The best easy Taco Soup Recipe! Make it in the crock pot, instant pot or on the stove. Perfect for a quick healthy dinner!
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Everyone loves a good taco night, but sometimes in the colder months, you want something that will keep you warm while still having those classic taco flavors.
This taco soup has all the flavors of your traditional tacos while being so easy to make!
Taco Soup Recipe
It only takes 9 ingredients (and some spices) and less than an hour to have the most delicious taco soup!
If you love this recipe, try our Taco Stuffed Peppers!
Why we love this Taco Soup Recipe:
There is so much to like about this taco soup recipe! Here’s why it is one of our favorites:
- Easy to Make – This soup only requires browning the meat and dumping all the ingredients together. It couldn’t be easier!
- Made with Pantry Staples – This recipe is made with only 9 ingredients and some spices and you probably already have most, if not all, of them in your pantry! (see green box below for any substitutions)
- Hearty & Delicious – This soup has 34g of protein from the beef and the beans and will definitely leave you feeling cozy and full!
What nutrients are in taco soup?
The full nutrition facts can be found below under the recipe, but this taco soup has 316 cal, 34g protein, 3g fiber per serving.
Easy Taco Soup Recipe Ingredients
To make this taco soup you’ll need:
- olive oil
- ground beef
- onion, garlic
- diced tomatoes with green chiles
- beef broth
- paprika, pepper, chili powder, cumin
- black beans, pinto beans, frozen corn
You can find substitutions for all of these ingredients below in the green shaded substitutions box.
We love ButcherBox ground beef. They’re giving my readers free ground beef and $10 off when you join today!
How to make Taco Soup
Our favorite way to make taco soup is on the stove, although you can make it in the crockpot or the instant pot (instructions below) Here’s how to make taco soup:
- Brown beef, onions and garlic in olive oil for 10-12 minutes until cooked.
- Add in tomatoes, broth, spices, beans and corn.
- Stir together. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.
How to make Taco Soup in Crock Pot
Making taco soup in the crock pot is super simple! Here’s how to make it:
- Brown beef, onions, and garlic in olive oil for 10-12 minutes.
- Add to crockpot with the rest of the ingredients and stir together.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Does this recipe for Taco Soup have a lot of calories?
This soup has just over 300 calories per serving. Some taco soup recipes are higher in calories but this is a healthier taco soup recipe!
SUBSTITUTIONS FOR TACO SOUP
Olive Oil: You can substitute avocado oil, butter, or ghee.
Ground Beef: You can substitute ground beef with ground turkey or try our chicken taco soup.
Veggies: Feel free to add in more or less veggies.
Diced Tomatoes: You can substitute any diced tomatoes in this recipe. Crushed tomatoes will also work.
Broth: Any broth or stock (broth and stock are the same) can be used in any soup recipe. Beef Broth, Chicken Broth, or vegetable broth all work interchangeably. I always use low or no salt broth.
Beans: Any beans will work in this recipe. Just make sure they are fully cooked, rinsed & drained.
Corn: You can omit corn in this recipe and it will still taste delicious!
How do you make taco soup thicker?
To thicken taco soup, you can add a corn starch slurry. Mix together 1 tablespoon of corn starch with 2-3 tablespoons of broth/water.
Stream into your pot while the soup is over low heat. The soup should thicken as you cook.
We don’t recommend trying to thicken this soup. It’s great as is!
What goes good with taco soup?
Taco Soup is delicious on its own but there are so many things you can serve with it! The best things to serve with taco soup are:
- Shredded Cheese
- Lime
- Sour cream or plain Greek Yogurt
- Avocado
- Cilantro
- Green or red onions
- Tomatoes
- Crushed Tortilla chips
- Add a little extra taco seasoning
How to make Taco Soup (Instant Pot)
- Set your instant pot to sauté for 12 minutes. Brown beef, onions, and garlic in olive oil for 10-12 minutes.
- Add in remaining ingredients and stir together.
- Cover and set to sealing, manual pressure for 6 minutes.
- Once cooked, quick release the pressure and enjoy!
- *note: I find that the instant pot can make cooked beans very mushy. You may want to omit the beans and add them in after the soup has finished cooking.
Storing and Reheating Taco Soup
How many days is taco soup good for? Homemade taco soup will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Can you freeze leftover taco soup? This soup freezes very well! You can freeze in airtight containers and store for up to 3 months.
We like these containers for freezing soup– code CLEANEATINGCOUPLE works to save $$ on them. Check out this post on How to Freeze Soup.
Reheating: You can reheat this soup in the microwave or on the stove top. It should heat through in about 2-3 minutes.
Love ground beef? Check out this list of 25+ Healthy Ground Beef Recipes or this Old Fashioned Hamburger Stew.
What is the difference between taco soup and chili? Taco soup and chili are very similar in flavor, but different in texture. Taco soup has much more broth and is more liquid based compared to chili which is much thicker and typically does not have any excess liquid.
Other healthy soup recipes:
We love healthy soup recipes. You can get our free Healthy Soup Ebook here or check out these 35+ Healthy Soups for Dinner. Here are some other healthy soup recipes you may like:
Taco Soup
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup onion chopped (1 medium onion
- ½ tablespoon garlic minced (about 4 cloves)
- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 quart beef broth low or no salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 can black beans drained & rinsed
- 1 can pinto beans drained & rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn thawed
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- In a soup pot, heat olive oil. Brown beef, onions and garlic for 10-12 minutes until cooked.
- Add in tomatoes, broth, spices, beans and corn.
- Stir together. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.
Crockpot Instructions:
- In a large pan, heat olive oil. Brown beef, onions and garlic for 10-12 minutes until cooked.
- Add beef/onion/garlic mixture to the crockpot with tomatoes, broth, spices, beans and corn.
- Stir together. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4.
Instant Pot Instructions.
- Set instant pot to Sauté for 12 minutes. Brown beef, onions and garlic for 10-12 minutes until cooked. Make sure to scrape up any browned bits to avoid a burn notice.
- Add in tomatoes, broth, spices, beans and corn.
- Stir together. Cover and set the instant pot to sealing, Manual Pressure for 6 minutes.
- It will take about 10 minutes for the instant pot to come to pressure.
- Once cooked, quick release the pressure. Stir & enjoy!
- *note: I find that the instant pot can make cooked beans very mushy. You may want to omit the beans and add them in after the soup has finished cooking.
Elizabeth says
So delicious! Next time I want to try with tortilla strips on top!
The Clean Eating Couple says
o happy you liked it!
Valerie says
So much flavour for a quick simple recipe. I’m going to try quinoa instead of ground beef next week. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Any suggestions?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Glad you liked it! I’d cook the quinoa on the side and add it to the soup instead of cooking it in the pot. I don’t love the taste of quinoa so I wouldn’t recommend this but if you try it let me know how it comes out!
Chris S says
Such a great recipe. Full of flavor and super quick. I can throw this together in 30 minutes on the stove. Your family will love this one.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy you liked it!
Ramona says
This is one of the favorites in our household! #husbandapproved
Healthy and delicious!!
Nancy says
Really enjoyed this soup! I cooked it in the crockpot on low for 7 hrs. I used mild thick and chunky salsa in place of the tomatoes and green chilies, just 1/2 lb ground beef but added an extra can of beans, and used one ear of fresh corn, cutting off the kernels for fresh flavor. I used the immersion blender with half of the soup, and I liked the consistency of the soup that way. The amount of spices was just right. I’ll keep some in the fridge a couple days and freeze the rest. Yum yum. Will make again.
Janet says
Can I substitute ground Turkey for the hamburg, I don’t eat beef.
The Clean Eating Couple says
All of our blog posts have a green substitutions section. Pasting the info about the turkey here: You can substitute ground beef with ground turkey or try our chicken taco soup.
Julia says
I was looking for an easy, delicious, healthy meal for the weekend (and for leftovers) and this was IT! Threw everything in the crock pot and enjoyed this super flavorful and hearty soup a few hours later.