Feeling like tacos but don’t want the messy hands that come with it? Try this taco soup recipe. It’s like the best of tacos meets chili for an amazing, hearty soup that everyone loves. My husband and kids always ask me to make extra so they can enjoy more the next day. While the weather is still a bit nippy, make it!
Best Taco Soup Recipe
Soups are such a great way to make a meal more filling. Especially when it’s cold out. It’s so much easier to sneak in nutrition. And it’s way better than any gross goo you get in a can. If you love tacos, you need this soup in your life, like right now!
Taco Soup Ingredients
- Ground beef – Choose the lean variety.
- Canned beans – You’ll need a can each of pinto beans and black beans. Rinse them off first too!
- Yellow onion – Chop it up.
- Jalapenos – You will chop these and seed them depending on the level of spice you like. With kids, I recommend keeping things more tame and adding more spice after if you desire.
- Diced tomatoes – Choose the can with the green chiles in them.
- Beef broth – For the soup base.
- Tomato sauce – An 8-ounce can helps make this soup rich and delicious.
- Frozen corn – The perfect addition!
- Seasonings – You’ll need dried oregano, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Cilantro – Use fresh and chop it.
- Lime juice – Squeeze it yourself for the best taste.
- Taco Soup toppings – One of the best parts! Grab everything you’d normally top your tacos with like shredded cheese, sour cream, guac or avocados! If you like a more creamy taco soup, my husband loves taco soup with ranch dressing instead of sour cream. Give it a try!
Easy Taco Soup Recipe
In just 15 minutes, you can prep this soup and get it simmering away. It takes less than an hour from there and you really don’t have to do much. If you prep in advance you could put it in your slow cooker, making it a great party soup to ladle out for everyone to enjoy.
How do you Make Taco Soup from Scratch?
Grab your Dutch oven or a large pot and get olive oil going over medium-high on the stove. Add the onions and ground beef until the beef is no longer pink. Now the jalapeno and garlic go in until fragrant, about a minute. Then add the tomatoes, beef stock, tomato sauce, and spices. Simmer for 30 minutes, taking time to stir on occasion. After 30 minutes, add the corn and beans and cook until heated thoroughly. Then add the cilantro and lime. Serve with your favorite toppings!
Expert Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Taco Soup Every Time
- Yes, you can use turkey! If you want to make a lighter version of this soup, ground turkey works just as well.
- Drain and rinse those beans. Canned beans can be salty too, so if your concern is too much sodium, buy them with no salt added. Then add salt to taste to ensure it doesn’t come out too salty.
- Hate spicy? Keep it mild by omitting the jalapeno. If you like just a little hint, use only a little of it.
Taco soup is like duct tape, it fixes everything.
Megan
How do you thicken taco soup?
This taco soup recipe should be plenty thick with the tomato sauce. If that still hasn’t helped, you can balance it out with a cornstarch slurry.
What are the best toppings for Taco Soup?
The best toppings for taco soup are shredded cheese (cheddar or the Mexican blend is the best), chopped onion (you can use red or yellow), avocado, guacamole, sour cream, and tortilla strips.
What goes well with Taco Soup?
You can do all sorts of things like Mexican rice, chips and salsa or guac, a fresh salad, elotes or corn on the cob, refried beans, and grilled veggies.
How many calories are in taco soup?
It can vary, though in a proper bowl, it should be just under 200 calories per serving.
How to Store Taco Soup?
Once it cools, you’ll want to stow it in airtight containers in your fridge.
How long is taco soup good for?
Taco soup will keep in the fridge for one week and in your freezer for 6 months, as long as you store it in airtight vessels.
How Long Does Taco Soup Last?
Taco soup will keep for up to a week when you have it in your fridge. But if you’ve made too much, the freezer is the best place!
Can You Freeze Taco Soup?
I think taco soup is probably my favorite thing to freeze. It is so easy to pull out on a busy night to heat up for dinner. It’s always my ace in the hole. It will last about 6 months this way.
How to Reheat Taco Soup?
If it’s frozen, put it in the fridge overnight. Then just warm it up on the stove until everything has been heated through. Serve it with your favorite toppings!
Watch How To Make Taco Soup (Video)
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Classic Taco Soup Recipe
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes minutes
Total Time 55 minutes minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 336
This super easy taco soup recipe is hearty, filling and packed full of flavor. The beefy flavor and perfectly balanced blend of spices makes this one a crowed favorite every time!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/4 lbs lean ground beef
- 2 cups yellow onion (chopped)
- 2 jalapenos (chopped (seed the jalapenos depending on spice preference))
- 3 tbsp garlic (minced)
- 2 15oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 14oz can beef broth
- 1 8oz can tomato sauce
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
- pepper
- salt
- 1 15oz can pinto beans (rinsed)
- 1 15oz can black beans (rinsed)
- 1 1/4 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Taco soup toppings
- Shredded Mexican blend cheese, chopped onion, avocado, sour cream, tortilla strips
Instructions
In large pot over dutch oven, heat up olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and ground beef, browning the beef until there is no longer any pink. Add the jalapeno and garlic and saute for an additional minute or until garlic is fragrant. Once the garlic is aromatic, add in the tomatoes with chiles, beef stock, tomato sauce, spices. Simmer for 30 minutes, occasionally stirring. After 30 minutes, toss in your corn and beans and cook until thoroughly heated through and add the cilantro and lime. Serve warm with preferred toppings.
Calories: 336kcal
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 142mg | Potassium: 894mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1074IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 5mg
