Easy Taco Soup (with ground beef)

a bowl of taco soup with tortilla chips and sour cream

4.46 from 44 votes

Easy Taco Soup (with ground beef)

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 Time25

Cook Time30

Total Time55

Course: Main Dish, Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: beef soup, easy freezer meal, easy, weeknight-friendly, fall recipe, family friendly, kid-friendly recipe, slow cooker soups, tex mex, winter recipe

Servings:

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Cost: $9.00

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