Taco Soup

Why You’ll Love This Easy Taco Soup

Easy pantry staples plus ground beef and a few fresh vegetables are all you need to make a quick and satisfying soup. I especially love to make this taco soup recipe on chilly winter nights when we need something soothing to warm us up. Here’s why you’ll love this recipe:

• Quick and easy. This is a satisfyingly simple soup to make that isn’t at all fussy or complicated. In just 40 minutes or less, you’ll have a hot dinner on the table.
• Cook all day option. If you know your evening will be busy, you can prep the soup in the morning and let it simmer in the crockpot all day.
• Gluten-Free. All of the ingredients needed to make taco soup are naturally gluten-free, making it a great choice if you avoid gluten.
• Make it with pantry ingredients. Take a look in the pantry – you may already have almost everything on hand to make this soup! A can of beans, broth, and corn, plus dried seasonings and a few fresh vegetables and beef is all it takes to put together this recipe.

What You’ll Need

I’ve included an overview of the ingredients in this taco soup recipe below. The full ingredient amounts will be in the recipe card at the end of this post.

• Ground Beef: Use regular or lean ground beef.
• Onion: You can use a yellow or red onion.
• Bell Pepper: Any color of bell pepper will work.
• Ground Spices: A blend of chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
• Tomatoes: You’ll need 1 can of diced tomatoes, use “fire roasted” tomatoes for extra flavor.
• Corn: Use canned or frozen corn.
• Kidney Beans: Or substitute black beans.
• Chicken Broth: You can use vegetable broth if you don’t have chicken broth.
• Optional Toppings: Sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, sliced sweet or jalapeno peppers, jalapeno peppers.

How to Make Taco Soup

Here’s an easy method for making taco soup. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card lower down.

• Brown beef. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef. Add onion, pepper, and dried spices.
• Add remaining ingredients. Transfer to a pot or slow cooker and stir in the tomatoes, corn, beans, and chicken broth.

• Cook. Bring to a simmer then cook for another 20-30 minutes, or leave it in your crockpot on Low.
• Enjoy! Serve the soup hot with your favorite toppings.

Taco Soup Variations

I love using this recipe as a base to riff off of, adding different beans, spices, and more. Here are a few tips and variation ideas to consider when you make this taco soup recipe:

• Use a crockpot. Rather than stand over the stove cooking this soup, you can throw all of the ingredients in a crockpot and cook it on low heat throughout the day.
• Seasonings substitution: You can use a packet of taco seasoning plus 1 tablespoon of chili powder instead of the individual spices called for in the recipe.
• Try different beans. Kidney beans are a classic addition to chili – and this taco soup is similar to chili! – but other beans will work just as well. Add a can of black beans, navy beans, or even chickpeas instead of the kidney beans.
• Different meat. If you wish, you could make taco soup with ground turkey or chicken in place of the ground beef.
• Make it vegetarian. This is an easy soup to adapt to being vegetarian! You could swap the ground beef for a vegetarian meat substitute such as Beyond Beef, or omit the beef altogether and add an additional can of beans. You can use kidney beans or mix it up a bit with a different type of bean. Switch out the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
• Add vegetables. You can increase the amount of vegetables in this soup if you wish. For example, use a whole bell pepper, throw in some chopped mushrooms, a handful of baby spinach, or a chopped zucchini.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

The flavors of taco soup deepen as it rests in the fridge, making it even better the second time around. Here’s how to store your leftover soup:

• Fridge – Place cooled leftover taco soup in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freezer – Separate cooled taco soup into individual portions to make reheating easier, and place them in airtight, freezer-safe containers or freezer-safe, resealable bags and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the soup completely in the fridge before reheating it.
• To Reheat – Soup can be reheated in a pot on the stove over medium heat until it’s heated through. Or, place a portion of soup in a microwave-safe bowl, cover it with a plate to prevent splatter, and heat for 1 minute in the microwave. Stir the soup, then continue to reheat and stir in 1-minute increments until hot.

More Easy Soup Recipes

• Gluten Free Chicken and Dumpling Soup
• Gluten Free Chicken Wild Rice Soup
• Instant Pot Tomato Basil Soup
• Chicken and Corn Chowder
• Easy Ham and Split Pea Soup