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.
It’s the last week of January, and I wanted to round out the 30 Dinner Challenge with a warm, cozy bowl of soup that is taco-meets-soup-meets-chili. This soup falls squarely in the middle of all three. It also 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. It’s also a great dish to take to someone else. Someone brought me taco soup after June was born (hi Rachel!) and it completely hit the spot for the whole family.
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 with Ground Beef 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 a one-pan dish with very little chopping and just a handful of spices to build flavor.
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”.
Toppings for Taco Soup
- Tortilla Chips or Tortilla Strips
- Sour Cream
- Sliced olives
- Shredded Cheese
- Chopped green onions or cilantro
- Sliced jalapeños
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.
More Weeknight-Friendly Soups
- Simple Chicken Noodle Soup with Miso – The addition of flavor-packed miso and a tiny list of ingredients make this a cozy, comforting Chicken Noodle Soup that can be made any night of the week.
- Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup – This soup has a small list of ingredients and can simmer all day. It is smooth and creamy (without the addition of any cream), vegetarian, and gluten-free. Serve this light but satisfying soup in bread bowls and load it up with your favorite taco toppings.
- Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup – Loaded with tender beef, vegetables, and barley in a fragrant broth. There’s no pre-cooking required – just combine everything in the slow cooker, simmer it low all day, and come home to this comforting meal.
- Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup – Load this creamy baked potato soup up with all the toppings! This rich and creamy potato soup recipe is the perfect quick and easy dinner for a cold winter night.
- 20-Minute Smoky Tomato Soup with Pasta and Chickpeas – Smoky Tomato Soup with Pasta and Chickpeas is made with ingredients you already have in your pantry. This warm, cozy goodness can be on the table in 20 minutes.
Favorite Tools
- Le Creuset Dutch Oven – Use a Dutch oven like this one (or any thick-bottomed large pot) to saute the beef and get the soup started. Then you can finish simmering it in on the stove or use a slow cooker to finish simmering.
- KitchenAid 6-Quart Slow Cooker – If finishing the soup in the slow cooker, transfer it to a 6-quart slow cooker like this one and simmer on low for 3 to 4 hours.
Taco Soup with Ground Beef
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Large Stockpot
Ingredients
Spice Blend (see note)
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp 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 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder (not garlic salt)
- 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Taco Soup
- 1 Tbsp Cooking Oil (I use avocado or grapeseed oil)
- 1 lb Ground Beef (86% lean)
- 1 4oz can Diced Green Chilis (mild or spicy)
- 1 1/2 cup Corn (frozen and defrosted or canned and drained)
- 1 15oz can Kidney Beans, drained
- 4 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
- 1 15oz can Diced Fire-Roasted Tomatoes
- 1 10oz can Tomato Puree
For Serving (optional)
- Tortilla Chips or Tortilla Strips
- Sour Cream
- Sliced Olives
- Shredded Cheese
- Chopped green onions or cilantro
- Sliced jalapeños
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
Nutrition
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