Taco soup was one of the first things I ever posted on Budget Bytes, and now, 16 years later, I’m ready for this tasty taco soup recipe to make a roaring comeback. Not only do I appreciate how quick and easy this flavorful soup is to make, but now I know how to make all of the seasoning mixes from scratch, so I can make it 100% homemade, or take the store-bought shortcut when needed. Either way, this taco soup is chock full of flavor, colors, and textures, and is one of those go-to recipes that I never get tired of!
What is Taco Soup?
Taco soup is a really easy soup made with ground beef, beans, a colorful medley of vegetables like onions, tomatoes, green chiles, and corn, and a generously spiced tomato-based broth. It’s got a ton of flavor and texture, but requires barely any work to prepare. And the best part? It’s just begging for all the fun toppings that you might find on a taco!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy taco soup:
Ground beef: Ground beef helps make this soup really hearty and meal-worthy, but if you don’t like beef you can substitute it with ground turkey, pork, pulled pork, or even make it vegetarian by adding extra beans and vegetables.
Beans: Beans help bulk up this recipe while keeping the cost low. For this recipe, I use two kinds of beans (pinto and black beans), but you can always add more if you’d like!
Vegetables: A medley of vegetables keeps this bowl of soup colorful AND flavorful. I used onion, garlic, diced tomatoes with green chiles, and corn. And the sky’s the limit when it comes to adding more veggies.
Seasonings: This soup is not short on flavor thanks to not just one but TWO seasoning mixes, taco seasoning, and ranch seasoning. You can use my homemade recipe for either one or take a shortcut and use a store-bought seasoning packet. This bold mix of flavors makes sure that every spoonful is a ten!
Tomato paste: I add a few tablespoons of tomato paste to thicken the broth just a bit and add a little brightness to the soup.
Toppings: This is where the soup gets fun! Add all your favorite taco toppings to your bowl, or make it a spread and allow each person to build their own bowl.
Store-Bought vs. Homemade Seasonings
One of the reasons taco soup is so popular is because it’s easy to make and uses a lot of convenient, shelf-stable pantry ingredients. Instead of measuring out ten different herbs and spices you can use store-bought seasoning mixes in one go. But those store-bought seasoning packets do tend to be a sodium bomb. So if you want a little more control over the ingredients in your taco soup, I have homemade versions of BOTH seasoning packets that you can use in their place. :) See my Homemade Taco Seasoning and Homemade Ranch Seasoning for a more “from scratch” option.
Recipe Tips & Suggestions
Ground beef with a higher fat content can produce a lot of excess fat as it cooks. After browning your meat, if you notice a significant amount of excess fat, I recommend draining it off before adding the other ingredients. Otherwise, your soup might end up being a bit greasy.
Feel free to adjust the spice level to suit your preference. This is pretty easy to do whether you use a store-bought seasoning mix or make your own from scratch. If you don’t love a ton of spice, start with a mild seasoning mix you know you love (if using store-bought) and add extra cayenne pepper to the pot as needed. If making my homemade seasoning mix, just adjust the amounts of cayenne to your liking.
Don’t forget to drain your beans! I love using canned beans for ease and convenience (dried beans will also work, but you must soak and cook them first), but you definitely don’t want to add the canned bean liquid to this soup. It’ll make the broth too salty and muddy the flavors. I always drain my beans before adding them to the pot. You can also rinse them if you’re watching your sodium intake.
What to Serve with Taco Soup
Taco soup has a lot going on in each bowl, so it could easily be considered a whole meal in one bowl, but if you want to add a little something-something on the side, I’d go for some simple cornbread or maybe some Cilantro Lime Rice.
But before you even get to the side dishes, here are some of my favorite toppings for taco soup to try:
Tortilla chips
Avocado
Sour Cream
Green onion
Pickled red onion
Cheddar cheese
Fresh cilantro
Fresh lime
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Taco soup is great for meal prep because the flavors just get better as they chill in the fridge! I divide this soup up into single servings just after cooking to allow it to cool faster, then store it in the fridge for 4-5 days. For longer storage, you can transfer the chilled soup to the freezer and store for about three months. The soup reheats easily in the microwave or in a saucepot over medium-low.
Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Taco Soup
Taco soup is also really easy to make in a slow cooker or Instant Pot. Just follow these easy instructions:
Slow Cooker Taco Soup: Brown the ground beef in a skillet, then add it to a slow cooker with the remaining ingredients and cook on low heat for six hours, or high heat for three hours.
Instant Pot Taco Soup: Brown the ground beef using the sauté function, then continue to sauté with the onion and garlic. Add the remaining ingredients, secure the lid, and cook on high pressure for five minutes. Allow the pot to naturally release pressure, then carefully remove the lid and serve.
Print
Easy Taco Soup Recipe
This easy Taco Soup recipe is a simple yet flavorful meal in a bowl featuring ground beef, beans, vegetables, and tons of tasty toppings!
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Total Cost ($11.43 recipe / $1.90 serving)
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Total Time 40 minutesminutes
Servings 61.5 cups each
Calories 396kcal
Author Beth Moncel
Equipment
Dutch Oven
Ingredients
1Tbspolive oil$0.19
1lb.ground beef$4.63
1yellow onion$0.90
4clovesgarlic$0.20
1cupfrozen corn$0.65
2 10oz.cans diced tomatoes with green chiles$1.92
1 15oz.can pinto beans, drained$0.86
1 15oz.can black beans, drained$0.86
1packet taco seasoning*$0.47
1packet ranch seasoning*$0.54
3Tbsptomato paste$0.21
2cupswater$0.00
Instructions
Add the olive oil and ground beef to a large soup pot. Cook over medium heat until the beef is fully browned. If using a high-fat content beef, drain the excess fat from the pot.
While the beef is cooking, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion and garlic to the pot with the beef and continue to cook until the onions are soft and translucent.
Add the frozen corn, pinto beans (drained), black beans (drained), and diced tomatoes with green chiles (with juices), and stir to combine.
Add the tomato paste, taco seasoning, ranch seasoning, and water to the pot. Stir to combine. Turn the heat up to high, place a lid on the pot, and bring the soup up to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve hot with your favorite toppings!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
* In place of store-bought seasoning packets you can use my homemade taco seasoning and homemade ranch seasoning.
Add 1 Tbsp olive oil and one pound of ground beef to a large soup pot. Cook over medium heat until the beef is cooked through. If using a high-fat content beef, drain the excess fat from the pot. Once the beef is cooked, add one diced yellow onion and 4 cloves of minced garlic. Continue to stir and cook until the onions are soft and translucent.
Add one cup frozen corn kernels, one 15oz. can black beans (drained), one 15oz. can of pinto beans (drained), and two 10oz. cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles (with juices). Stir to combine.
Add 3 Tbsp tomato paste, one packet of taco seasoning (or one recipe homemade taco seasoning), one packet of ranch seasoning (or one recipe homemade ranch seasoning), and 2 cups water. Stir to combine.
Turn the heat up to medium-high and place a lid on top. Allow the soup to come up to a boil. Once boiling, give it a stir, turn the heat down to medium-low, and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings to your liking (I did not add anything additional). Serve hot with your favorite toppings!
