This hearty Taco Soup recipe bursts with crave-worthy Mexican flavors. In just 30 minutes, you’ll serve up a warm bowl of this protein-packed soup loaded with ground beef, tomatoes, corn, beans, and taco seasoning. Serve with your favorite taco toppings for the ultimate Tex-Mex weeknight dinner.
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Helpful Reader Review
“Delicious!! We have made this recipe several times and it’s always a hit! I love adding some fresh lime juice for a little something extra!” – Kate ★★★★★
Taco Soup Video
See how to make this easy 1-pot, 30-minute meal any night of the week (less clean up-yay). Taco soup is filling and great for meal prep since it keeps well in the fridge and freezer.
Like our Slow Cooker Beef Chili, this is the perfect bowl of comfort for cooler weather, and it also has the same crowd-pleasing flavors as our irresistible Taco Salad. This recipe is the best of both!
Easy Taco Soup Recipe
We love Mexican food around here. Whether it’s Chicken Fajitas, Fish Tacos, or even Ceviche, Mexican-inspired recipes are always on our regular rotation. This recipe is a great substitute for Taco Tuesday when you want tacos but want to cozy up to a bowl of something hot and cozy.
Everything you need to make this taco soup is probably already in your pantry, and it’s easy to swap ingredients to use what you have on hand, or to fit dietary needs, so this is sure to be a go-to meal!
Taco Soup Ingredients
The ingredients for taco soup are so simple – these are staples that I like to keep on hand in my fridge and pantry to whip up this easy weeknight dinner:
- Ground Beef – I used lean ground beef 85-90%. For higher fat content, skim off excess fat. You can substitute ground turkey, ground chicken, or even shredded chicken like my Chicken Tortilla Soup.
- Aromatics – onion and garlic add great flavor to the broth.
- Tomatoes – tomato paste and original Rotel (canned diced tomatoes and green chilis). You can use spicy Rotel for more heat.
- Seasonings – Taco Seasoning, cumin, and paprika. For added heat, chop jalapeños to add with the garlic, or after cooking, add Sriracha or hot sauce
- Stock – low-sodium Beef stock or Chicken stock, you can also substitute bouillon cubes in water and adjust the seasonings.
- Beans – I prefer drained black beans or pinto beans, but you can use kidney beans or garbanzo beans.
- Corn – canned, fresh, or frozen will work
How to Make Taco Soup
You’ll love how easy this taco soup is to make, and it’s ready to serve in about 30 minutes from start to finish.
- Brown the ground beef with the onion in a dutch oven or soup pot until no pink meat remains.
- Spoon out any excess fat, if desired.
- Season – Add tomato paste, garlic, and seasonings, and then stir for another minute.
- Add stock, Rotel (with juices), drained beans, and drained corn, and then bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot while it simmers for 15 minutes.
- Serve – Season with salt, pepper, and taco seasoning, if desired, and then serve hot with your desired toppings.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
After sautéing the meat and onions in step 1, transfer the cooked meat with the rest of the ingredients to a slow cooker, and then cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours for a delicious crockpot taco soup.
What’s the difference between chili and taco soup?
Taco soup and chili have similar ingredients, but soup is thinner than chili, calls for less beans than chili, and calls for Taco Seasoning for a traditional Mexican flavor. It also doesn’t require lengthy simmering.
Toppings for Taco Soup
Just like serving regular tacos, I love serving a variety of toppings with taco soup:
- Tortilla chips or crushed Doritos
- A dollop of sour cream
- Diced avocado or guacamole
- Cheddar or Mexican cheese, shredded
- Fresh cilantro or chopped green onions
- Lime wedges
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Warm Homemade Tortillas
This taco soup recipe brings together two amazing recipes in one: Beef Tacos and hearty soup, a perfect combination. The dish is hearty and warming, and so easy to make – perfect for busy weeknights.
P.S. Don’t Forget Dessert! Finish your taco soup dinner with a Mexican-inspired dessert like Churros, Flan, or Tres Leches Cake.
Taco Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp taco seasoning, or more to taste
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 3 cups beef stock, or chicken stock
- 2 cans Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilis with their juice, original or spicy
- 15 oz can beans, pinto or black beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 oz can of corn, drained, or 1 cup frozen corn
Instructions
- Brown – Set a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat and add oil. Add ground beef and onion and sauté, breaking it up with a spatula for 6-7 minutes or until beef is browned.
- Spoon out excess fat if desired, leaving about 1-2 Tbsp.
- Season – Add tomato paste, garlic, taco seasoning, cumin, and paprika, and then saute another minute until garlic is fragrant and spices have bloomed.
- Add stock, Rotel diced tomatoes with their juice, drained beans, and drained corn. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, partially cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Serve – Season with salt, pepper, and more taco seasoning to taste if needed, and serve with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- To Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days
- Freezing: Transfer the soup into freezer-friendly containers or use freezer zip-top bags. In fact, we like to freeze in single-serving portions for easy defrosting. Eat within 3 months.
- To Reheat: Thaw in the fridge overnight, and then reheat in the microwave or on the stove to 165°F. You can also reheat from frozen in a saucepan, stirring occasionally for even heating.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Soup Recipes
If you loved this taco soup recipe, check out these fan-favorite soup recipes for your next meal:
- Tomato Soup Recipe
- Zuppa Toscana Recipe
- Corn Chowder Recipe
- Potato Soup
- Hamburger Soup Recipe
- Split Pea Soup
- Cabbage Soup
- Roasted Tomato Soup
Made last night and it was the best soup ever. Will make again and again.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Carole!
What a fantastic belly warming soup this is, and a hearty one at that. This is pure comfort food.
I made this in the instant pot. First I pressed the saute button and warmed the oil for about 20 seconds. I browned the meat along with the peppers and onions. Then I mixed together the seasoning ingredients and stirred it in the meat mixture. I added the remaining soup ingredients and screwed on the lid. I pressed the soup stew button and set the sealing valve to seal. Once the pot beeped I turned it off and did a quick release. This worked perfectly!!! I topped my bowl of soup with shredded cheese, corn tortilla strips and slices of avocado. This recipe will be added to our regular recipe rotation.
I’m so glad you found a new favorite, Bea! Thank you for that great review!
Hi Natasha, could you clarify for me please, When you say In the ingredients, Beef Broth, I take it that you mean Beef stock?, In the UK beef broth would mean stew or soup.
Hi Carol, they are used interchangeably in the US but I do mean beef stock (not stew or soup).
Thank you Natasha for your reply, looking forward to trying out recipe of Taco soup.
I hope you love it! We look forward to your feedback.
I made this soup with turkey and chicken stock. Came out very tasty. It was also easy and quick. I have made it twice already in the last two days;))) Topped with avo, sour cream, tortilla strips. MMMMM… so good!Thanks again Natasha! Your are the best!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Natalia!
I made this last evening for our dinner…it was so easy and delicious…cooks really quick…I froze 2 servings and have 2 more servings in the frig for later…I threw in a hatcher pepper that I had…it added the touch of heat we were looking for…
That’s so great! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
This looks and sounds so good. Can this be made in a crockpot?
Hi Jeanette, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Made it vegan with meatless crumbles! No one knew the difference!
That’s nice thank you for sharing this with us!
Hi! Can I omit the peppers? If so, what would you recommend in its place? My hubby can’t have peppers (cause wicked heartburn).
Hi Mallory, we enjoy the flavor with the peppers but you are definitely welcome to omit it.
Sounds amazing! Approximately how much taco seasoning do you normally add to your soup?
Hi Trudy, we use the full amount of the taco seasoning in the recipe card. I would suggest adding a store-bought one to taste since they can vary in salt and spice content.
Made It for supper! Yummy for a cool evening!
Isn’t that the best for coller nights! Thank you so much for sharing that great feedback with me.
This one was a winner for sure! My veeeery slow 3 year old eater gobbled this up in 15 minutes (he normally takes over an hour to eat). I even got a “it’s pretty good” from my husband, versus the usual “eh”. We added some crushed chili Fritos, sour cream and cheese on top. I’ll definitely make this again!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Viktoriya!
Winner with the whole family!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Adrienne!
Natasha,
Your Recipes are winners! I have tried several of your recipes and they are all great.
The Taco Soap is outstanding and my husband and I both loved it. It is so fast. Keep sending those recipes. Nancy
I’m so glad you all enjoyed that Nancy! Thank you for sharing that with me
I made this for my sister in law who just had a baby. It was a hit and so easy. I topped with cheese cilantro and green onions Perfect potluck recipe too
That sounds like the perfect way to celebrate! Thank you for that great review!
look yummy. i must try…
Looks delicious
I am going to make it shortly
That’s so great, Mary!
Our family loves this taco soup recipe! It’s absolutely fantastic!
I’m so happy to hear that Stephanie! Thank you for that amazing review!
mmmm…sounds incredibly delicious!! A MUST make!
I hope you try this soon Katerina!
What a hearty and delicious soup! I know what I will be having for dinner tonight! Delish!
Same here Sara! Thank you for that great review!
We loved this so much! I omitted the corn and topped it with avocado and cheese. YUM!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Lauren!
the perfect way to head into fall!
I agree! Thank you for that great review Rachael!
This sounds so delicious…can’t wait to try it
I hope you love this recipe Tammy!