I stripped this Quick And Easy Taco Soup Recipe down to five pantry ingredients and one unexpected shortcut you’ll want to try.
I can’t stop making this Taco Soup Recipe Easy because it gives bold, surprising flavor without a long grocery list. I usually use ground beef and pile shredded cheddar cheese on top for that melty finish everyone fights over.
It’s the kind of meal that looks simple but somehow keeps people guessing what makes it taste so good. Sometimes I swap things up, sometimes I don’t, but it always feels like dinner got smarter.
If you’re doubtful try my 30 Minute Taco Soup version, you might be surprised how fast it becomes a new favorite.
Ingredients
- Ground beef or turkey gives protein and richness, can be lean or a bit juicy.
- Black beans add fiber protein and creaminess, they bulk the soup and keep you full.
- Sweet corn adds pop of sweetness and texture, brightens every spoonful.
- Tomatoes give acidity and broth body, Rotel brings a spicy kick sometimes.
- Cheddar melts into creamy, salty goodness, adds calcium and umami comfort.
- Avocado adds silky richness healthy fats and makes each bowl feel fancy.
- Crushed chips give crunch salt and corn flavor, great contrast to soup.
- Sour cream cools spicy bites, adds tang and creamy balance to spoons.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey, lean is fine
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (1 oz) packet taco seasoning or about 2 tbsp homemade taco seasoning
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (or Rotel if you like some heat)
- 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
- 2 cups beef broth or chicken broth
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) sweet corn, drained
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese for topping
- 1 cup crushed tortilla chips or corn chips for serving
- 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt for topping
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, optional
- 1 lime, cut into wedges, optional
- 1 avocado, diced, optional
How to Make this
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the ground beef or ground turkey and brown it, breaking it up with a spoon; season lightly with salt and black pepper as it cooks and stir in the chopped onion and minced garlic once the meat is about halfway done so the onion softens and the garlic doesn’t burn.
2. If there is lots of fat, drain most of it off, then return the pot to the heat and sprinkle in the taco seasoning and ground cumin, stir and cook about 30 seconds so the spices wake up and coat the meat.
3. Add the diced tomatoes or Rotel, the tomato sauce and the broth; stir to combine and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot for extra flavor.
4. Stir in the drained and rinsed black beans, the drained pinto or kidney beans, and the drained corn, bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
5. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes so the flavors meld, stirring now and then; if it’s too thick, add a little more broth or water, if it’s too thin simmer uncovered a bit.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper or a squeeze of lime if you want brightness; tip try a bit of the soup on a chip to check salt and spice, you’ll know fast if it needs more.
7. While it simmers chop the green onions, cilantro, dice the avocado, shred the cheddar, crush the tortilla chips with your hands and get out the sour cream or Greek yogurt so everything is ready to go.
8. Serve hot in bowls, top with shredded cheddar so it melts, a scoop of sour cream or yogurt, crushed chips for crunch, sliced green onions, cilantro, avocado and a lime wedge for squeezing; add chips just before eating so they stay crunchy.
9. Leftovers store great in the fridge for a few days or freeze for longer, reheat on the stove with a splash of broth and add fresh toppings after reheating, not before.
Equipment Needed
1. Large heavy bottomed pot, about 6 to 8 quarts, for browning the meat and simmering the soup
2. Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula to break up meat and stir, dont use one that will melt
3. Colander or fine mesh strainer for draining and rinsing beans and corn
4. Chef’s knife and cutting board for chopping the onion, cilantro and dicing the avocado
5. Can opener for the tomatoes, beans and corn
6. Measuring spoons and a 1 cup measure for the taco seasoning, cumin and broth
7. Ladle for serving and for tasting while you adjust seasoning
8. Box grater or small grater for shredding cheddar plus a small bowl for toppings
FAQ
Taco Soup Recipe Easy: Delicious And Quick Dinner Substitutions and Variations
- Ground beef or ground turkey: swap for ground chicken, cooked lentils, or plant based crumbles for a vegetarian version — lentils give bulk and texture and cook about the same.
- Olive oil: use avocado oil, canola oil, or a tablespoon of butter to brown the meat; with very lean meat you can skip oil and use a good nonstick pan.
- Taco seasoning packet: make a quick mix with 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp oregano and 1 tsp salt — tastes almost identical to the packet.
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt: swap for plain yogurt, Mexican crema, mashed avocado, or a dairy free cashew cream for a vegan option, works great as a topper.
Pro Tips
1) Brown the meat good and don’t skip scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pot, that’s pure flavor. If there’s a lot of fat drain most of it but leave a little so the spices stick, otherwise the soup can taste flat.
2) Bloom the taco seasoning and cumin in the hot fat for 20 to 30 seconds before adding liquids, it wakes up the spices, trust me it makes a big difference. If you use store seasoning taste for salt after simmering cause some mixes are already super salty.
3) Control the thickness by adding broth slowly or simmering uncovered to reduce, don’t just add more tomato sauce without tasting first. If you want a creamier texture stir in a small splash of cream or a spoon of Greek yogurt when serving, not while reheating.
4) Prep your toppings ahead and add fresh things only at the end, avocado and chips go soggy fast. Leftovers reheat better with a splash of broth and fresh lime squeezed over at the end for brightness, and never freeze the avocado.
Taco Soup Recipe Easy: Delicious And Quick Dinner
I stripped this Quick And Easy Taco Soup Recipe down to five pantry ingredients and one unexpected shortcut you'll want to try.
6
servings
561
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large heavy bottomed pot, about 6 to 8 quarts, for browning the meat and simmering the soup
2. Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula to break up meat and stir, dont use one that will melt
3. Colander or fine mesh strainer for draining and rinsing beans and corn
4. Chef’s knife and cutting board for chopping the onion, cilantro and dicing the avocado
5. Can opener for the tomatoes, beans and corn
6. Measuring spoons and a 1 cup measure for the taco seasoning, cumin and broth
7. Ladle for serving and for tasting while you adjust seasoning
8. Box grater or small grater for shredding cheddar plus a small bowl for toppings
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef or ground turkey, lean is fine
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (1 oz) packet taco seasoning or about 2 tbsp homemade taco seasoning
1 tsp ground cumin
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (or Rotel if you like some heat)
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
2 cups beef broth or chicken broth
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) pinto beans or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) sweet corn, drained
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese for topping
1 cup crushed tortilla chips or corn chips for serving
1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt for topping
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, optional
1 lime, cut into wedges, optional
1 avocado, diced, optional
Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the ground beef or ground turkey and brown it, breaking it up with a spoon; season lightly with salt and black pepper as it cooks and stir in the chopped onion and minced garlic once the meat is about halfway done so the onion softens and the garlic doesn’t burn.
- If there is lots of fat, drain most of it off, then return the pot to the heat and sprinkle in the taco seasoning and ground cumin, stir and cook about 30 seconds so the spices wake up and coat the meat.
- Add the diced tomatoes or Rotel, the tomato sauce and the broth; stir to combine and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot for extra flavor.
- Stir in the drained and rinsed black beans, the drained pinto or kidney beans, and the drained corn, bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
- Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes so the flavors meld, stirring now and then; if it’s too thick, add a little more broth or water, if it’s too thin simmer uncovered a bit.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper or a squeeze of lime if you want brightness; tip try a bit of the soup on a chip to check salt and spice, you’ll know fast if it needs more.
- While it simmers chop the green onions, cilantro, dice the avocado, shred the cheddar, crush the tortilla chips with your hands and get out the sour cream or Greek yogurt so everything is ready to go.
- Serve hot in bowls, top with shredded cheddar so it melts, a scoop of sour cream or yogurt, crushed chips for crunch, sliced green onions, cilantro, avocado and a lime wedge for squeezing; add chips just before eating so they stay crunchy.
- Leftovers store great in the fridge for a few days or freeze for longer, reheat on the stove with a splash of broth and add fresh toppings after reheating, not before.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 579g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 561kcal
- Fat: 28.5g
- Saturated Fat: 8.8g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Polyunsaturated: 6g
- Monounsaturated: 12g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
- Sodium: 930mg
- Potassium: 900mg
- Carbohydrates: 43g
- Fiber: 10.5g
- Sugar: 10g
- Protein: 32.5g
- Vitamin A: 1500IU
- Vitamin C: 40mg
- Calcium: 200mg
- Iron: 3mg
