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With seasoned ground beef, beans, and corn, this easy taco soup delivers all the flavors of tacos in a cozy, hearty soup that comes together in under 30 minutes.
This easy soup is the kind of meal that checks every box. It's fast, flavorful, and budget-friendly. Plus, this one pot dinner recipe delivers that satisfying taco flavor that the entire family will rave about--even the pickiest of eaters!
Kristen's Key Tips to Know Before Starting
Before talk about how to make this easy taco soup recipe, let's break down a few things that will help make this recipe work for you and ensure the best results.
- Use what you like or have on hand. This taco soup is as delicious as it is versatile. Swap the ground beef for ground turkey for a lighter option or add extra beans for a vegetarian option. Use chicken stock, beef stock, or vegetable broth to build the base. Omit the corn or use canned corn in place of frozen corn. Use all black beans instead of a mixture of black and pinto, or vice versa. Use regular, fire-roasted, or Rotel tomatoes. The way we build the soup is more important than individual ingredients.
- Homemade taco seasoning seasoning is best. Not only does this simple blend yield the best flavor, it is lower in sodium and contains no thickening agents, allergens, or preservatives. You likely have all the spices in your pantry to make it too!
- Don't skip the lime juice. It will make the flavors of the soup pop and give you restaurant-quality vibes with a low-effort recipe.
How to Make Stovetop Taco Soup
While incredibly easy to make, think of this step-by-step section as having me in the kitchen, giving you complete confidence in your ability to make a restaurant-quality taco soup at home.
Step One: Brown the Meat and Onion
Heat a bit of large deep pot over medium-high heat. Once heated, add the ground meat and minced onion to to the skillet. Cook, breaking the meat into bite-sized pieces, until fully browned and cooked through. Remove the pan from the heat and drain off any excess grease if needed.
Step Two: Toast Spices
Add in the garlic, green chilies, and taco seasoning let cook for 1 minute to deepen the flavor and let those dried spices come to life.
Step Three: Add Tomato Sauce
Add the tomato sauce and let simmer for 3-4 minutes to reduce and cook off the canned tomato taste. Just like my famous taco meat recipe, this step will yield a much richer base.
Step Four: Build Soup
Don't be tempted to dump the remaining ingredients into the pot at once. First, add the stock or broth of choice, along with the diced tomatoes and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in corn and beans and simmer gently.
Step Five: Simmer
This taco soup is quick-cooking, but don't skip the simmering altogether. Covering and simmering for just 15-minutes lets all the ingredients come together, making these pantry staples taste incredibly divine.
Tip: Adjust the broth as needed. If you find the soup reducing too much, reduce the heat and/or add additional broth.
Step Six: Finish Strong
After simmering the soup, remove the soup from the heat and stir in the juice of a fresh lime. It will transform a good taco soup into an exceptional taco soup.
Step Seven: Serve
This taco soup is so delicious you don't need any toppings. But just like tacos, taco soup only improves with the addition of toppings. Shredded cheese, avocado slices, sour cream, tortilla chips, or fresh cilantro are all great options, but use your favorite toppings.
Recipe Modifications
Just like tacos, taco soup is endlessly versatile. While I have already shared that you can vary the type of ground meat, broth, and beans below are a few more modifications to help make this soup to your liking.
- Make it Vegetarian: Skip the meat, use vegetable broth in place of beef stock, and stir in an additional 15-ounce can of beans for added bulk.
- Add Smoky Flavor: Swap out the diced tomatoes for fire-roasted tomatoes and instantly add depth.
- Adjust Spice: Replace 1 can of diced tomatoes for Rotel tomatoes for an additional kick and/or add a minced jalapeño to the beef/onion mixture.
- Use Rotel Tomatoes. Omit the canned green chiles and use two (15-ounce) cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles.
More Taco-Inspired Recipes
Taco Soup
Video
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef, or ground turkey
- 1 small yellow onion, minced
- 1 (4-ounce) can mild diced green chiles, undrained
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth, + more as needed
- 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 large lime
- toppings of choice
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Once heated, add the ground meat and onion. Cook, breaking up the meat as it browns, until fully cooked through. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Stir in the green chiles, garlic, and taco seasoning. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often, until fragrant.
- Add the tomato sauce and cook for 3-4 minutes to thicken slightly and concentrate the flavors, stirring often.
- Pour in 2 cups of beef broth and the diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the pinto beans, black beans, and corn. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, removing the lid to stir occasionally. If the soup becomes too thick, reduce the heat and add up to 1 cup of additional broth.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Give the soup a taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve with toppings of choice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thanks so very happy to be able to make this soup
This is a brand new excellent recipe from Kristen. This one is a must taste! I had 2 bowls for dinner last night and am thinking of more for breakfast. Follow the new recipe exactly and you will experience a 5 star winning one dish meal! 🏅 🏆
Thanks David! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed enough to contemplate for breakfast! That is the sign of a winning soup for sure!