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Taco Soup

Taco soup with a hearty orange-red broth simmered until thick and flavorful, loaded with ground beef, corn, black beans, and Rotel. It’s an easy one-pot recipe finished with melty cheddar, cool sour cream, and crunchy tortilla chips.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 480
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup base
  • 1 lb ground beef Choose 80/20 for flavor; drain fat after browning.
  • 1 onion Dice for even cooking.
  • 3 garlic Minced.
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans Drained.
  • 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans Drained.
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn Drained.
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles Use as the recipe specifies.
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes Canned diced tomatoes.
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning Use the full packet.
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch dressing mix Use the full packet.
  • 4 cup beef or chicken broth Measure for the right simmer consistency.
Toppings
  • 0.5 cup shredded cheddar Add after simmering; quantities can vary by taste.
  • 0.25 cup sour cream Spoon on top to cool each bite.
  • 0.75 cup tortilla chips Crush right before serving for best crunch.
  • 0.25 jalapeños Slice for heat control.
  • 0.25 cup cilantro Chopped.
  • 0.5 avocado Diced or sliced.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef and build flavor
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then drain the fat.
  2. Sauté the onion for 3 minutes, then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add the black beans, kidney beans, corn, Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, ranch dressing mix, and broth; stir to combine.
  2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the flavors meld and the broth is hot and steady.
Finish and serve
  1. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
  2. Serve topped with shredded cheddar, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, sliced jalapeños, cilantro, and avocado.

Notes

Pro tip: drain the beef fat so the broth stays cleaner and less greasy. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove. Freezing is yes—freeze soup (without toppings) up to 3 months, then thaw and reheat; add fresh toppings after reheating. For a lower-fat option, use 90% lean ground beef or swap half the meat for extra beans.