Taco Soup Recipe
Posted Feb 18, 2022, Updated Apr 15, 2025
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This slow cooker taco soup recipe is easy to make and only takes a few minutes to prepare. Then it cooks all day in the slow cooker (or for a shorter time on the stovetop) so the flavors intensify and it’s ready to serve at dinner time.
This taco soup recipe is a true testament to the idea that there’s beauty in simplicity. It’s made with 9 ingredients and only takes minutes to prepare, but is a delicious recipe my family comes back to time and time again.
I love making this taco soup (and this chicken tortilla soup) on busy days because I can just brown the ground beef, throw everything in the slow cooker and it’s ready to go whenever we have time to eat.
It’s easily customizable to your tastes, you can change the type of beans, increase the heat, or add some more of your favorite vegetables. Top it with homemade guacamole, homemade tortilla strips and a dollop of sour cream for a yummy and healthy dinner!
Taco Soup: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Ground beef. I suggest lean ground beef. Ground turkey or ground chicken also work in this recipe.
- Onion. Use a sweet, yellow onion or red onion.
- Vegetable Broth. Chicken or beef broth can be used in place of vegetable broth.
- Diced tomatoes. fire roasted, with green chilies or just plain diced tomatoes all work well in this taco soup recipe.
- Beans. I suggest using kidney beans, black beans or garbanzo beans.
- Taco Seasoning. Make your own with this Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe, or use an organic seasoning to avoid unfavorable ingredients. This is a very mild taco soup with a subtle taco flavor, you can easily increase the heat/spice by adding chili powder, hot sauce, spicy taco seasoning, jalapeño peppers, etc.
- Frozen Corn. You can substitute fresh corn.
How to Make Taco Soup
This taco soup recipe is easy to make, and it can be cooked in the slow cooker or on the stovetop.
To begin, cook the ground beef onion and minced garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat until beef is lightly browned.
In the Slow Cooker
Next, combine the vegetable broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beans, taco seasoning, frozen corn and cooked beef mixture in the container of a slow cooker (mine is 5.3 quarts).
Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and spice as desired
On the Stovetop
Cook the beef, onion and garlic in 5 quart saucepan. Then add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer until ready to serve, but for at least 30 minutes.
Serve
Serve warm with your favorite taco fixings (sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed chips, homemade tortilla strips, guacamole, etc.)
Store/Freeze
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Taco Soup Recipe FAQs
If you want a thicker soup, you can remove the lid of the slow cooker the last 30-60 minutes of cooking time. You can also decrease the vegetable broth by 1/2 cup.
Yes, you can double it and cook it in a large crockpot (or two 5 quart crock pots) if you are feeding a crowd.
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Slow Cooker Taco Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ onion finely diced
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes
- 15 ounces kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 2 Tablespoons taco seasoning*
- 1 cup frozen corn
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook ground beef onion and minced garlic until beef is lightly browned.
- In the container of a slow cooker, combine vegetable broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beans, taco seasoning, frozen corn and cooked beef mixture.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and spice as desired.
- Serve warm with your favorite taco fixings (sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed chips, guacamole, etc.)
Video
Notes
- Ground beef. I suggest lean ground beef. Ground turkey or ground chicken also work in this recipe.
- Onion. Use a sweet, yellow onion or red onion.
- Vegetable Broth. Chicken or beef broth can be used in place of vegetable broth.
- Diced tomatoes. fire roasted, with green chilies or just plain diced tomatoes all work well in this taco soup recipe.
- Beans. I suggest using kidney beans, black beans or garbanzo beans.
- Taco Seasoning. I suggest an organic seasoning to avoid unfavorable ingredients. Or you can make your own. This is a very mild taco soup with a subtle taco flavor, you can easily increase the heat/spice by adding chili powder, hot sauce, spicy taco seasoning, jalapeño peppers, etc.
- Frozen Corn. You can substitute fresh corn.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So easy and quick to put together, and my husband and college age daughter (somewhat picky eater) absolutely loved it! Will make again soon. Thanks for an easy and delicious recipe! 🙂
Taco soup recipe looks great I would add Worchestire and fresh garlic and lime topped with fresh cilantro
This was SO EASY. Seriously, so ridiculously easy. AND it was SO YUMMY! My husband loves his taco soups, and this was a gem of a recipe because it was healthier than what we usually make but tasted better than our usual recipe! You won’t regret this meal. I used Greek Yogurt instead of sour cream to top the soup with, and it was DELIGHTFUL. Thank you again for a wonderful recipe, your recipes never fail!
Thank you so much Hannah! I’m so glad you love this soup as much as we do! 🙂