Easy Taco Soup

Taco soup makes a quick Mexican meal! You don’t need to get takeout; you can make this soup faster than you can get in your car, go to the drive-through, and come back home. If you are looking for one of those easy soup recipes that is filling, this taco soup recipe is the one you want to try!

overhead view of two bowls of taco soup


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Original Taco Soup Recipe

Soup is good food, and when a bowl of it tastes as great as this taco soup with ground beef, you’ll want to cook it often. Thankfully, this recipe is quick and easy and uses common ingredients you probably already have in the kitchen. If you know how to use a can opener and brown ground beef (and if you don’t know how to cook ground beef, see below), you can do this.

Enjoy this extremely hearty beef taco soup as a light meal, or pair it with a sandwich or salad when you are really hungry. It’s a snap to customize, simple to cook in bulk, and stores wonderfully. Give this simple taco soup a try.

What Makes Taco Soup So Good?

With this recipe, it feels as if you are taking a bite of a delicious loaded taco! The only difference is that it is in the form of a satisfying soup. The combination of browned ground beef, succulent sweet corn, creamy kidney beans, and flavorful stewed tomatoes blend together in harmony, making a highly palatable meal.

Why You Should Try This Recipe

I know you are going to love this easy taco soup recipe. It is a very versatile soup. You can customize it to fit your specific preferences, whether you want to include other mix-ins or use multiple garnishes to give it an extravagant presentation when you serve it.

Personally, I have been known to add in a can of green chilies or even a packet of dry ranch dressing mix for a variety of flavors.

This soup is always gobbled up by the family when it is served. Because of its simple yet irresistible flavor, people of all ages enjoy it, even kids who tend to be picky. It is the best taco soup recipe!

This Taco Soup tastes great when reheated the next day. This is one of those dishes that tastes better on day two. I love to bring this soup to work for lunch. You can always use it for meal prep, which takes off stress for busy work weeks.

Finally, you should try this recipe because the soup has a delicious classic taco flavor thanks to the taco seasoning. Don’t skip the seasoning; it can make or break the dish.

What’s in Taco Seasoning?

There isn’t one recipe when it comes to taco seasoning. Typically, it is a mixture of paprika, chili powder, cumin, oregano, onion and garlic powders, salt, and perhaps even a pinch of sugar.

You can use store-bought taco seasoning, but they are usually expensive, and who knows what’s in it? If you have a stocked spice cabinet, you can make your own.

Remember, you can use taco seasoning for much more than just tacos. Try it on burgers, eggs, or as a dry rub for red meat.

Ingredients

Here’s a list of what you need:

  • Ground beef – you can swap the beef for ground turkey if you desire
  • Taco seasoning – you can buy a packet of taco seasoning or you can use homemade taco seasoning
  • Canned corn – Mexi-corn is a great swap
  • Canned kidney beans – you could use black beans or pinto beans
  • Canned stewed tomatoes – you can use a can of diced tomatoes
  • Tomato sauce
  • Water
easy taco soup ingredients in bowls on a baking sheet

How to Make Taco Soup

  1. Brown ground beef and drain off the excess grease.
browned ground beef in a skillet
  1. Dump all ingredients in a large pot or skillet.
easy taco soup ingredients in a pan
  1. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
  2. Serve and enjoy!
two bowls of taco soup and two spoons

How to Make Taco Soup in a Slow Cooker

This is an easy recipe to adapt for your crock-pot. Simply brown your ground beef in a skillet. Drain the beef and then add everything into the slow cooker, stir well, and cook on low for 4 hours.

3 Tips for Cooking Ground Beef for Soup

Cooking ground beef is a frequent kitchen task that is a little more complicated than it may initially seem. Sure, you can plop a bunch of ground beef in the middle of a hot pan and stir it now, but that’s not going to give you the best results. If you want great taste and texture, try these tricks.

  • Start with room-temperature ground beef. Thaw ground beef slowly in the fridge overnight. Don’t use the microwave or frozen meat. This helps the meat reabsorb juices and taste better.
  • Cook the ground beef in a large sauté pan with a thick bottom. This distributes the heat better. No additional oil is needed for cooking ground beef unless it is very lean. Evenly crumble the meat and use low heat to prevent drying and shrinking.
  • Use a wooden spatula to turn the meat over every few minutes. Cook slowly until the ground beef is no longer pink. If you notice liquid collecting in the pan, drain it to keep your beef from simmering. When done, drain the meat in a colander. If you want to reduce the fat and calories drastically, you can briefly rinse the ground beef.

Tips For Serving This Quick and Easy Taco Soup

  • Make it a day before. This soup actually tastes better the second day after cooking, so plan ahead.
  • This soup is made for topping. Be creative and add what you love. See some topping ideas below.

If you plan to use garnishes, make sure to wait until the last minute before serving to do so. Only top the soup you will eat to keep the crispy toppings from getting soggy.

Sometimes, I will heat fresh flour tortillas and dig into this soup instead of using tortilla strips; it is entirely up to you!

Topping Ideas for Taco Soup

You may want to top your taco soup with some fun and tasty toppings. Here are some you should try:

  • Shredded Cheddar cheese
  • Chopped avocado
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Thinly sliced green onions
  • Crispy tortilla chips or tortilla strips
  • A dollop of sour cream
  • A couple of dashes of Tabasco Chipotle sauce or your favorite hot sauce
  • Lime wedges for a squeeze of fresh lime juice

How to Store and Reheat Taco Soup

This soup makes a lot of soup. To refrigerate your leftovers simply store the leftover soup in an airtight container for up to five days. To freeze the soup, be sure to store it in a freezer-safe container or a vacuum-sealed bag.

I recommend reheating the soup by placing the portion you want in a pot and reheating it over medium heat until the soup has been heated through.

If you want to reheat soup that is frozen, pull it out of the freezer the night before to thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating it on the stovetop.

closeup photo of two bowls of easy taco soup

More Soup and Chili Recipes

Favorite Taco Recipes

Be sure to check out more of my hearty soup recipes and the best Mexican food recipes here on CopyKat.com!

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overhead view of two bowls of taco soup

Easy Taco Soup

Make a quick and easy Mexican taco soup that is tasty and ready in just a few minutes.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Easy Taco Soup, Taco Soup
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 308kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 ounce taco seasoning
  • 15 ounces corn 1 can, do not drain
  • 15 ounces kidney beans 1 can, do not drain
  • 29 ounces stewed tomatoes
  • 15 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  • Brown ground beef and drain.
  • Dump all ingredients in a large pot and simmer approximately 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Video

Notes

Thanks to demaine for sharing this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 832mg | Potassium: 871mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 880IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 5.1mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AMoody

    I am cooking this tonight for the Fam So wish me luck.I will be substituting some things but most definitely cooking just like the recipe

  2. Nancy

    I think she’s referring to your sentence in the post, where you must’ve typed “refrigerator” when you meant to type “pantry.’ Some people have too much time on their hands 🙂 And most all know you don’t keep cans in the refrigerator…..

  3. Glitter

    5 stars
    Two pounds ground beef or round, 1 onion, 1 pkg taco seasoning, 1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch mix, 2 cans Ranch Style beans, 1 can rotel, 1 can corn. Heat (after cooking ground beef and onion)

  4. Guest

    I do this one a little different after MANY batches of trying to make it better. (It is better though if left to simmer, or as left overs!) First I use real onion, and then brown the beef with it. I also add a little pork 1/3 to 2/3rds beef. Next I put in rotel tomatoes instead of taco mix. (Cuts the sodium and adds more flavor) And the last time I made it, I put in this corn almost corn salsa instead of plain corn. Was another level of “yummy” It is easy to make fast, but as I said so much better if left to simmer a few hours, and even better as leftovers. I love to use “scoops” instead of chips!! It’s a great winner for potlucks too!

  5. Johanna Ritchie

    I use a 2/3 pound beef, 1/3 pork, I don’t do the taco mix, (too full of chemicals, salt, ect) I use Rotel instead. (Lime and Cilantro is the best) but you can pick out “mild” to hot this way too. And I use fresh onion, just tastes better. The last time I made this I used a Corn/salsa instead of plain corn, was SUPER good. it’s fun to play with this and make it your own… more spicy, ect ect.

  6. Jody

    The best! I used a 14.5 oz can chopped tom and the rest rotel and instead of corn I used hominy! Very good!

  7. brittany

    Also subbed rotel for the tomato sauce. Also added orange and yellow peppers, onion and dry ranch packet. Yummy!!!

  8. JessShivers

    I make this all the time, but I add 1 can of pinto beans, and a package of ranch salad dressing mix and it is amazing! I also top with sour cream along with the cheese and tortilla strips.

  9. Joy Dee

    Besides cheese & chips…garnish with sour cream, cilantro & a drizzle of hot pepper sauce for a colorful,beautiful restaurant quality meal in a bowl,

  10. Sue

    I have tweeked this soup some more. I have added a can of black beans plus a can of Bush’s Grillin Beans – Black bean fiesta, plus some red and green peppers while I am browning the meat. Don’t drain the beans !!

    • Stephanie

      Those sound like some really nice tweeks you have made. I was wondering how those Bush’s Grillin beans tasted, but I can see you gave them your seal of approval. I’ll often throw in other random veggies that are in my refrigerator.

    • Stephanie

      For the cans with the exception of the tomato sauce, use the 14.5 – 15 ounce cans. Different manufactors put their food in different size of cans. You know this recipe is highly flexible. I normally use this use to help me clean out my pantry.

  11. JoyDee

    I’VE BEEN MAKING THIS SOUP FOR YEARS. IT’S WONDERFUL!.. BEEF OR CHICKEN BROTH SUBSTITUTED FOR WATER ADDS MUCH FLAVOR. ANY BEAN WORKS JUST FINE! WELL, NOT GREEN ONES, OF COURSE!

  12. Sue Minick

    I made this soup and it was great. I made one adjustment and that was adding a chopped onion when I was browning the ground beef. I also drained the ground beef before adding the rest of the ingredients. It is a keeper soup for us.

  13. Jman2112

    I’m beginning to think that the people that post "Mexican" recipes that use kidney beans are from up North. Substitute kidney’s with Ranch Style or Pinto.

  14. Devin Reece

    We really like to spice this one up by substituting ranch style beans for the kidney beans and adding 2-3 ancho chilis in adobo. Yum! The corn really cuts the heat as does the cheese…can be left out without missing it!

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