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The easiest homemade soup recipe! This simple 9 Can Beef Soup can be stirred together on the stovetop or in a Crock Pot for a cozy, satisfying and delicious weeknight dinner. Serve the taco soup with biscuits, cornbread or chips and salsa!
9 Can Taco Soup with Ground Beef
This easy beef soup is perfect for busy evenings! There’s hardly any prep necessary — just brown the meat, pop open the cans, and stir everything together. With ground beef, corn, beans, tomatoes and zesty seasoning, each flavorful bowl is packed with vegetables, protein and fiber.
This 9 can soup tastes like a cross between taco soup, beef chili, and a thick, hearty stew. No matter what you call it, the recipe is so satisfying, and so family-friendly!
What is the difference between beef soup and beef stew?
The main distinction between soups and stews is the amount of liquid that they contain. While a hearty beef soup recipe has enough broth to fill a bowl and allow the ingredients to float, a beef stew recipe calls for just enough cooking liquid to simmer the other ingredients.
What cut of beef is best for soup?
The best cut of beef for your soup will depend on the type of beef soup that you want to prepare. A hamburger soup is best with ground beef, while beef and vegetable soups or beef and barley soups typically contain chunks of an affordable cut often labeled as “beef stew meat” (or diced chuck or short rib). For this particular beef soup recipe, you’ll need 1½ lbs. of ground beef.
How to Make Beef Soup
Making this soup requires just two simple steps: brown the meat and open the cans! You don’t even have to drain the cans before everything goes into the pot. It’s an easy dump-and-run dinner that you can prepare in the slow cooker or on the stovetop. Pick whichever method is most convenient!
Ingredients for 9 Can Soup
- Ground beef
- Diced onion (I use frozen pre-diced onion for a shortcut)
- 1 (large) can diced tomatoes
- 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies (such as Ro*Tel or Red Gold brands)
- 2 cans corn
- 1 can pinto beans
- 1 can kidney beans
- 2 cans black beans
- 2 packets dry Ranch seasoning mix
Step 1: Brown Beef and Onion
Cook the ground beef and the diced onion in a large pot over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink. Drain off the fat.
Step 2: Add Remaining Ingredients
Pour in the cans (do NOT drain first) and the Ranch seasoning mix, then give everything a good stir to combine.
Step 3: Cook
Cover the pot (or slow cooker) and simmer the soup on the stovetop for about 2 hours, or in the Crock Pot for 6-8 hours on LOW or 3-4 hours on HIGH.
What to Serve with Easy Beef Soup
Let your family and friends customize individual bowls of this simple 9-can taco soup with ground beef. Set out toppings such as grated cheese, sour cream, diced avocado, green onion, fresh cilantro, diced red onion and crushed tortilla chips so that each person can pick her favorites.
Here are a few easy sides that go well with the Tomato Beef Soup:
- Skillet Cornbread
- Tortilla chips with salsa and easy homemade guacamole
- Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
- A loaf of crusty No-Knead Bread
- Tossed salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Tips for the Best Hearty Beef Soup Recipe
- You don’t need to add broth to the soup because you get the rich, flavorful liquid from the canned beans and vegetables. The condensation from the covered pot will also add liquid to the soup. If you prefer a thinner soup, however, you can stir in beef broth or water at the end until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Substitute ground chicken or ground turkey for the ground beef.
- The soup is seasoned with the Ranch mix, as well as the zesty green chilies that are packed with the diced tomatoes. You can feel free to add any other spices or seasonings that you like, such as chili powder, cumin or garlic powder.
Storage Tips
This makes a very large pot of soup — about 16 cups — so it’s a great way to feed a crowd. The cozy meal is also a nice way to share food with loved ones. If you know someone who recently had a baby, is recovering from surgery, or just had a rough week, deliver a container of this soup with a side of cornbread for the perfect edible hug!
Leftover soup will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat leftovers for an easy lunch the next day!
How to Freeze
Allow the soup to cool to room temperature. Package in Ziploc freezer bags (if you want them to lay flat to save space) or in other freezer-safe containers in smaller portions. The soup will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, transfer to a saucepan, and warm over low heat until the soup reaches the desired temperature. You can also reheat individual bowls in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
More Soup Ideas with Ground Beef
9-Can Beef Soup {Stovetop or Crock Pot}
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. ground beef
- 1 cup finely-diced onion (I use frozen pre-diced onion for a shortcut)
- 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes (this is the large size, or you can use two smaller cans)
- 2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies (such as Ro*Tel brand or Red Gold brand)
- 2 (15.25 ounce) cans corn
- 1 (16 ounce) can pinto beans
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can kidney beans
- 2 (15.5 ounce) cans black beans
- 2 (1 ounce) packets dry Ranch salad dressing and seasoning mix
- Optional, for serving: sour cream; sliced green onion; fresh cilantro; grated cheese; tortilla chips; diced avocado
Instructions
STOVETOP METHOD:
- Brown the beef and onion in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink. Drain off fat and return beef and onion to the pot.
- Add remaining ingredients to the pot (do NOT drain the cans). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer (covered) for 1-2 hours. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Ladle into bowls, add desired toppings, and serve!
SLOW COOKER METHOD:
- Brown the beef and onion in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink. Drain off fat and transfer beef and onion to a slow cooker.
- Add remaining ingredients to the slow cooker (do NOT drain the cans). Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Ladle into bowls, add desired toppings, and serve!
Notes
- You don’t need to add broth to the soup because you get the rich, flavorful liquid from the canned beans and vegetables. The condensation from the covered pot will also add liquid to the soup. If you prefer a thinner soup, however, you can stir in beef broth or water at the end until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Substitute ground chicken or ground turkey for the ground beef.
- The soup is seasoned with the Ranch mix, as well as the zesty green chilies that are packed with the diced tomatoes. You can feel free to add any other spices or seasonings that you like, such as chili powder, cumin or garlic powder.
Great idea for COVID times and the winter when grocery shopping might be limited. I’ve made 5 can soup before (broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, refried beans, plus some seasonings) for a quick vegetarian chili-like version.
Thanks, Jennifer! I hope you get to try this version. 🙂
This way easy and delicious- my favorite combo! It didn’t taste spicy to me at all which is great because my kiddo is not a fan of spicy. I topped mine with crushed tortilla chips,cheese and a squeeze of lime. My daughter ate hers with garlic bread on the side. My husband had seconds! Great family friendly meal for cold nights.
Awesome. Thanks, Caisy! I’m so glad that the whole family approved! 🙂