Taco soup has been one of my go-to recipes for years because of how easy it is to whip up in a short amount of time. Pour a bunch of cans of things into a pot, heat it up, and you’re halfway there—all that’s left after that is the meat and seasoning. Seriously, it's so easy, my five-year-old helps and he really feels like he's cooking.
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When we found out a few years ago that my husband is allergic to tomatoes, a key ingredient in taco soup, I found myself in a bit of a pickle: give up on one of the easiest recipes I have OR replace the tomatoes with something a little… unexpected.
I asked myself, “What has a similar texture to tomatoes?”
The answer: pineapple! Ehhh, you're thinking I'm crazy right about now, right?
Seriously, though. When cooked, pineapple gets soft and breaks apart. The effect is similar to that of diced or whole peeled tomatoes. We found that the sweetness of the pineapple and the savoriness of the soup complement each other surprisingly well! Hence, our sweet and savory taco soup was born! (And I get to keep making my easy-peasy taco soup recipe—win-win.)
Read on for instructions on how to make this tomato-free, sweet and savory taco soup for your family.
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey
- 15 oz can of black or kidney beans
- 15 oz can of pinto beans
- 15 oz can of whole corn kernels
- 4 oz can of diced green chiles
- 8 oz can of pineapple chunks
- 1 packet of taco seasoning
- 1 packet of ranch seasoning
Optional toppings:
- Shredded cheese (we like cheddar or a taco blend)
- Corn chips or tortilla chips
- Guacamole or diced avocado
- Sour cream or plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- Whatever else you like—you do you.
Directions:
- Empty all the canned items into a large pot and set the burner to medium heat. Stir occasionally. (Tip: for a thicker soup, drain a little bit of the corn and pineapple juices before adding them to the pot.)
- While the soup is heating, brown the ground beef or turkey in a separate nonstick skillet. Drain, and then add to the soup.
- Mix taco seasoning and ranch seasoning packets into the soup. Stir thoroughly.
- Bring to a quick boil and then set the burner to low, cover, and let simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Serve with your desired toppings and enjoy!
Bonus: This makes excellent leftovers!
Bonus bonus: If you have a large family, this recipe is super easy to double—no measuring, just buy two of everything!
And that’s it. That’s the recipe. I hope you enjoy making (and eating) this very easy sweet and savory taco soup!
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