buttermilk, I mix soy milk into the soup itself.
The recipe ends up looking like a ton of ingredients, but for me, it’s better than spending extra money on a seasoning packet even if I didn’t want the recipe to be vegan and MSG-free. Plus, if you use them regularly enough, mixing up large batches of the Ranch mix as well as the taco seasoning mix to be used in recipes is definitely the way to go.
Slow Cooker Vegan Taco Soup
Adapted from Taco Soup.
Ingredients
2 cups black beans, cooked
14.5 ounces corn, undrained
2 cups diced tomatoes
7 ounces green chiles
1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix
MOCK RANCH DRESSING MIX (1 tablespoon)
1/2 tablespoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon dill
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups Lentil and Rice Ground Beef Substitute
GARNISH (optional)
1-2 cups soy milk or Easy Slow Cooker Vegetable Broth
cheese
sour cream
fresh cilantro, chopped
Slow Cooker Method
Place all ingredients, in order, at the bottom of your slow cooker. It is especially important with the homemade “beef” to place it on top so the mixture doesn’t get soggy.
Cook on low 3 to 5 hours.
At this point, you have a thick, nearly refried bean consistency taco soup.
I make it in this thick consistency because I can use the leftovers for tacos, burritos and quesadillas and whatever else I can dream up.
Once it’s done cooking, if you’re going to eat the whole thing as soup, mix in 1 to 2 cups of soy milk or vegetable broth to soupify it to your desired consistency.
If you use canned tomatoes with juice, you may not need to add much or any liquid at all.
Otherwise, soupify your bowls individually and top with cilantro, sour cream and cheese, if desired.
Instant Pot Method
Place all ingredients except garnish in instant pot.
Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
Allow pressure to naturally release.
Garnish and serve.
The Results
I had forgotten how much I love this soup and how versatile the leftovers can be. Not to mention the fact that you can really make each bowl individualized with various amounts and varieties of mix-ins.
We all loved this soup (it was Goose’s first time eating it and she went crazy for it). I was a little concerned about the homemade beef blend holding up in the slow cooker soup (when I made it before I used pre-packaged “ground beef”), but putting it on top out of the bulk of the liquids really kept the beef together. I can’t wait to craft a new leftover creation out of this one.
Recipe card
Slow Cooker Vegan Taco Soup
This slow cooker vegan taco soup recipe is super delicious. Everyone in the family loved it! The leftovers have many uses and you can play with the spice.
Ingredients
- 2 cups black beans, cooked
- 14.5 ounces corn, undrained
- 2 cups diced tomatoes
- 7 ounces green chiles
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix
- MOCK RANCH DRESSING MIX (1 tablespoon)
- 1/2 tablespoon parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dill
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried onion flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups Lentil and Rice Ground Beef Substitute
- GARNISH (optional)
- 1-2 cups soy milk or Easy Slow Cooker Vegetable Broth
- cheese
- sour cream
- fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Slow Cooker Method
- Place all ingredients, in order, at the bottom of your crock. It is especially important with the homemade "beef" to place it on top so the mixture doesn't get soggy. Cook on low 3 to 5 hours. At this point, you have a thick, nearly refried bean consistency taco soup.
- I make it in this thick consistency because I can use the leftovers for tacos, burritos and quesadillas and whatever else I can dream up. Once it's done cooking, if you're going to eat the whole thing as soup, mix in 1 to 2 cups of soy milk or vegetable broth to soupify it to your desired consistency. If you use canned tomatoes with juice, you may not need to add much or any liquid at all. Otherwise, soupify your bowls individually and top with cilantro, sour cream and cheese, if desired.
- Instant Pot Method
- Place all ingredients except garnish in instant pot.
- Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
- Allow pressure to naturally release.
- Garnish and serve.
