Spicy Vegan Taco Soup

I make this recipe every year when it gets cold. It has been tweaked and changed for almost a decade! I always change it up depending on what I have on-hand, or what I can find in the stores. It seems like a lot of spices, but when you "bloom" them in oil, they blend seamlessly into the soup. I use a lot of different spices, but things can always be changed depending on taste. Sometimes I will just use a taco seasoning packet and call it a day!

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Step 1

Wash and dry all produce. Dice the onion and bell peppers. Finely chop the jalapenos and cilantro. Mince, press, or grate the garlic.

Step 2

Saute the onion, bell peppers, and jalapenos in a pan (or large pot if not using slow cooker) on medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Then, add the minced garlic, stirring until fragrant.

Step 3

Add the spices, making sure they are "dissolved" into the oil. If there are still clumps of seasoning, add a splash more oil. Spices should be thoroughly coating the aromatics.

Step 4

Add about 1 cup of stock to the pan to deglaze and stir throughly. Turn off the heat. Transfer aromatic and stock mixture to the slow cooker.

Step 5

Pour in the rest of the stock. Add the beans, corn, canned tomatos, and the juice of 2 limes. Rotel, and stir thoroughly.

Step 6

Set slow cooker to on LOW for 4-6 hours, stirring occasionally. If you notice a lot of the liquid boiling off, add water as needed.

Step 7

Add chopped cilantro half-way through cooking. When done, vegetables should be cooked through and soup should be piping hot. Serve with optional toppings.

Step 8

Add about a cup of stock to the pot to deglaze it. Stir mixture thoroughly and let come to a boil.

Step 9

Then add the canned tomatos, Rotel, beans, corn, rest of the stock, and lime juice.

Step 10

Let it come to a boil again, then turn the heat down to medium-low. Add chopped cilantro. Cook for about 1 hour, until vegetables and beans are heated thoroughly and the flavors have melded.

Step 11

Serve soup in bowls with chips, avocado, sour cream, or other optional toppings.