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4.41 from 5 votes

Easy Taco Soup

Simmer a pot of easy taco soup on the stovetop or in the Crock Pot for a healthy and satisfying dinner with just 10 minutes of prep! 
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword crock pot taco soup, taco soup, taco soup recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 316kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 cans (15.25 ounces each) beans of choice, not drained (try a combination of pinto beans, white beans, kidney beans, pink beans, black eyed peas, or garbanzo beans)
  • 1 (15 ounce) can corn, not drained
  • 1 (10 ounce) can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, not drained
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (1 ounce) packet taco seasoning
  • 1 (1 ounce) packet Ranch seasoning and salad dressing mix
  • 1 cup water
  • Optional garnish: sour cream, diced avocado, grated cheddar cheese, sliced green onion; fresh cilantro; Fritos or tortilla chips

Instructions

  • Brown the ground beef and onion in a large Dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Drain off the fat.
    Ground beef and onion in a Dutch oven
  • Add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    Adding canned corn to a pot
  • Ladle into bowls and garnish with toppings of choice.
    Hands eating a bowl of taco soup with a spoon

Video

Notes

  • Crock Pot Taco Soup: brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet or Dutch oven. Drain off the fat. Transfer the beef and onion to a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients, but only use ½ cup of water instead of 1 cup. Cover and cook on LOW heat for 6-8 hours or on HIGH heat for 3-4 hours. If you want a thinner soup, you can always add extra water to the pot as the soup is cooking. Ladle into bowls and garnish with your favorite taco toppings.
  • Start with just 1 cup of water, and then gradually add more at the end of the simmering time, if necessary, until the soup reaches your desired consistency.
  • Stir the pot occasionally while it simmers in order to prevent anything from sticking or scorching on the bottom.
  • Wait to season the soup with additional salt and pepper until the end of the cooking time. The seasoning packets include plenty of salt, so you probably won't need too much more.
  • Garnish with your favorite toppings, or set up a "toppings bar." The options are endless, including: sour cream or Greek yogurt, sliced green or pickled red onions, grated cheese, sliced black olives, fresh cilantro, guacamole or diced avocado, and corn chips.
  • Substitute ground turkey for the ground beef.
  • Add 1-2 minced garlic cloves to the pot with the ground beef and onion. Garlic powder and onion powder are also nice additions.
  • Chicken Taco Soup: sauté the onion as instructed, and add 2 cups of cooked, shredded or diced chicken to the soup pot along with the rest of the ingredients.
  • Add an extra cup of water if you like a thinner soup (this soup has a thicker, chili-like consistency).
  • Make it thicker by adding an extra can of beans, or by simmering the soup uncovered for a little bit longer.
  • For a less-spicy flavor, use a can of regular diced tomatoes rather than the Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies.
  • For a richer flavor, swap out the water for low-sodium beef broth.
  • Use a homemade taco seasoning mix and some dried herbs in lieu of the prepared seasoning packets.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the soup | Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 812mg | Potassium: 953mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 378IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 5mg