After-Practice Recipe

Late Dinner Taco Soup

Late-dinner taco soup is six cans and a pound of turkey simmered at three in the afternoon, so an eight-thirty bowl is two minutes in the microwave.

IngredientsTimingStoragebeans
Comic-book style illustration of hungry kids coming home from practice to a fast hot dinner for Late Dinner Taco Soup.

Six cans, one pot, finished by four.

Brown a pound of ground turkey to 165F, then open everything: black beans, pintos, corn, diced tomatoes, the small can with green chilies, a packet of taco seasoning, three cups of broth. Twenty minutes of simmering and the pot is done.

None of that has to happen at eight. Cool it, refrigerate it, and whoever gets home last ladles a bowl and hits two minutes while pouring chips into a bowl with their other hand.

Ingredients

The recipe serves 6. Plan on 8 minutes to reheat (soup cooked earlier).

  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

How to Make It

  • Earlier: brown the ground turkey in a pot until it reaches 165F, breaking it up as it cooks.
  • Add the black beans, pinto beans, corn, both cans of tomatoes, taco seasoning, and broth.
  • Simmer 20 minutes so the flavors come together, then cool and refrigerate.
  • After practice, reheat a bowl until steaming hot, about 2 minutes in the microwave or 6 minutes on the stove.

Do the Slow Part Early

This is a dump-and-simmer soup, so make the full pot earlier in the day. After practice it is pure reheating, plus a sprinkle of toppings.

  • Brown the turkey and simmer the soup in the afternoon
  • Set out the cheese, chips, and toppings before you leave
  • Cool the pot and refrigerate so reheating is the only job

Store and Reheat

Taco soup tastes even better the next day and reheats fast. Add a splash of broth if it thickened in the fridge.

  • Microwave a bowl 2 minutes, stirring once, until it steams
  • Stovetop: 6 minutes over medium, stirring, with a splash of broth
  • Pack it hot in a thermos for the field; keeps 4 days in the fridge
  • Serve with: tortilla chips, shredded cheese

Make it fit tonight

Small changes that make this one fit your night

Toppings out before you drive off

Cheese, chips, and sour cream on the counter at four beats fridge archaeology at nine.

Ground beef swaps straight across

A pound behaves identically and is usually a dollar cheaper per pot.

It thickens by day two

Stir in a quarter cup of broth or you are eating stew with a fork.

Thermos for a late game

Preheat it with boiling water and the soup holds heat through a second half.

Better on the second night

It keeps four days, and honestly Wednesday's bowl beats Tuesday's.

Plan the next step

Plan your simmer-ahead soups

Use the planner to keep a pot of something reheatable ready for late nights.

Plan your simmer-ahead soups