Easy Taco Soup Recipe

My favorite taco soup recipe has ground beef, beans, and simple pantry staples. This easy, one-pot dinner is healthy, hearty, and tastes just like taco night.

You’re looking at about 30 minutes to make our easy taco soup on the stove. It really is one of my favorite cozy weeknight dinners! I’ve even included instructions for how to make it in a slow cooker below. My family loves tacos (see all of our taco recipes as proof), and this soup packs everything we love about taco night into one hearty, flavorful dish.

Every time we make this taco soup, we’re blown away by how much flavor it has. I know your family will love it just as much as mine does. If you love this taco-inspired soup, check out our chicken tortilla soup and taco salad recipe next, they’re reader favorites!

Key Ingredients

• Ground Meat: For this soup, you can use lean ground beef, pork, chicken, or turkey. I especially love using ground pork since it reminds me of our favorite pork tacos.
• Taco Seasoning: Use your favorite store-bought blend or try our homemade taco seasoning (it has way more flavor than the packets from the store). Making your own seasoning means you can control the salt, spice, and smokiness.
• Veggies: I love adding onion, garlic, a can of diced green chiles (Hatch brand is my favorite), and a large can of tomatoes. When I have it in the freezer, I toss in frozen corn for extra sweetness and color.
• Beans: Canned beans bulk up the soup beautifully. I like black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, or a mix of all three! You can use low-sodium beans and rinse them before adding.
• Broth: Use a flavorful chicken stock or homemade chicken broth if you have it.
• Fresh Dill: It might sound unusual for a taco-inspired recipe, but fresh dill adds incredible flavor. Some recipes call for a packet of ranch seasoning, but fresh dill works just fine and adds that ranch flavor.
• Toppings: Top this simple taco soup with your favorite taco or chili toppings. My family loves avocado or guacamole, sliced jalapeños (or candied jalapeños), and crumbled cotija cheese. I also love adding a bit of crunch with tortilla chips or serving warm corn tortillas on the side.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make the Best Taco Soup

Tip 1: Brown the meat first. Start by heating a little olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add your ground meat and cook until nicely browned. Browning adds a lot of flavor and improves the texture. If, after it browns, you notice a lot of fat rendered at the bottom of your pot, you can use a spoon to remove it. Just leave a tablespoon or so for cooking the onions and garlic.

Tip 2: Add the remaining soup ingredients. When the meat is browned, quickly sauté your onions, then add the garlic and taco seasoning. After a minute or two, the pot smells amazing, which means it’s time to add everything else: a large can of diced tomatoes, green chiles, beans, frozen corn, and your broth. Give it a good stir, and make sure that you take a moment to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot (that’s where so much flavor hides).

Tip 3: Simmer for 20 minutes. Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat and let it bubble gently for 15 to 20 minutes. This gives all the ingredients time to meld into a rich, flavorful soup. If the soup looks too thick, add a little more stock or water until it’s just how you like it.

Tip 4: Don’t forget the toppings. Ladle the soup into bowls and add your favorite taco toppings. Or, serve the toppings family-style on the table, and let everyone add what they love. We usually set a bowl of tortilla chips, guacamole, and pico de gallo on the table and dig in.

Our Favorite Variations

• Make it with chicken: For a lighter version, use ground chicken or shredded cooked chicken instead of beef or pork. If you already have rotisserie or leftover roasted chicken, add it near the end of cooking so it stays juicy. You could even start with shredded Instant Pot chicken or slow-cooker shredded chicken if you’ve made a batch ahead of time.
• Try it in a slow cooker: To make slow cooker taco soup, brown the ground meat and onions first, then transfer everything to your slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours. It’s an easy, set-it-and-forget-it dinner that tastes even better the next day.
• Make it vegetarian: Skip the ground meat and double up on the beans and veggies. We make vegetarian taco soup quite often. We swap the chicken stock for vegetable broth and toss in extra vegetables. I love to add bell peppers, zucchini, chopped sweet potatoes, and shredded cabbage. I recommend quickly sautéing the veggies before adding the stock and tomatoes for even more flavor.