This easy Taco Soup recipe is one of my favorite dinner solutions when I want something healthy, quick, and tasty. I’ve also included instructions for making it in the crockpot or instant pot.
If you are on the hunt for yummy and easy soup recipes, you are in the right place! Don’t miss my Corn Chowder, Classic Tomato Basil, and hearty Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Soup.
Taco soup is soup that is made with similar ingredients to what you might find inside a traditional taco, like ground beef, beans, corn, green chilis, and spices. This taco soup really is a dinner win! It’s EASY to throw together with simple ingredients, and everything is cooked all in ONE PAN. Hooray for one pan meals!
At our house, my kids know I am NOT a short order cook. they get to eat whatever I make for dinner. But I will say, I LOVE meals like this Taco Soup that are easily tailored to fit everybody’s appetite. My five year old loves avocado chopped on hers, and my two year old wants an extra scoop of “sour cream”. (I always use Greek yogurt as “sour cream” in our house, and no one is the wiser.) My husband loves crushed tortilla chips and hot sauce in his, and I love extra chopped cilantro in mine. Everybody wins!
How to make easy taco soup:
1. Gather your ingredients. Most of these are easy to substitute with whatever you have on hand. You could use ground turkey, different types of beans, and substitute salsa for the diced green chiles and tomatoes. If you don’t have the spices needed you could use a packet of taco seasoning.
2. Brown the beef. In a large pot, brown the bee, breaking it into small bits as it browns. No one likes big chunks of ground beef in their taco soup.
3. Add remaining ingredients. Add beans, diced green chilies, crushed tomatoes, corn, chicken broth, and spices.
4. Simmer. Bring this mixture to a boil reduce the heat to simmer and let it cook for about 20 minutes! It’s that simple.
5. Serve taco soup with desired garnishes like avocado, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, etc.
For Crock pot taco soup:
To make taco soup in the slow cooker, first brown your ground beef on the stove top. Add the cooked ground beef and remaining ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours. Serve with your favorite toppings and you’ve got a warm, comforting dinner that everyone will love.
For Instant pot taco soup:
To make taco soup in the instant pot, turn the instant pot to sauté setting. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Remove the grease. Add remaining ingredients except for the corn, and add one extra cup of broth. Cook on manual/high pressure for 4 minutes, then allow the pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes before carefully removing the lid.
Serve Taco Soup with:
- Toppings like sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, tortilla chips, etc.
- Easy, No Knead Bread
- Buttermilk Cornbread
- Homemade Rolls
- or serve it in a homemade bread bowl!
Storing and Freezing Taco Soup:
To store: store taco soup in the refrigerator for 3-4 days after making. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
To freeze taco soup: Make the soup and allow it to cool to room temperature. Then store it in a gallon freezer zip lock bag or in a tupperware. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight and simmer it for about 25 minutes on the stove top.
Few things make me feel more like a rockstar than being able to freeze leftovers for an easy dinner that can be made another day.
Consider trying one of these classic soup recipes:
- Spicy Chicken Soup
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
- French Onion Soup
- Chile Verde Soup
- Taco Salad
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Taco Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 4 cloves garlic , minced (or substitute 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes undrained
- 4 ounce can diced green chiles
- 15 ounce can kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 15 ounce can black beans , rinsed and drained
- 17 ounce can corn , drained
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
Garnish with your favorite toppings:
- Crushed tortilla chips or fritos for topping
- sour cream
- shredded cheese
- green onion , chopped
- avocado , chopped
- hot sauce
- fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Brown the meat and drain any grease, if needed. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes before serving. Garnish with desired toppings.
- For the Slow Cooker Instructions: After browning the meat, place all the ingredients into a slow cooker and cook on low for about 4-6 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
(Nutritional label doesn’t include toppings)
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
I originally shared this recipe September 2017. Updated November 2019 with process photos and clearer instructions.
Rose says
It looks really good. Cook on low for 6-8 hours in the slow cooker (under instructions) or 4 hours (under notes)? Thanks.
Lauren Allen says
Thanks for pointing out the typo. 4-6 hours is sufficient.