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Creamy Black Bean Taco Soup

Yield: 6 Servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups milk, divided (meaning you'll use 1 cup first and the other cup later)
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
  • Chopped, fresh cilantro and taco toppings for serving (optional)

Instructions 

  • In a 4- or 5-quart pot, cook the ground beef or turkey over medium to medium-high heat with the salt and pepper, breaking the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Once it is cooked through, drain any excess grease.
  • Add the onion powder, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and oregano to the meat and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
  • Add the butter, scraping up any browned bits from the meat. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute or so, whisking constantly, letting the mixture brown and bubble. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the milk. Continue stirring while heating the mixture to a gentle simmer. Moderate the heat on the stove so the soup just bubbles but doesn't boil vigorously. Cook for 1-2 minutes to let it thicken slightly.
  • Add the black beans, diced tomatoes, green chiles, and remaining 1 cup milk. Simmer gently for 5-10 minutes. Add the cheese and stir until melted.
  • Serve with fresh cilantro (can also serve with crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded cheese, olives, or whatever you like!).

Notes

Adapted Recipe: over the years, I've adapted this recipe to be slightly easier, leaving the meat in the pot (the original version removed the meat from the pot after cooking and added it back in during step #4). I've also started adding the cheese in step #4 instead of step #3 (helps prevent scorching on the bottom while the soup simmers).
Make-Ahead: if you need to make this in advance, the soup can be made on the stovetop and then kept warm in a slow cooker for several hours.