Beef Lentil Taco Soup

Beef + Lamb NZ has delivered a taste of Mexico in a soup! And, we bet you won’t be disappointed. Top with plenty of cheese and maybe a dollop of sour cream; serve with toasted bread or corn chips for dipping. This recipe is all about no fuss prep, and letting the slow cooker take care of the rest. Make extra and freeze the leftovers or have for a quick and easy lunch the following day.

Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 5 hours | Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp olive oil 750gbeefchucksteak, cut into 5cm pieces 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 capsicum, diced 2 large white onions, diced 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced 1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed 2 x400gcan crushed tomatoes 4 cups beefstock 1 x400gcan blackbeans, rinsed and drained 1 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp cumin 2 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp onion powder (optional) 1 tsp cayenne pepper (ifyou like a little heat!) 1 tsp salt 1 cup frozen organic corn

For serving:

• cheese • coriander • sourdough

Recipe courtesy of Beef + Lamb New Zealand

Turn your slow cooker to high. Heat olive oil in a medium fry pan over high heat. Brown beef in batches, addingto the slow cooker as you go.

Once all the beefhas been browned add garlic, capsicum, onion and jalapeño; cookingfor 5 minutes or until onions begin to brown and soften. Transfer to the slow cooker.

Add in the remainingingredients –lentils, tomatoes, beefstock, blackbeans and spices (except the corn), to the slow cooker and then cover and cookon high for 4 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Add the frozen corn 30 mins before serving.

Serve with a sprinkle ofcheese, coriander and toasted sourdough. Adollop ofsour cream or corn chips on the side adds that little bit extra to this delicious soup.

Oven method: This dish can also be cooked in a casserole dish in the oven. Be sure to sauté the onion, garlic, capsicum and jalapeño and brown the meat on the stove top before adding the remainingingredients to the casserole dish and cookon fan bake at 150°C for 5 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart.

Tips:

This soup can be frozen and re heated.

Looking for a bit of heat? Add extra chilli flakes when serving.

This soup is delicious the next day after the flavours have developed further.

Look for beef with a marbling of fat and connective tissue as this adds flavour and tenderness to the beef.