Fiesta Taco Soup has been a favorite of my family for many years! The recipe for this one-pot dish is quick and easy.
This zesty chili-like soup is a comforting meal for colder days during Fall and Winter camping, but honestly my family eats this up any time I make it! In fact, I have a strong suspicion that cooking this dish made Little Spoon feel like she could live with me long-term! Garlic and onion are both big keys to the flavor of this hearty soup. I hope you enjoy this staple of our base camp!
TIPS: I’ve included measurements for spices but, feel free to kick up the chili powder and cumin if you like things on the spicy side. When shopping for canned foods, I recommend select cans marked “BPA-free.” I choose Whole Foods 365 “no salt added” beans and corn for this recipe so I have greater control of the seasoning (and have a better sense of our sodium intake).
Makes 4 servings:
Ingredients
1 yellow onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 can black beans, undrained
1 can dark red kidney beans, undrained
1 can pinto beans, undrained
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
salt and pepper to taste
cilantro and sliced avocado to top (optional)
crushed tortilla chips to serve over (optional)
Fiesta Taco Soup, Coming Up!
Start by dicing the onion and bell pepper. I like to make ours a little chunky because it adds to the texture of the dish. Next, mince the garlic. I use the flat of my knife blade to crush the garlic first and then mince it, going over it several times for a fine mince. Crushing the garlic helps to release more of that special flavor and aroma that we all love garlic for!
Saute the onion and garlic in a large pot. I prefer to saute in water instead of oil. I was surprised when I started this, finding that oil is simply not necessary for most of my favorite dishes. If you aren’t as concerned with oil you can use it, but I would recommend using as little as possible.
After the onion has softened and is just beginning to become translucent, add the diced bell pepper. Also add 1/2 of the chili powder and 1/2 of the cumin to allow it a little time to infuse into the onions and peppers. Saute this mixture until the bell pepper begins to soften. You can add a little water to the pan as needed to keep things from sticking.
Next, add all three cans of beans with the liquid (do not drain them first), 1/2 can of drained diced tomatoes, and the drained can of corn. This is also the time for the rest of the chili powder and cumin! Bring it to a low boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally. Add salt, and pepper to taste. Serve your fiesta taco soup once it’s heated well throughout.
Little Spoon likes her taco soup topped with some fresh cilantro and avocado slices! Our sons enjoy this hearty soup over crushed tortilla chips.
Camp Packing List
| Cooking Gear Needed | Cold Storage (cold ice chest) | Cool Storage (insulated bag/cooler) | Dry Storage (cool dry container) |
| 1 big spoon | 1 green bell pepper | 1 yellow onion | 1 can pinto beans |
| 1 medium pot / large saucepan | 1 bunch cilantro (optional) | 3-4 cloves of garlic | 1 can dark red kidney beans |
| 1 cutting surface | 1 ripe avocado (optional) | 1 can of black beans | |
| 1 knife | 1 can whole kernel corn | ||
| 1 can opener | 1 can diced tomatoes | ||
| measuring spoons | chili powder | ||
| cumin | |||
| salt and pepper | |||
| tortilla chips (optional) |
Check out the Big Spoon recipe tab for more delicious plant-based camp cooking dishes to fuel your outdoor adventures.
…camp, hike, eat well, repeat!