Cheesy Enchilada Soup (Guilt-free)

CHEESY ENCHILADA SOUP - Anthony J. Caruso
INGREDIENTS
Olive oil cooking spray
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 medium onion, diced
1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef (95% lean)
4 8-oz cans no salt added tomato sauce
1 10-oz cans red enchilada sauce
1 15.5-oz can pinto beans, rinsed
1 15.5-oz can great Northern beans, rinsed
1 15-oz can no salt added corn, drained
1 14.5-oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups shredded fat free cheddar cheese
Fat free sour cream, for garnish
1/2 cup shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend or fat free cheddar cheese
DIRECTIONS
Spray a large Dutch oven with cooking spray and set over medium high heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper and cook until it starts to become translucent. Add beef, season with salt and pepper again, and cooked until just browned. Do not overcook the beef. It will continue to cook as you finish the soup.
Add tomato sauce, enchilada sauce, beans, corn, tomatoes, cumin and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Check seasoning – you may need some salt. Add cheese and stir until melted. Garnish with sour cream and your choice of cheese, if desired.
Here’s the skinny:
First, I used a leaner cut of beef and cooking spray to cut down on fat and calories.
Next, I cut the salt by using no salt added tomato sauce and corn while rinsing off the beans.
I also cut fat by using a fat free cheese in the soup. Fat free cheeses don’t melt well as a cheesy crust, on, say, lasagna, but in dishes it’s perfectly fine. I give the option of a reduced fat or fat free cheese as garnish.
Lastly, I use a fat free sour cream as garnish, cutting out more fat and calories.