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Cheesy Taco Soup

Cheesy taco soup with tender beans and corn in a thick, melty cheese broth, finished with shredded cheddar. This Tex-Mex soup simmers until rich and hearty, then gets topped with crunchy tortilla chips and jalapeños.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 580
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cheesy Taco Soup Base
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch dressing mix
  • 4 cup beef broth
  • 1 block (16 oz) Velveeta, cubed
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar
  • tortilla chips for topping
  • jalapeños for topping

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef and build the soup
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat, then drain any excess fat.
  2. Sauté the onion for 3 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring so it doesn’t burn.
  3. Add black beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, ranch dressing mix, and beef broth to the pot, then bring to a boil.
Simmer and melt the cheese
  1. Simmer the soup for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to low.
  2. Add the Velveeta in chunks and stir constantly until completely melted, keeping the heat at low to avoid scorching.
  3. Stir in the shredded cheddar and simmer on low for 5 minutes until fully melted and smooth.
Serve
  1. Serve immediately topped with tortilla chips and jalapeños.

Notes

For the smoothest cheese broth, keep the heat on low when melting Velveeta and cheddar—boiling can make cheese grainy. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove or microwave, adding a splash of beef broth if it thickens. Freezing is not recommended because the dairy can change texture. Dietary swap: use lean ground turkey instead of ground beef for a lighter option while keeping the same seasonings.