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By Carissa Chesanek
4.72
14
Apr 14, 2021, Updated Jan 10, 2024
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Protein-packed and full of flavor, this Taco Soup is as hearty as it is filling and super easy to make. It’s comfort food at its best with all your favorite taco-inspired ingredients in one bowl for a healthy meal that will likely be your go-to during the colder months.
Table of Contents
- This recipe is…
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy Taco Soup Recipe Ingredients
- Recipe Variations and Modifications
- How to Make Taco Soup
- Recipe Tips
- How to Serve
- How to Store and Reheat
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Favorite Soup Recipes
- Taco Soup Recipe Recipe
This recipe is…
GFGluten FreeDFDairy Free
If you’re a big fan of all the comforts a big bowl of homemade chili can bring but are looking for something slightly lighter and healthier, you’ll be sure to enjoy this cozy taco soup recipe that is veggie-heavy.
This soup can definitely feed a crowd but what makes it so special is that it can be customized to all preferences. Similar to these tacos al pastor, you can pick and choose any toppings, such as avocado, tortilla chips, sour cream, cheese, or whatever you crave.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s easy– once the ground beef is browned, it’s really just a matter of throwing the rest of the ingredients into the pot, stirring it all up, and letting it simmer so that the flavors can really come together.
- It’s healthy– because it’s made with wholesome ingredients like grass-fed beef, beans, and broth, you can really feel good about feeding this to your family!
- It saves well– this taco soup makes the *best* leftovers, y’all. Simply save the soup itself in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat either in the microwave or on the stovetop before topping with the leftover toppings!
- It freezes well– if you know you won’t be able to enjoy your leftovers within 4-5 days, simply freeze them instead! We really like freezing the soup into individual containers so that you can pull out and reheat exactly what you need. Also, if you’re entering into a busy or chaotic season of life, making a double batch of this soup and freezing it for later is a really great idea.
Easy Taco Soup Recipe Ingredients
Making this recipe is easy and doesn’t require a whole mess of ingredients to get it done right. Here’s what you’ll need to master this recipe. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and swaps) below.
- Ground beef – a lean beef is used for this recipe but you can always swap it for ground turkey or chicken if you prefer.
- Canned diced tomatoes – you can choose from several options, such as regular diced tomatoes and season yourself, tomatoes with chilies for a kick, or fire-roasted tomatoes to offer more of a smoky flavor.
- Canned black beans and pinto beans – if you don’t have pinto beans, two cans of black beans will work.
- Taco seasoning – if you don’t already have a packet of taco seasoning you can simply make your own with spices from your pantry, such as chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, and onion powder.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations and Modifications
- Make it vegetarian – to make this Taco Soup recipe vegetarian, simply swap out the meat with lentils or add more beans.
- Get rid of the spice – tone down the spice by skipping the jalapeño pepper and replacing it with a bell pepper instead.
How to Make Taco Soup
This Taco Soup recipe is incredibly easy to make! Follow along below and have a hearty bowl of Taco Soup on the table in no time.
Step 1: Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the diced onions and minced garlic. Saute for 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent.
Step 2: Add the ground beef to the pot with the sautéed onions and garlic. Break up and brown the ground beef and cook for 7-10 minutes, until the beef is browned and no pink remains.
Step 3: Once the ground beef is cooked through, add the taco seasoning, salsa, diced tomatoes, beans, corn, and broth to the soup pot and stir everything together.
Step 4: Turn the heat to medium-low and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, until all of the ingredients combine and the soup is heated through. Spoon into bowls, garnish with cheese, crushed tortilla chips, cilantro, and lime wedges and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
Be sure to cook the ground beef enough so that it reabsorbs some of the fat that’s in the pan. That’ll give the beef a lot of flavor!
How to Serve
Serve this Taco Soup warm with whatever toppings you like. Choose from shredded cheese, sour cream, fresh avocado, or broken-up tortilla chips to add a crunch to each bite.
How to Store and Reheat
If you have leftovers, you can easily store this soup for another time. After this soup has cooled, place it in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Alternatively, it can be placed in a freezer-safe container and kept frozen for up to 3 months. For quick and easy access, it’s a good idea to portion the soup in single-serving individual containers so you don’t have to thaw everything at once.
When you’re ready to reheat and enjoy, simply thaw the frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight and warm it either on the stove or in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Taco Soup in the crockpot?
Yes, you can make this Taco Soup Recipe in a crockpot. Be sure to brown the beef and onions before adding them to the slow cooker. Then you can add all the other ingredients, cover, and cook on low heat for about 4 or 6 hours before serving.
What can I pair with taco soup?
While this soup is hearty enough on its own, you can always pair it with other dishes if you choose. Some ideas can be cornbread, a fresh simple salad, guacamole and chips, or even rice of your choosing.
How do you thicken taco soup?
Between the meat, beans, and veggies that are included in this soup, you shouldn’t have to thicken it. However, if you find it’s not as thick as you’d like, you can cook it a bit longer or add either rice or refried beans to make it thicker.
More Favorite Soup Recipes
The Best Vegetable Beef Soup RecipeMinestrone Soup RecipeSlow Cooker Beef Stew RecipeHomemade Ramen Recipe (Quick and Easy)
If you tried this Taco Soup or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Taco Soup Recipe
4.72 — Votes 14 votes
By Cassy Joy Garcia
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 40 minutes mins
Total: 50 minutes mins
Servings: 6 servings
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Protein-packed and full of flavor, this Taco Soup is as hearty as it is filling and super easy to make. It’s comfort food at its best with all your favorite taco-inspired ingredients in one bowl for a healthy meal that will likely be your go-to during the colder months.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds ground beef, I used 85/15
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning, store-bought or homemade taco seasoning
- 16 ounces mild red salsa
- 2, 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes with juice
- 1, 15.5 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1, 15.5 ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 2, 15 ounce cans corn, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- Shredded cheddar cheese, optional, for garnish
- Crushed tortilla chips, optional, for garnish
- Cilantro, optional, for garnish
- Lime wedges, optional, for garnish
Instructions
Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the diced onions and minced garlic. Saute for 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent.
Add the ground beef to the pot with the sauteed onions and garlic. Break up and brown the ground beef and cook for 7-10 minutes, until the beef is browned and no pink remains.
Once the ground beef is cooked through, add the taco seasoning, salsa, diced tomatoes, beans, corn, and broth to the soup pot and stir everything together.
Turn the heat to medium-low and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, until all of the ingredients combine and the soup is heated through.
Spoon the soup into bowls, then garnish with cheese, crushed tortilla chips, cilantro, and lime wedges and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*Nutrition facts for this recipe do not include the optional garnishes.
- To make this Taco Soup recipe vegetarian, simply swap out the meat with lentils or add more beans.
- Tone down the spice by skipping the jalapeño pepper and replacing it with a bell pepper instead.
Nutrition
Calories: 619kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1401mg | Potassium: 1631mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 788IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 8mg
Additional Info
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 619
Keyword: taco soup
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Beef Cooking Method Dairy Free Diet Dinner Fall Food Gluten Free One-Pot Meals Protein Seasonal Stovetop Winter
About the Author
Carissa Chesanek
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14 Comments
Simple yet hearty & filling! A crowd pleaser! Thanks for an easy weeknight meal that no one complains about!Reply
Yay! We are so so happy you love it, Shannon!
Love this soup and how your website on a whole has encouraged modifications and making things to suit your needs. I halved the meat, used ground turkey and added extra beans. Had some left over bell peppers I threw in and added spinach at the end. Made for a great lunch all week!Reply
That sounds delicious, Sarah! And thank you so much for the compliment!! We are so happy you were able to customize it to suit your needs! So glad you enjoyed it!
In the beginning you mention bell peppers but it’s not in the recipe. Do you normally add one bell pepper too? Thanks!
Reply
We don’t, Liz! I actually have no idea how bell peppers made their way into this article. Apologies for the confusion!
Delicious and easy! The kids devoured it!Reply
We’re so glad to hear this recipe was a hit, Emily! Thank you for taking the time to share with us. -Team FF
Made this recipe but cut the onion, corn, and beans down by half and added a full box of chicken stock. Delicious!
Reply
YUM! Thanks for sharing, Brook!
We love this at my house. Kid approved! This soup is in my meal rotation and asked for.Reply
Wahoo! So glad to hear that, Elise! Thanks for sharing this with us.
How many does this serve, please?
Reply
6! I’ll add that in there, Cathleen – so sorry about that!
