Taco Soup

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With savory spices, seasoned ground beef, corn, beans, and fire-roasted tomatoes, Taco Soup is a soupy twist on taco night. Add your favorite toppings to finish these colorful bowls.

overhead image of taco soup with ground beef in a bowl with tortilla chips

This beef taco soup is a warm, cozy bowl of soup that is taco-meets-soup-meets-chili. With a rich tomato base, it falls squarely in the middle of all three. It is also a complete meal that offers the chance to pile the finished bowls high with delicious toppings like sour cream, tortilla chips, and fresh cilantro. This is a great make-ahead or freezer meal that reheats well so we’ve included a printable freezer label below! Take it to someone you know who needs a home cooked meal or save it for a busy day ahead.

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a spoonful of taco soup over a dutch oven

By the way! There’s a vegetarian version of this soup too! Check out Slow Cooker Three Bean Taco Soup for a veg-friendly variation. 

What Makes This Meal Weeknight-Friendly

Taco Soup takes 25 to 30 minutes to get cooking, but after that, it can simmer hands-off until you’re ready to serve it. It can even be transferred to the slow cooker for a few hours if you want to get dinner ready early and head out the door. Either way, this is one of those hearty soups with very little chopping and just a handful of spices to build flavor.

a bowl of taco soup with ground beef and a spoon

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Ingredients

  • Spice Blend – The flavor foundation of the soup is a combination of taco-inspired dried spices – ground cumin, chili powder, paprika, and ground coriander. Looking to simplify things even more? Use a packet of taco seasoning instead!
  • Ground Beef – I like 86% lean ground beef in this recipe – it has a lot of flavor and isn’t too heavy. Feel free to use a leaner ground beef if you prefer, though you may not get quite as much rich flavor in the finished dish. 
  • Diced Green Chilis – These small, 4-ounce cans of chopped green chilis can be found in the international aisle at the grocery store. Be sure to check the label – these come in mild and spicy, so get the one that works best for you. 
  • Kidney Beans – These add substance and protein to the soup. Remember how I said this soup has some chili-like elements? Kidney beans are part of the reason. Feel free to skip these or to use another variety – black beans or pinto beans would be great.
  • Diced, Fire-Roasted Tomatoes – Be sure to get the “fire-roasted” tomatoes for this! The roasted flavor really adds depth to the soup.
  • Tomato Puree – This gives the soup a slightly thicker base. You could also use “tomato sauce” or “crushed tomatoes”.
a can of roasted organic tomatoes on a grey countertop
adding seasonings to ground beef in a dutch oven

How to Make Beef Taco Soup

  1. Make spice mix. Combine cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, garlic powder, ground coriander, and black pepper. Or use store-bought taco seasoning!
  2. Saute beef. Brown the beef until cooked through. Add the spice blend and diced green chilis.
  3. Add tomato base and vegetables. Add in corn, beans, stock, tomatoes, and tomato puree.
  4. Simmer. Let the soup simmer to develop flavor. You can do this on the stovetop for 30 minutes or in the slow cooker on low for 3 to 4 hours.
  5. Serve with your favorite taco toppings!
adding chile peppers to ground beef mixture

Toppings for Taco Soup

  • Tortilla Chips or Tortilla Strips
  • Sour Cream
  • Sliced olives
  • Shredded Cheese
  • Chopped green onions or cilantro
  • Sliced jalapeños
a bowl of taco soup with sour cream and tortilla chips

Freeze This Meal

This meal reheats well on the stovetop or slow cooker. 

To Freeze: Prepare the soup as directed, but skip the step to simmer on the stove or in the slow cooker. Allow to cool completely and transfer to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 months.

To Reheat: Defrost completely in the refrigerator (this can take 2 to 3 days). Transfer to a Dutch oven or slow cooker and simmer as directed. 

If you’re going to freeze this meal, print the recipe below for a label with reheating instructions that you can attach to the top of the meal.

taco soup freezer label

Printable Freezer Label

Print and attach the label below so cooking instructions are ready when you are!

Print Freezer Label

FAQs

How long does taco soup take to cook?

40 minutes on the stovetop. Or you can transfer the soup to the slow cooker and let it finish cooking for 3 to 4 hours on low.

How do I thicken beef taco soup?

Letting the soup simmer for longer will reduce the liquid and thicken the soup. You can also add tomato paste (4 to 6 tablespoons) to give the tomato base a more rich tomato flavor and thicker texture.

What cheese should I use?

Any type of cheddar works well in taco soup. It is also great with a Mexican blend or Monterey Jack.

What should I serve with my soup?

Taco soup is a complete meal on its own, especially when you add flavorful toppings. You can also serve it with cornbread or rolls.

Can I make it with leftover ground beef?

Yes. This recipe works great with leftover taco beef. I often make it by starting with my slow cooker taco meat.

More Easy Soup and Chili Recipes

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a bowl of taco soup with tortilla chips and sour cream
4.47 from 43 votes

Taco Soup Recipe

With savory spices, seasoned ground beef, corn, beans, and fire-roasted tomatoes, Taco Soup with Ground Beef is a soupy twist on taco night. Add your favorite toppings to finish these colorful bowls.
This weeknight-friendly soup includes the option to transfer the soup to the slow cooker for a few hours. This will help to develop flavor and allows it to simmer hands-off until you’re ready to serve it.
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Servings: 6

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven or Large Stockpot

Ingredients 

Spice Blend (see note)

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder (be sure to use chili powder here which is a blend of spices for chili; do not use cayenne pepper which will be much too spicy)
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Taco Soup

  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil (I use avocado or grapeseed oil)
  • 1 pound ground beef, preferably 85% lean
  • 1 4-ounce can diced green chilis, mild or spicy
  • 1 1/2 cup corn (frozen and defrosted or canned and drained)
  • 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 15-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 1 10-ounce can tomato puree

For Serving (optional)

  • tortilla chips
  • sour cream
  • sliced black olives
  • shredded cheese
  • chopped green onions or cilantro

Instructions 

  • Make the spice blend by combining cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, garlic powder, ground coriander, and black pepper.
  • Heat a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium heat. Add cooking oil and let it heat for 1 minute. Add ground beef and saute, breaking it apart as it cooks, until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Add spice blend and diced green chilis to beef and stir well to combine. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes more, until spices are fragrant.
  • To beef, add corn, beans, stock, tomatoes, and tomato puree.
  • Bring soup to a simmer. 
  • Finish soup on the stovetop or slow cooker:
    * Stovetop: If finishing soup on the stovetop, cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. (Note: The soup should simmer gently but not boil over, so adjust the heat as needed.) Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
    *Slow cooker: To finish soup in the slow cooker, transfer to the bowl of a 6-quart slow cooker and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.
  • Taste soup and season with some more salt or pepper, if needed. If you’d like it to be spicy, stir in some hot sauce.
  • Serve soup with any toppings you’d like.

Notes

Looking to simplify this meal? Skip the spice blend listed and use a packet of taco seasoning instead.
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 1072mg | Potassium: 335mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 704IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
Cost: $9.00
Calories: 212
Keyword: beef soup, easy freezer meal, easy, weeknight-friendly, fall recipe, family friendly, kid-friendly recipe, slow cooker soups, tex mex, winter recipe
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About Jess Smith

Jess is the recipe creator and photographer at InquiringChef.com. She spent nearly a decade as the Chief Recipe Developer for the award-winning meal planning app Cook Smarts. Her colorful, healthyish recipes have been featured in popular online publications including Parade, Hallmark, and HuffPost.

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