Chorizo Taco Soup {with the works!}

This Chorizo Taco Soup is a cross between a soup and a chili. It’s extremely hearty, loaded with spicy chorizo sausage and tender beef, and topped with all the taco fixings.

Super Bowl is right around the corner (next week!), so this week is all about football food. Monday I posted Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad, and today I’m bringing this Chorizo Taco Soup to the table. It’s slightly thicker than your average soup but not quite as thick as chili.

Is there a term for this combo? If there is, I can’t think it. Um, if you happen to know the answer, hook me up in the comment section.

Taco Tuesdays. Do you celebrate? I’ve been on that bandwagon since the early 2000’s and haven’t gotten off yet. It’s only the best bandwagon ever. Instead of making the traditional flour/corn tortilla stuffed goodness, I traded it in for this soup. It’s a taco, only different.

I like my food spicy. Most everything I make includes a few sprinkles of red pepper flakes, which is why my pantry is always stocked with an extra-large, Costco-sized container at all times. Yes, there are red pepper flakes in this soup, but I added a little something extra to bump up the heat: chorizo. I get from my local butcher and always keep a few extra links handy in the freezer. For this recipe, I took the chorizo out of the casing and browned it my favorite cast iron skillet along with some ground beef.

Talk about flavor!

I also added ingredients like black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, peppers, onions, chipotle peppers in adobo, and numerous spices. I didn’t skimp on the flavor, that’s for sure.

I was originally going to make this recipe in the crockpot, but it only took me an hour on the stovetop to make, so scratched that idea. Soup in my face faster is always the better option. I don’t know about you, but I prefer to make my soup a day or two ahead of time so the flavors really have a chance to develop. I’m not saying this soup isn’t good the same day you make it, because it is, but it’s better the next day. In this case, that’s a good thing. I’m sure you have plenty of prep work to take care of on Super Bowl day, so why not save yourself some time and make this recipe a day ahead. You can always reheat the soup in your slow cooker the day of the game.

Let’s not forget about all the delicious toppings. The possibilities are endless, but I like to start with the obvious toppings: tortilla chips, diced red onion, sliced avocado, sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges (for squeezing).

Print Recipe

Chorizo Taco Soup

This Chorizo Taco Soup is a cross between a soup and a chili. It’s extremely hearty, loaded with spicy chorizo sausage and tender beef, and topped with all the taco fixings.

Yield: 8 servings

Total Time: 1 hour

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

Soup

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 pound chorizo sausage, casings removed
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 yellow pepper, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 (14.5-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 (4-ounce) can chopped mild green chiles
• 1/2 cup salsa (your favorite)
• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels

Toppings

• Sour cream
• Shredded cheese
• Crushed tortilla chips
• Avocado slices
• Chopped cilantro
• Diced red onion
• Lime wedges

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef and sausge; cook, breaking up the mixture as you go along, until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. 
2. Add the peppers, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes to the pot. Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Continue to cook until the onion is translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic to the pot and cook for an additional minute, stirring often to prevent burning. 
3. Stir in the tomato paste and seasonings. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. 
4. Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, green chiles, salsa, black beans, and chipotle in adobo. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil; turn the heat down to medium-loww and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the corn and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
5. Serve with your favorite taco toppings. 

1. You can make this soup up to 3 days ahead of time. Reheat on the stovetop or in a slow cooker on the day you’re ready to serve. 
2. If you’re unable to find chorizo, you can subsite 1/2 pound of spicy sausage or replace the sausage with 1/2 pound ground beef. 

All images and text ©One Sweet Mess.

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