Slow Cooker Taco Soup

This recipe was updated on 11/2/2018, with new images and a few recipe tweaks! It’s even better than the original.

You sure do like the snow a lot for someone that hates the cold. 

That's me. I'm a total whiner when it comes to being cold, but when I hear a big snow storm is on the way, I audibly cheer. If I hear it's already snowing, I run to the window to see for myself. There's something magical about the snow that makes me feel like I'm 5 years old again -- like the world is one giant mystery and I'm just a little explorer, trying to figure it out. Trucking through the snow, with the right mindset, is one of my favorite parts of winter. 

But- back to that whining part. I'm a super wimp about being cold. Like, take my down coat with me on a hike in July kind of wimp. If I owned one of those giant down onesie suits they take to Mt. Everest, I'd probably bring that with me too.

Being a snow-loving, cold-hating outdoorsy person, here's what I've learned:

1. Warm mittens are a must. Notice I said mittens. They're way warmer than gloves. 

2. Bring that coat. You wont regret it. Sure, it's possible you won't use it, but if there's a chance you'll use it, bring it. While we're talking about coats and mittens let's just jump to it and say, bring all of the clothes. Hats. Long underwear. Ear muffs. The whole lot.

3. Bring snacks you love. Ok, you need lots of energy to stay warm and snacks, good snacks, give you energy and something to distract you from the cold. Why do you think people like hot chocolate so much?! My favorite winter outdoor outing snacks: paleo fudge, nuts, cheese, hot cocoa, "sugar plums," Epic bars, snowball cookies, and fruit. 

4. Make sure there's warm food waiting for you at home, or a cozy restaurant worth stopping at when your adventure is over. Soup is a great idea. Lots of soup, with plenty of spices to heat you up.

Aren't you feeling warmer just thinking about this big bowl of cozy soup?

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Published February 18, 2016 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 6   |    Active Time: 20 active minutes

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Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 bell peppers, diced

1/2 cup frozen corn kernels (or diced zucchini Paleo)

1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (about 1-2 peppers from the jar)

1 4.5-ounce can green chiles

1 teaspoon ground chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon each of salt & pepper

5 cups broth

Optional, to serve: jalapeño slices, cilantro, lime wedges, avocado, toasted tortilla strips (tortilla chips work too!)

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, or the bottom of your slow cooker, sauté the diced onion, and minced garlic. Add the beef, breaking it up into grounds, and cook until browned. Once cooked, place in your slow cooker (if it is not already there).
2. Now, add the bell peppers, corn, canned tomatoes, chipotle peppers, green chilies, spices and salt to the pot. Finally, add the broth.
3. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.
4. To serve: ladle hot soup into bowls. Top with cilantro, jalapeño slices, lime wedges, and a toasted tortilla strips

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Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon with Sweet Potato Mash

Beef Bourguignon is a dish best enjoyed on a snowy winter evening. It’s hearty, in a stick-to-your-bones sort of way, but made with simple, real ingredients. This version comes together in your slow cooker, so you can leave it simmering while you’re out doing what you like to do! When you arrive back home, your kitchen will smell like a home-style French restaurant.

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon with Sweet Potato Mash

Published December 7, 2015 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 30 active minutes

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Ingredients:

For the Stew:

1 pounds beef stew meat, diced

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 white onion, diced small

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 stalks of celery, diced small

2 carrots. diced small

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup beef broth

3/4 cup dry red wine

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced

1 sprig thyme

Salt & pepper

Minced parsley for garnish (optional)

For the Mash:

3 Hana sweet potatoes (these are white-fleshed sweet potatoes with tan skin)

1 teaspoon butter

2-3 tablespoons milk

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat coconut oil in the bottom of a pot of medium heat (or an Instant Pot (affiliate link!) on the Sauté setting).
2. When oil glistens, add beef. Brown for 2-3 minutes on each side. Then, use tongs to remove beef from pot—set on a plate and set aside.
3. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery to pan. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent.
4. Add flour, mixing to coat the onions, and then add tomato paste, mixing to incorporate. Allow to cook for about 2 minutes.
5. If using a regular pot, transfer mixture to a slow cooker. If using an Instant Pot, add beef back into pot. Add wine, broth, bay leaf, thyme and rosemary. Season with another pinch of salt, and several cracks of freshly ground black pepper. Place lid on pot, and set to slow cooker setting for 6 hours on Medium (On an Instant Pot, use the “Adjust” button to set to medium).
6. 15 minutes before you’re ready to eat, make the mashed sweet potatoes: prick sweet potatoes with a fork and heat in microwave until tender through.
7. Carefully remove potatoes from microwave (they’ll be very hot!), and chop off any hard ends. If you prefer, use a sharp knife to carefully peel away and discard the skin (I like to leave about half of the skin in my mash potatoes, and peel away the rest). Place potatoes in a large bowl, and mash with a potato masher or a large fork. Add butter and milk, and continue to mash until soft and only a few chunks remain. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
8. Serve: Scoop mash potatoes into serving bowls, then top with beef stew. Sprinkle with parsley, and enjoy hot.

Paleo Slow Cooker Beef Carnitas

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I'm the kind of football fan that has no idea what teams are playing. You know the type. Every year, as February rolls around, I think to myself, The Super Bowl must be soon, right? And then I start thinking on a daily basis about what types of snacks we should have. When the big day comes, I'm the person that is 4 times more likely to get up for snacks during playtime than during a commercial break. 

I may not be able to keep the point system straight in my head, but here's one thing I do understand: snacks that score are just as important. 

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Tacos are the ultimate party food — especially for football watching - because everyone can build their own plate just to their liking. Which just makes everyone happy. Tacos tend to do that.

Slow Cooker Beef Carnitas are also the ultimate solution for parties like this because they cook ahead of time in your slow cooker, so are never rushing to get food out when everyone start to arrive.

These carnitas are slow cooked with chili powder, cumin, garlic and onions. You can add extra heat, if you like spicy food, by adding a dash or two of cayenne, or serving your tacos with hot salsa.

My “secret” (not much of a secret, as I’m publishing it here) when slow cooking taco meat is finishing it under the broiler. This gives us crispy edges, as if you braised everything in a dutch oven for hours, though really you had your slow cooker plugged in (which is just SO much easier).

Pile tacos with avocado, pico de gallo, sliced jicama, cilantro, red onion, salsa, cheese… really what ever you like.

Whichever team you cheer for this weekend... I hope you eat well! 

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Paleo Slow Cooker Beef Carnitas

Published January 28, 2015 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 4 hours

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Ingredients:

1 pound beef chuck roast

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 white onion, sliced 

1 tablespoon chili powder 

1/4 teaspoon cumin 

1/4 teaspoon ground paprika 

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

Pinch of ground cayenne (optional)

1 cup chicken or beef broth

To serve: corn tortillas, salsa, cilantro, avocado, cheese, tomatoes, red onion, etc.

Directions:

1. Heat coconut oil in a large pan (if your slow cooker has a sauté setting, you can use that). Place beef in Instant Pot and brown each, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer beef to slow cooker pot if not already there.
2. Add garlic and sliced onion, along with chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and broth. Place lid on slow cooker, and set timer to 4 hours on high.
3. After 4 hours, use tongs to transfer beef to a sheet pan. Use two forks to shred beef into bite-sized pieces. Turn oven to high “broil” setting and place sheet pan in oven. Allow to roast about 5 minutes, just until edges of meat begin to turn crisp (watch closely, the broiler is hot and food can burn quickly!)
4. Serve beef warm with tacos supplies for a create-your-own taco bar!