Slow cookers may seem as American as apple pie (which actually originated in England) or mac and cheese (think Italy), but like those other seemingly all-American creations, the slow cooker started with a bright idea from Europe. When inventor Irving Naxon dreamt up his invention, he was inspired by his Lithuanian mother, who cooked a bean stew called cholent at a low temperature for hours. When the device was rebranded from the Naxon Beanery to the Crock-Pot in the 1970s, it became a kitchen must-have, even today — a whopping 11.6 million slow cookers were sold in just last year.
It's no surprise slow cookers are ubiquitous since home chefs can use them to make everything from whole chickens to cheesecake. But finding a recipe that fires on all cylinders — an easy to prep meal, a crowd-pleaser kids will eat, a dish that's both healthy and hearty — isn't so easy. Fortunately, we've found one dish that delivers. — Slow Cooker Taco Soup.
There are plenty of variations on Slow Cooker Taco Soup that can be found online to appeal to your tastebuds — less heat, more heat, with meat or vegetarian, creamy or not. No matter what recipe you choose, this soup is an easy to make crowd pleaser (even with picky teenagers) and has enough shelf-stable ingredients you may be able to pull it together with what you have on hand. Even if you are sticking to a restricted diet — whether its keto, paleo, dairy-free, low-carb, or Whole 30 — there is a taco soup recipe for you. Best of all, it keeps (and even freezes) well, so go ahead — make a big, big batch.
