Quick and Easy Taco Soup
Taco Soup is a flavor-packed dinner that’s loaded with ground beef, veggies, and beans! This soup is sure to hit the spot and fill up every belly at the table. While I love devouring every last drop of this savory soup, I think the fresh and crunchy garnishes on top might just be the best part!
Beans and beef are two protein-packed ingredients in this soup that make sure you don’t leave the table still hungry! Soup is often regarded as a side dish or something that needs to be paired with a sandwich in order to be considered filling.
Well, that’s certainly not the case with Taco Soup! This stuff is seriously satisfying, made with mostly pantry staples and is filling after just one hearty bowl.
So, what else is in the mix that makes this soup so good? The medley of veggies, of course! Green and red bell peppers, corn, and onions are just some of the ingredients that lend both flavor and nutrients to this Taco Soup. All the same flavors you’ll find in our Taco Meat recipe.
Jalapeños and garlic are also added to really send it over the top! If you have a picky eater at your table who usually hates veggies, this is a great recipe to sneak them with.
While this easy taco soup recipe is ideal for chilly nights at home when you desperately need something to warm you up, I tend to make it year-round! The fresh garnishes like cilantro, jalapeños and sour cream really help add some brightness to it that make this soup perfect for summertime as well. With a soup that checks all of the right boxes like this one does, you’ll love making it as often as you can!
Ingredients You Will Need
- Beef – Use a lean ground beef to keep the soup lighter, I like an 80/20 for the best flavor. You can substitute with ground turkey or ground chicken, too.
- Vegetables – For added flavor, I use a yellow onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, frozen corn, diced tomatoes and garlic. You can add your favorite veggies used in tacos or whatever you have on hand.
- Beans – A combination of black beans and pinto beans are my go-to but you can use any canned beans, like kidney beans, for added protein and heartiness.
- Tomato Sauce – A can of tomato sauce amps up the flavor and blends well with the diced tomatoes with green chiles. If you can find them, fire-roasted tomatoes really elevate the flavor.
- Taco Seasoning – Homemade taco seasoning mix is my favorite but you can use any taco seasoning you have on hand.
- Beef Stock – I like the hearty, rich flavor of beef stock but you can use chicken stock, chicken broth or beef broth, if you prefer.
For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Taco Soup
This is a quick and easy one pot recipe! One pot recipes are great not just because they’re usually pretty simple, but mostly because you have less dishes to clean – that’s a HUGE win in my kitchen!
- Cook the ground meat. Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, then remove from the pot and keep warm in a bowl. Drain most of the excess fat from the pot, but leave about 2 TBSP still in there.
- Sauté the veggies. Over medium heat, add the diced onions, bell peppers, and jalapeños. Cook until the veggies start to soften, then stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Stir in the beans, corn, green chilies, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning. Return the cooked beef to the pot and pour in the beef stock.
- Boil, then simmer. Bring the soup to a boil. Once the boiling point is reached, turn the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Enjoy! Serve with lime juice, cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions and your favorite taco toppings. We love adding our homemade tortilla chips on the side and topping with pickled jalapeños!
You can make a slow cooker Taco soup by transferring everything to the crockpot and cooking on low for 3-4 hours.
Tips and Variations for Taco Soup
- Treat yourself to the BEST flavor when you use Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix! It’s got all of the flavor that the store-bought stuff lacks with way less sodium.
- Make a creamy taco soup by adding 4 ounces of cream cheese to the soup and stirring until smooth.
- You can always increase the heat of this soup if you’re craving some spice! Feel free to sprinkle in some cayenne pepper, leave in the jalapeño seeds (that’s where the real heat is), or drizzle some hot sauce on top of your bowl before you dig in.
- When it comes to lime juice, make sure you’re squeezing it fresh from the fruit. The bottled stuff tastes so artificial and just can’t compare. Plus, if you have any leftover, you can use it to squeeze into your cerveza! (I have it on good authority that Mexican beer and this bold Taco Soup go together pretty perfectly).
How ever you serve it up, this is just one of our favorite easy dinner ideas that’s on repeat week after week!
How to Store Leftovers
Transfer any leftover taco soup to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
You can freeze taco soup in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months making this a great meal prep idea for busy weeknights.
Check out more of my favorite soup recipes that always leave me feeling full!
- Ham and Potato Soup
- Chicken Soup Recipe
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Beef and Barley Soup with Andouille Sausage
- The Best Stuffed Cabbage Soup
- Albondigas Soup
- Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
For more easy soup recipes, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!
Get the Recipe: Taco Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 14.5 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 14.5 ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 4 ounce can chopped green chiles
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 2 1/2 cups beef stock
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Toppings
- Shredded Mexican Cheese
- Chopped cilantro
- Chopped jalapeño
- Tortilla Strips
- Sour Cream
Equipment
- 1 stockpot
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
- Add the ground beef to the pot and cook until browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a bowl and keep warm.
- Drain all but 2 tablespoons fat from the pan and return to the heat.
- Add the onion, bell pepper and jalapeno. Cook until beginning to soften, approximately 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the beans, corn, green chiles, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and taco seasoning.
- Return the beef to the pot and add the beef stock.
- Bring the soup to a boil and then turn the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the lime juice and cilantro, if using.
- Serve immediately with the desired toppings.