Taco Soup is everything you know and love about tacos….in soup form! A quick and easy hearty soup made with taco flavoured ground beef, corn and beans, first timers are always cynical but with one bite, they are converted for life!
Don’t skip the toppings. They seal the deal. 🙂
Taco Soup
Even if you’ve never had Taco Soup before, if you enjoy Chili and Tacos, I guarantee that you will absolutely LOVE this.
Basically, it’s everything you know and love about beef tacos, toppings and all, except it’s in soup form. It’s kind of like Chili – thick and hearty with a fragrant broth that’s quite heavily flavoured with spices. Like any soup, it intended to be eaten with a spoon but to fully experience all that Taco Soup is intended to be, it should be served with at least a few corn chips for dunking!
This is a really quick and easy Taco Soup that can be made with either store bought seasoning OR a homemade taco seasoning
To make this super quick and easy, use a store bought packet of seasoning for convenience. But if you prefer, make your own – I don’t know about you, but I always have spices for taco seasoning in my pantry!
Homemade Taco Seasoning for Taco Soup
Quick and easy
This is a terrific quick and easy recipe. Kind of like making Bolognese – except we add taco flavourings! Cook onion and garlic until translucent, then brown the beef. Add taco seasoning, corn, beans, beef, canned tomato, beef or chicken broth, and canned green chili if you have it.
Simmer for just 10 minutes to bring the flavours together, then it’s ready to ladle into bowls.
Toppings for taco soup
Taco Soup is all about the toppings. You cannot skip the toppings.
Let me repeat – you cannot skip the toppings!!! You may omit one of the toppings. Leaving out two is really pushing my boundaries…. ?
But let me explain – I’m not being difficult, it’s what this recipe is! The soup itself is lovely, don’t get me wrong. It’s seasoned enough that you’d want to eat it plain.
But in all honesty, once you add the toppings…. woah. That’s when this Taco Soup goes from yum to Can’t-Stop-Eating-It-Delicious. THAT is when you will say “OMG! Where has this been all my life!”
A pinch of grated cheese plus sour cream or yoghurt is my absolute bottom line, preferably with some fresh coriander/cilantro leaves. This is the way I serve it most of the time.
But when I want to go all out, I add a handful of corn chips for dunking/scooping along with a few crushed to sprinkle over the surface really takes it to the next level. When you do this, it totally makes it irresistible. Think – the flavour of crispy taco shells in soup form. Nachos – in soup form.
Crazy irresistible!! – Nagi x
More hearty, filling soups loaded with flavour!
- White Chicken Enchilada Soup and tomato Shredded Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden copy-cat)
- Corn and Potato Chowder
- Chicken Noodle Soup from scratch – or a quick version!
- Chicken and Rice Soup
- Ham Bone and Bean Soup
- Browse all Soups
And more One Pot Ground Beef / Mince recipes
- Cheeseburger Casserole (Homemade Hamburger Helper)
- Chili Mac – mash up of Mac and Cheese with Chilli Con Carne, so good!
- Asian Beef and Ramen Noodles – one skillet, 15 minutes
- Beef and Veggies with Rice
- Bolognese Orzo (Risoni)
- Browse all One Pot recipes and Ground Beef / Mince recipes
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Easy Taco Soup recipe video!
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Easy Taco Soup
Ingredients
Homemade Taco Seasoning (Note 1)
- 1 tsp EACH garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp EACH dried oregano and paprika
- 2 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Soup
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 onion , finely chopped (brown or yellow)
- 500 g / 1 lb ground beef (mince), lean
- 400 g/ 14 oz can black beans (1 can) , drained and rinsed (Note 2)
- 400g / 14oz can corn kernels (1 can) , drained and rinsed
- 120 g / 4.5 oz canned green chili (Note 3)
- 800 g / 28 oz canned crushed tomato
- 2 cups beef broth
Toppings (Don't skip these!)
- Shredded cheese (essential!)
- Sour cream or yoghurt (essential!)
- Fresh coriander/cilantro leaves or shallots/scallions , finely sliced
- Corn chips
- Other options: diced avocado, squeeze of lime juice
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook until softened (3 min).
- Add beef and turn up the heat to high. Cook, breaking it up as you go, until it all changes from pink to brown.
- Add remaining Soup ingredients and Taco Seasoning. Bring to a simmer then turn heat down to medium.
- Simmer for 10 minutes to bring the flavours together. Adjust thickness with water if desired.
- This is how I like to serve it: place a handful of corn chips in the bowl. Ladle in soup. Top with sour cream, cheese, coriander and a few crushed corn chips. For a healthier option, skip the corn chips in the bowl and/or serve more on the top / side of the soup.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This Taco Soup recipe was originally published in February 2017, updated September 2018 for housekeeping matters. No change to recipe – readers love it as is!
LIFE OF DOZER
When I travel, I send Dozer off on his own holiday to a Golden Retriever boarder. He stays in her house, knows his place in the pecking order (he is way down the bottom), and has an absolute blast. Despite hopeful questioning, I am told there is never any signs of pining for me (see below for evidence).
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As usual this was an amazing and complete meal by itself .
Yes – totally customisable! N x
Hi Nagi, love your recipes but uhm. The pic you’ve got of all the taco spices, you’ve listed the paprika as garlic powder
Really? You must have too much time on your hands to even comment on this. Tut Tut.
Another easy and delicious recipe. I’ve made this a number of times now and everyone enjoys it (although the family was a little apprehensive the first time. Taco? Soup?). I recommend the avocado and lime juice toppings, and we use tortilla chips (they are also made of corn but here in Canada, corn chips are thicker, saltier, and become mushy in this soup – tortilla chips soften up nicely).
The toppings are a MUST! They totally make the dish ❤️
This is one of many, many recipes I have made of yours and like all the others it was amazing! So good you can’t have just one bowl : ) Definitely going to be a repeat recipe in this house. I left out the cayenne so my 4 year old could eat it since he doesn’t like spicy and my husband and I added hot sauce to our bowls. Yum!
That’s perfect Stephanie, I’m so glad you loved it!
Taco Soup was sooo yummy! We love mexican food, so this was a real treat.. and super quick to make
SO glad you loved it Diane!
This was amazing. Thank you Nagi, you never fail to disappoint! I have been coming to your website a lot recently when I am thinking of what to make for dinner, everything I have made from here has turned out fantastic!
That’s wonderful to hear Miranda, thanks so much!
Hi Nagi. With the crazy spring weather we are having here in the Chicago area – snow on the ground in late April 🙁 I decided to make this for dinner last night. Not only was it easy and fast to make but soooo good. And the toppings which we loaded on really does take it over the top. My only complaint; there’s none left.
I’m so glad you loved it Debbie & yes, it’s all about those toppings!! – N x
Hi, Nagi! Love your cooking spirit. I have cooked my entire life but now need simple breezy recipes. You are a God send to one old lady who continues to delight my husband with new recipes. Thank You.
Another successful dinner! My family and I really enjoyed this one… and so easy!
I used lean ground chicken breast instead of beef. For the crushed tomatoes, I used the type blended with oregano, garlic , and basil. I also used chicken broth instead of beef broth.
I followed your homemade taco seasoning recipe exactly (chefs, do not skimp on this – it’s much better than a packet of taco seasoning you buy at the store). I included scallions as a garnish plus all of the other suggested toppings. I used yellow and blue corn chips for color and flavor. Yum! Thank you!
Oooh! So glad you enjoyed this too Cynthia!! N x
I think there’s an error in your herb picture. You have garlic powder listed twice 🙂
OK!!! I actually made it now – SO GOOD!!!!!!!
I used kangaroo mince instead of beef, and added some coriander powder which was delicious.
I had some green chilies (bought from usafoods.com.au BUT if you didn’t have them I bet a few slices of pickled jalapeno would be great.
Thanks!!! Made on one of the last appropriate days of the year before summer hits!!!
Glad you enjoyed it Asako!!! Thanks for sharing your feedback 🙂 N x
Wow! Just wanted to let you know that this was a massive success for my family. They couldn’t get enough. I have requests to make more!! I just love your recipes. Flavourful and straight forward. You never let us down Nagi! Big hug to Dozer!
I will be making this soon. Is there a way to reduce the sodium? I am wondering
if you included the corn chips in the calculations.
thank you
You can omit the salt and use reduced sodium beef broth.
Nagi, your recipes (I’ve tried quite a few) are FLAVOR BOMBS and this soup is no exception! Everybody loved it and it was so easy to make. Keep up the good work!
Ani (your big fan from Florida)
This soup is super easy and truly quick to make. I used fresh corn off the cob (2 ears) and ground turkey (with chicken stock instead of beef) because we don’t eat beef in our house. Also, the toppings take the soup over the top! I even made fried corn tortilla strips. Everyone went back for seconds. Thanks!
I’m glad you enjoyed this Rebecca! Thank you for letting me know 🙂 N x
This looks like a very good recipe … I was just curios if you happen to have a converter on your recipes ? I see some recipes in Kilo’s and also see some in pounds ,,, I came across your website which is a beautiful one by accident and I do live in America … I see this recipe as English / Metric on Most ingredients ….
Scrumptious! This was full of wonderful flavor. I loved the combination of spices. I made it in the pressure cooker with perfect results.
Made this tonight and it is excellent! Wanted more veggies so I added some shredded carrots and zucchini. Maybe next time some cauliflower ‘rice’. So good! I doubled it for these cold Michigan nights! Thank you again for another winner!
Love hearing that! So glad you enjoyed this Patricia! N xx
Yum! Yum! Yum! Cold and wet weather and this taco soup just hit the spot. Took out the paprika so my 9-year old can eat it. I chopped up jalapeños and sprinkled that on top for some heat. We’ll make this again!
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback Ev, I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this! N x ❤️
Try it with white hominy instead of corn! Yum!
OOOH!!!!
Hi! I made this twice, very yummy. But it’s just be eating it so i freeze it flat in a bag . How low do u think i can keep it in the freezer??
Gosh Thao! I think around 3 months easily! N xx