This taco soup recipe is an easy 30-minute meal that is packed with flavor!
A pound of lean ground beef is perfectly seasoned and simmered with tomatoes, onions, beans, and a handful of tex-mex inspired veggies.
I truly love recipes that are as easy as this one, it’s hard to believe something so fast can taste so good!
A Quick and Easy Taco Soup
This easy Taco Soup Recipe combines two of my favorite things; ground beef tacos and belly-warming soup! Ground beef is inexpensive meat for many soups from Easy Hamburger Soup to Cabbage Roll Soup.
It’s a bit like chili in the hearty healthy goodness but the flavor is taco-inspired!
- It’s so fast, ready in 30 minutes from start to finish.
- One pot means fewer dishes to wash.
- Uses simple ingredients and pantry staples.
- It’s a great way to stretch a pound of ground beef to feed a crowd!
- This soup welcomes add-ins like veggies.
- Family-friendly, it’s mild and you can add your favorite toppings
Ingredients
Lean Ground Beef is our favorite choice but you can also substitute ground turkey or ground/chopped chicken.
Frozen corn helps bulk up the soup and adds nutrition. Canned works too. We add bell peppers for flavor. Add whatever veggies you have or love.
Canned beans make it quick, be sure to drain and rinse before adding. My favorites are pinto or black beans but again, add any kind.
Green chilies are mild but pack great flavor, I buy a small 4 oz can and keep a few in the pantry. Rotel tomatoes and tomato sauce add zesty flavor and a bit of heat.
Seasonings are simple. Homemade taco seasoning is a favorite for this recipe but a packet store-bought works just as well.
Variations
Season to your liking by adding extras. Try chili powder, cumin, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder…. basically whatever spices you love.
To make it spicy, add in some extra jalapenos or a couple of dashes of hot sauce.
How to Make Taco Soup
This Taco Soup recipe is made on the stovetop and simmers for about 15 minutes making it the perfect weeknight meal (and a great way to use up leftover taco meat)!
- Brown ground beef in a large soup pot with onion. Drain any fat.
- Add the remaining ingredients (per the recipe below) to the pot and stir.
- Simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Season with salt & pepper and finish with a squeeze of lime and some cilantro if you’d like!
Top it with your favorite taco toppings like sour cream, Homemade Salsa, or Pico de Gallo, and a sprinkle of cheddar for the perfect dinner!
Toppings for Taco Soup
Taco Soup can be served with a bun or a slice of bread, tortilla chips, tortillas, and cheddar cheese.
Set out a tray of toppings for everyone to garnish their own bowls! Some of my favorite toppings are avocado, green onion, jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro, and salsa.
Got Leftovers?
FRIDGE: This will last a few days in the refrigerator. If you plan to keep it longer than that, this soup freezes perfectly!
FREEZER: You can freeze taco soup. We place them in freezer bags in individual portions. This makes it easy to take one out for lunch or several out for a family meal!
More Easy Soup Recipes
Did you enjoy this Taco Soup? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Taco Soup Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion diced
- 16 ounces pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 10 ounces Rotel tomatoes
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 4 ounces green chile peppers diced
- 2 cups beef broth
- ¾ cup frozen corn
- ⅓ cup green pepper diced (or ½ small green pepper)
- 1 package taco seasoning mix or homemade
Instructions
- In a large pot, brown ground beef with onion until no pink remains. Drain off any excess fat.
- Add remaining ingredients to the pot. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Dinner, Lunch, Soup
Cuisine American, Tex Mex© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Great recipe, I loved it and often enjoy a lot your recipes. Thank you for sharing!!
Can I make this in a crockpot?
Hi Lexi, If making it in the crockpot I would brown the ground beef then add all the ingredients to the crockpot. Then I would follow the cooking instructions on our Tortilla Soup Recipe. You will have to let us know how it turns out!
I made this with hominy corn,gave it a white corn tortilla hint in soup. More complete taco flavor! Also I used TVP
Instead of beef as I’m vegetarian.
So versatile!!
This looks divine but can I ask with 4oz of green chilli’s, on a scale of 0-10, how hot it is? Many thanks.
That is a tough question, Anne! I enjoy spicy things and don’t find these hot at all, but they would be a mild spice level if any. I hope that helps!
Can I use ground chicken instead of beef?
That sounds like a great substitution, Pam!
Fantastic recipe, easy and fast and taste delicious
Delicious and easy! We added a packet of ranch seasoning because we like the tangy flavor addition!
I made your Easy Taco Soup on 3/11/2023. I recommend the recipe for all for ease of prep and great flavor.
My simple tweaks: After cooking hamburger and draining it, I sweated the onions and bell pepper together in the skillet with a tablespoon of the meat drippings.
I then added everything into the pot as your recipe indicated.
Tip: I used original Ro-Tel tomatoes which have more heat. Use milder version for those who want less heat spice.
We are making another pot next Monday for my husband’s Bible Class.
I chickend out on the green chilis. This was delicious so simple! New twist of chili is how I see it. I added avacto, cheese and onions on the top of serving My picky son said he could eat it everyday.
I made this twice without corn. I can’t stand corn. I added a can of black beans and chili beans instead. I doubled the recipe and took about two bowls to my son when visited a month ago. He loved it to and wanted the recipe. So you have two new fans! Thank you!
Wow! Made this for dinner last night, and was amazed at how good it was, and with those “simple pantry ingredients.” I’m betting the leftovers will be even better, and I’ll still have enough to freeze for a cold and rainy day. I garnished this soup with Mexican blend cheese and tortilla strips.
This will be a regular soup recipe in my house. Thanks Holly! :)
I made this last night and it was fast, easy and delicious.
Just made the Taco soup and it was outstanding love it. Also will make it again.
I had to go to 2 different stores to get the right ingredients but that’s Okay it was worth it