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Low Sodium Taco Soup

Low sodium taco soup with a homemade Tex-Mex seasoning and a hearty broth-style finish. Ground beef and no-salt-added beans, corn, and tomatoes simmer until flavorful, then top with fresh avocado and lime.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Base soup
  • 1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 garlic, minced
  • 15 oz no-salt-added black beans, drained
  • 15 oz no-salt-added corn, drained
  • 14 oz no-salt-added diced tomatoes
  • 10 oz no-salt-added diced tomatoes with green chiles (regular or no-salt)
  • 4 cup low-sodium chicken or beef broth
Homemade low-sodium taco seasoning
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp oregano
Topping
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 lime
  • 1 cilantro
  • 1 shredded cheese small amount
  • 1 light sour cream

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the meat
  1. Brown the lean ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat, then drain the fat.
  2. Keep the pot over medium-high heat so the meat browns without steaming.
Sauté aromatics
  1. Sauté the diced onion for 4 minutes until softened, then add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute.
  2. Stir frequently to prevent the garlic from browning too quickly.
Build the seasoning
  1. Add the homemade low-sodium taco seasoning and cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
  2. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom so they dissolve into the soup.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add all no-salt-added canned ingredients and the low-sodium broth, then bring to a boil.
  2. Maintain an active boil before lowering the heat to simmer.
  3. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly.
Taste and serve
  1. Taste and add only a small pinch of salt if truly needed.
  2. Serve with avocado, fresh lime, cilantro, a small amount of shredded cheese, and light sour cream.

Notes

Pro tip: drain all canned ingredients well so the broth stays rich but not watery. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months (add avocado/lime/cilantro and sour cream/cheese after reheating for best texture). For a dietary swap, use ground turkey to keep the same taco-soup texture while reducing saturated fat.