Beef Taco Soup Recipe Easy: 8 Ingredients, One Pot, 30 Minutes on the Stove
Ground beef, two seasoning blends and five pantry cans simmer into a chunky, spoonable soup: about 40 minutes in all, chopping included.
- Feeds 4 to 12
- Freezes 3 months
- Homemade spice mixes
- Toppings bar
Here is a beef taco soup recipe easy enough for any weeknight: brown a pound of halal ground beef with an onion, stir in taco and ranch seasoning, then dump in beans, corn, tomatoes and broth and let one pot simmer. Eight ingredients, about 30 minutes on the stove, and a toppings bar does the rest.
Quick answer
Brown 1 lb halal ground beef with 1 diced onion and spoon off all but 1 tbsp fat. Stir in 1 packet each of taco seasoning and dry ranch seasoning, then add drained black and kidney beans, drained corn, 2 cans diced tomatoes (one with green chilies) and 2 cups beef broth. Boil, then simmer 15 minutes.
- Time40 minutes
- Serves6 bowls
- Top withcheddar, sour cream, chips
The bowl from the pin: beef, black and kidney beans and corn in a tomato broth, under cheddar, sour cream and two tortilla chips.
Why This 8-Ingredient Taco Soup Works on a Weeknight
Taco soup is everything in a taco, in a bowl: seasoned beef, beans, corn and tomatoes in a spiced broth, with the cheese, sour cream and chips piled on top. This version keeps it to eight ingredients and one pot.
Eight ingredients, five of them cans
Ground beef and an onion, two seasoning blends, then beans, corn, tomatoes and broth. Almost nothing to measure, and most of it is already in the pantry.
Taco and ranch seasoning together
The taco blend brings chili, cumin and a little heat; dry ranch adds garlic, dill and a buttermilk tang. Together they taste like far more than eight ingredients.
Chunky, not watery
Two cups of broth plus the tomato juices make it a soup without leaving the beans swimming. It holds a tortilla chip on top instead of drowning it.
Better the next day
It keeps 4 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer, and the flavor settles overnight. A 12-bowl pot on Sunday covers lunches all week.
Beef Taco Soup Recipe Easy: The Card for 4, 6, 9 or 12 Bowls
The card is set for 6 bowls of a generous 1½ cups. Tap 4, 9 or 12 and every amount, the pot size and the times change with it. Nine bowls use whole cans; four use two-thirds of each.
Easy 8-Ingredient Beef Taco Soup
Ground beef and onion, taco and ranch seasoning, black and kidney beans, corn, two cans of diced tomatoes and beef broth. Tap a size and every amount, pot and time changes with it.
How many bowls?
Ingredients
Brown- ⅔ lb (300 g)1 lb (450 g)1½ lb (680 g)2 lb (900 g) halal ground beef, 80/20 or 85/15
- 1 small (1 cup)1 medium (1½ cups)1 large (2¼ cups)2 medium (3 cups) yellow onion, diced
- 2 tbsp1 packet (1 oz, about 3 tbsp)1½ packets (4½ tbsp)2 packets (6 tbsp) taco seasoning, or the homemade mix
- 2 tbsp1 packet (1 oz, about 3 tbsp)1½ packets (4½ tbsp)2 packets (6 tbsp) dry ranch seasoning, or the homemade mix
- 1 cup (⅔ of a 15-oz can)1 can (15 oz)2 cans (15 oz each)2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup (⅔ of a 15-oz can)1 can (15 oz)1 can (15 oz)2 cans (15 oz each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup (⅔ of a 15-oz can)1 can (15 oz)1½ cans (2¼ cups)2 cans (15 oz each) whole-kernel corn, drained (or frozen)
- 1¼ cups (⅔ of a 14.5-oz can)1 can (14.5 oz)2 cans (14.5 oz each)2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes, with their juices
- ¾ cup (⅔ of a 10-oz can)1 can (10 oz)1 can (10 oz)2 cans (10 oz each) diced tomatoes with green chilies, with their juices
- 1⅓ cups2 cups3 cups4 cups low-sodium halal beef broth
- shredded cheddar, sour cream and tortilla chips, to serve
4 bowls: the leftover third of each can keeps 4 days in the fridge. 12 bowls: brown the beef in two batches so it browns instead of steaming. Milder pot: use two cans of plain diced tomatoes.
Instructions
Brown the beef and onion
Set a 3 to 4-quart pota 5 to 6-quart Dutch ovena 6 to 7-quart Dutch ovenan 8-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef and onion and cook 7 to 8 minutes, breaking the beef into bite-size pieces, until browned with no pink left.
Spoon off the fat
Tilt the pot and spoon off the fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon with the beef so the seasonings have something to bloom in.
Bloom the seasonings
Sprinkle in the taco and ranch seasoning and stir for 1 minute, until fragrant and coating the beef.
Dump in the cans and broth
Add the drained beans and corn, both cans of tomatoes with their juices, and the broth. Stir, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom.
Boil, then simmer 15 minutes
Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, about 4 minutesabout 5 minutesabout 7 minutesabout 9 minutes. Set the lid ajar, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes, stirring twice.
Taste, top and serve
Taste before adding any salt: the seasonings bring plenty. Ladle into bowls and top with cheddar, sour cream and tortilla chips.
Save the pin so the recipe, the homemade seasoning mixes and the toppings bar are one tap away.
The 8 Ingredients, and What Each One Does
Everything for the pot: browned beef and onion in a Dutch oven, drained beans and corn, diced tomatoes with green chilies, taco and ranch seasoning and a jug of beef broth.
Every one of the eight earns its place. Here is what each brings, how much goes in for 6 bowls, and the swaps that still work.
Halal ground beef, 1 lb
80/20 or 85/15 browns well and stays juicy; 90/10 turns dry and crumbly. Brown it hard enough to leave brown bits in the pot, then spoon off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat.
Yellow onion, 1 medium
Diced small and cooked with the beef so it softens and sweetens. White onion works, and 1½ cups of frozen diced onion is fine in a hurry.
Taco seasoning, 1 packet
A 1-oz packet, about 3 tablespoons of chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic and oregano. Any brand works and mild packets suit kids. The homemade mix is in the tabs below.
Dry ranch seasoning, 1 packet
The 1-oz packet of dry ranch dressing mix, not bottled dressing. It adds herbs, garlic and a creamy tang that rounds out the chili spice.
Black and kidney beans, 1 can each
15-oz cans, drained and rinsed so the broth stays clean-tasting and less salty. Pinto beans can stand in for either one.
Corn, 1 can
A 15-oz can of whole-kernel corn, drained, or 1½ cups of frozen corn straight from the bag. Fire-roasted frozen corn adds a smoky note.
Diced tomatoes, 2 cans
One 14.5-oz can of plain diced tomatoes and one 10-oz can of diced tomatoes with green chilies. Do not drain them: the juice is part of the broth.
Beef broth, 2 cups
Low-sodium halal beef broth, because the seasonings already bring plenty of salt. Chicken or vegetable broth works; plain water tastes flat.
Keeping it halal: use halal ground beef and halal-certified beef broth or bouillon. For the toppings, look for cheddar and queso fresco made with microbial or vegetable rennet, and check the sour cream label, since a few light versions use gelatin.
Homemade Taco and Ranch Seasoning
No packets in the cupboard, or want less salt? Each mix below replaces one 1-oz packet, so the 6-bowl pot takes one batch of each.
Homemade Taco Seasoning (1 packet)
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika, smoked for a deeper flavor
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, or none for kids
Makes about 3 tablespoons, the same as a 1-oz packet: all of it for 6 bowls, 2 tbsp for 4, a batch and a half for 9, a double batch for 12. Without the packet starch, the broth stays a little thinner.
Homemade Ranch Seasoning (1 packet)
- 1 tbsp buttermilk powder, optional, for the tang
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp dried chives
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Makes about 3 tablespoons, one packet’s worth. Without buttermilk powder, finish the pot with a squeeze of lime for the tang. Kept airtight, the mix stays fresh 3 months; with buttermilk powder, store it in the fridge.
Brown, Bloom, Dump, Simmer: Getting the Texture Right
The card has the steps. These four moments are where the flavor and the texture of the soup are decided.
Brown, don’t steam
Medium-high heat and a wide pot. Leave the beef alone for 2 minutes before breaking it up so it sears. Grey beef means a crowded pot; brown bits on the bottom mean flavor.
Keep one spoonful of fat
Spoon off the rest but leave about 1 tablespoon. The seasonings need a little fat to bloom in, and it carries their flavor into the broth.
Bloom the seasonings for 1 minute
Stir the taco and ranch seasoning into the hot beef before any liquid goes in. A minute wakes up the chili powder and cumin; much longer and they scorch.
Drain the beans and corn, not the tomatoes
Bean liquid is starchy and salty and corn water is mostly water. The tomato juices are flavor and part of the broth, so they go in whole.
Not watery, not stew: the 6-bowl pot holds about 9½ cups. Roughly a quarter of that is free broth (the 2 cups added plus the tomato juices, minus what simmers off), around beef, beans, corn and tomato.
That is chunky and spoonable, brothier than chili. For a soupier bowl add ½ to 1 cup more broth; for chili-thick, simmer 5 minutes uncovered.
The texture to aim for: a spoonful with browned beef, a kidney bean, corn and melted cheddar, thick enough to hold together.
Stovetop, Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker
The stovetop is fastest and gives the most control over thickness. The slow cooker suits a day out of the house, and the pressure cooker makes the same pot with less watching.
Stovetop (the card)
Brown, bloom, dump and simmer in one Dutch oven, exactly as written. Simmer uncovered at the end for a thicker pot.
Step-by-step photos and a from-scratch version: easy stovetop taco soup.
Slow Cooker
Brown the beef and onion in a skillet, spoon off the fat and bloom the seasonings. Scrape it into a 6-quart slow cooker with the cans and broth. Low 6 hours or high 3 hours.
Full timings and a 7-quart big batch: slow cooker taco soup.
Pressure Cooker
Brown and bloom on the sauté setting. Add the broth and scrape the bottom clean, then layer in the cans without stirring. High pressure 5 minutes, quick release.
The detailed walkthrough: pressure cooker taco soup.
Shortcut with leftover taco meat: warm 2 to 3 cups of cooked, seasoned taco meat with the ranch seasoning for a minute, skip the taco seasoning, add the cans and broth and simmer 15 minutes.
Prefer a different build? Try taco soup with a ranch packet for the packet-forward version, or the 7-can taco soup, made almost entirely from the pantry.
Build a Toppings Bar
Toppings bar night: the pot and ladle, blue bowls, and small dishes of cheddar, sour cream, tortilla strips, jalapeños, avocado, lime, cilantro, green onions and chips.
Half the fun of taco soup is building your own bowl. Set the pot on the table with small dishes around it, and picky eaters and spice lovers both get what they want. Amounts are per bowl.
Fresh chips make the biggest difference, and homemade chips from tortillas are easy to make while the soup simmers. Keep the hot sauce and jalapeños on the side so one pot suits kids and adults.
9 Easy Variations, With Amounts
Same pot, same method, nine directions. Every change below is for the 6-bowl batch on the card.
Ground Turkey Taco Soup
Brown 1 lb ground turkey (93/7) in 1 tbsp olive oil in place of the beef, and add an extra ½ tsp cumin, since turkey tastes milder. Everything else stays the same.
Chicken Taco Soup
Soften the onion in 1 tbsp oil, bloom the seasonings, then add the cans and 2 cups halal chicken broth. Stir in 2 cups shredded cooked chicken for the last 5 minutes. The full version: chicken taco soup.
Three-Bean Vegetarian Taco Soup
Skip the beef. Soften the onion with 1 diced bell pepper and 1 diced zucchini in 2 tbsp oil, bloom the seasonings, add 1 more can of pinto beans and use vegetable broth.
Chipotle Taco Soup
Add 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped, and 1 tbsp of the adobo sauce with the cans. Medium-hot and smoky; start with 1 pepper for a milder pot.
Cream Cheese Taco Soup
After simmering, turn the heat to low and stir in 8 oz cubed cream cheese until smooth, then 1 cup shredded cheddar off the heat. Rich, mild and queso-like.
Beef Chorizo Taco Soup
Brown ½ lb halal beef chorizo with ½ lb ground beef. Halve the taco seasoning to 1½ tbsp, because the chorizo is already spiced.
No-Bean Taco Soup
Leave out the beans and corn. Use 1½ lb beef and add 1 diced bell pepper, 1 diced zucchini and 1 cup riced cauliflower with the tomatoes. The homemade mixes skip the starch many packets contain.
Buffalo Ranch Taco Soup
Stir in ½ cup cayenne pepper hot sauce and 4 oz cubed cream cheese at the end. Top with crumbled blue cheese and sliced green onions.
Taco Soup Chip Pie Bowls
Put a handful of corn chips in each bowl, ladle the soup over and pile on cheddar, sour cream and jalapeños. Thicker soup works best, so simmer it 5 minutes uncovered first.
Watery, Salty or Bland? Taco Soup Fixes
Most taco soup problems come from the broth ratio, the seasoning packets or the heat. Find the symptom, then the fix.
| Problem | Why it happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| ProblemToo watery | Why it happensExtra broth, or the lid stayed on | FixSimmer 5 to 10 minutes uncovered, or stir in 1 tbsp masa harina or cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water and simmer 2 minutes |
| ProblemToo thick | Why it happensA long simmer, or it thickened overnight | FixStir in broth ¼ cup at a time and bring it back to a simmer |
| ProblemToo salty | Why it happensTwo seasoning packets plus salted cans | FixAdd ½ to 1 cup water or unsalted broth and another drained can of beans; a squeeze of lime helps. Next time use the homemade mixes |
| ProblemBland | Why it happensOld seasoning, or the bloom step was skipped | FixStir in 1 tsp chili powder and ½ tsp cumin, simmer 5 minutes, then add lime juice and a pinch of salt |
| ProblemToo spicy | Why it happensA hot packet or extra chilies | FixAdd a can of drained beans or corn, and serve with plenty of sour cream and cheese. Next time use two cans of plain tomatoes |
| ProblemGreasy | Why it happensFat not spooned off, or very fatty beef | FixSkim the surface with a wide spoon; lay a paper towel on the surface for a second to lift the rest |
| ProblemGrey, chewy beef | Why it happensA crowded pot or low heat | FixBrown in batches over medium-high and let it sear 2 minutes before stirring |
| ProblemMushy beans | Why it happensHours in a slow cooker, or hard stirring | FixStir gently; in a slow cooker, add the beans for the last hour |
What to Serve With Taco Soup
The soup is a full meal with its toppings, but one side turns it into a spread. These six never miss.
Cornbread
The classic partner. A wedge of skillet cornbread crumbled straight into the bowl soaks up the broth.
Cilantro-lime rice
Cooked rice tossed with chopped cilantro, lime juice and salt. Scoop it into the bowl and ladle the soup over.
Cheese quesadillas
Cheddar between two flour tortillas, crisped in a dry pan and cut into wedges for dipping.
Crisp chopped salad
Romaine, cucumber, tomato and avocado with a lime vinaigrette, for something cold and crunchy beside the hot soup.
Chips, salsa and guacamole
No cooking at all, and whatever is left becomes more toppings.
Something cold to drink
Agua fresca, horchata, or sparkling water with plenty of lime.
Make Ahead, Store and Freeze
Taco soup is a good make-ahead dinner: cook it a day early, cool it, refrigerate, and reheat gently. The beans soak up some broth overnight, so plan on a splash when it goes back on the heat.
| How | How long | |
|---|---|---|
| Fridge | HowAirtight container, chilled within 2 hours | How longUp to 4 days |
| Freezer | HowFreezer tubs or flat zip bags, 1 inch of headroom | How longUp to 3 months |
| Toppings | HowKept separate and added fresh | How longCheese and sour cream don’t freeze well |
| Thawing | HowOvernight in the fridge | How longReheat within 3 days |
| Reheat on the stove | HowMedium-low, a splash of broth, stirring | How long8 to 10 minutes, until steaming hot |
| Reheat in the microwave | HowCovered bowl, stirred halfway | How long2 to 3 minutes a bowl |
Freezing Taco Soup
Cool the soup completely, then portion it into freezer tubs or zip bags laid flat, with 1 inch of headroom. Label and freeze up to 3 months. Freeze it without toppings. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove until steaming hot all the way through.
Nutrition (approximate, per bowl)
One of 6 bowls (a generous 1½ cups) before toppings, with 80/20 beef browned and drained and seasoning packets. With 2 tbsp cheddar, 1 tbsp sour cream and 5 tortilla chips it is about 525 calories, 28 g protein, 51 g carbs and 23 g fat.
Estimated from standard ingredient values.
Beef Taco Soup Recipe Easy: Questions Answered
What do you need for an easy beef taco soup recipe?
Eight ingredients: 1 lb ground beef, 1 onion, 1 packet taco seasoning, 1 packet dry ranch seasoning, 1 can each of black and kidney beans, 1 can corn, 2 cans diced tomatoes (one with green chilies) and 2 cups beef broth. Cheddar, sour cream and tortilla chips go on top.
How long does it take to make beef taco soup?
About 40 minutes: 10 to dice the onion and open the cans, then 30 on the stove (8 to brown the beef, 1 to bloom the seasonings, about 20 to boil and simmer). A 12-bowl pot takes closer to 55 minutes.
Do you drain the beans and corn for taco soup?
Yes. Drain and rinse the beans and drain the corn, because their liquid is starchy and salty. Do not drain the diced tomatoes, though: their juice is part of the broth and keeps the soup from turning into chili.
Should you drain the grease from the ground beef?
Spoon off most of it but leave about 1 tablespoon in the pot. That little bit of fat blooms the seasonings and carries their flavor; the rest would just float on top. 85/15 beef leaves less to remove.
Why put ranch seasoning in taco soup?
Dry ranch adds garlic, onion, dill, parsley and a buttermilk tang that softens the chili heat and makes the broth taste richer. Use the dry packet, not bottled dressing. Without it the soup is still good, just closer to a thin chili.
How do you make taco soup without seasoning packets?
Use the homemade mixes on this page. Taco: 1 tbsp chili powder, 1½ tsp cumin, 1 tsp each paprika and kosher salt, ½ tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and pepper, ¼ tsp cayenne. Ranch: buttermilk powder, parsley, dill, chives, garlic and onion powder. Each replaces one packet.
How do you thicken taco soup?
Simmer it uncovered 5 to 10 minutes, or stir in 1 tbsp masa harina or cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water and simmer 2 minutes more. Mashing a few beans against the side of the pot also thickens it without changing the flavor.
Can you make beef taco soup in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the beef and onion in a skillet, spoon off the fat and bloom the seasonings, then scrape it all into a 6-quart slow cooker with the cans and broth. Cook on low 6 hours or high 3 hours. Browning first matters: raw ground beef turns grey and greasy in a slow cooker.
How do you make taco soup in a pressure cooker?
Brown the beef and onion on the sauté setting, spoon off the fat and bloom the seasonings. Add the broth and scrape the bottom clean, then the beans, corn and tomatoes without stirring. Cook on high pressure 5 minutes and quick release. It takes about 30 minutes in all.
Can you freeze taco soup?
Yes, for up to 3 months. Cool it completely, freeze it in portions without the toppings, and thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat on the stove with a splash of broth, since the beans absorb some liquid in the freezer.
How long does taco soup last in the fridge?
Up to 4 days in an airtight container, refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking. It thickens as it sits, so loosen it with a little broth when reheating and heat it until steaming all the way through.
How do you make taco soup less spicy for kids?
Use two cans of plain diced tomatoes instead of one with green chilies, pick a mild taco seasoning or leave the cayenne out of the homemade mix, and keep jalapeños and hot sauce on the toppings bar. Sour cream and cheese soften any heat.
Can I use ground turkey instead of beef in taco soup?
Yes. Use 1 lb ground turkey, ideally 93/7, browned in 1 tablespoon of olive oil since it has less fat. Add an extra ½ tsp cumin, because turkey tastes milder than beef. Everything else stays the same.
What goes well with beef taco soup?
Cornbread is the classic, along with cilantro-lime rice, cheese quesadillas, a crisp chopped salad, or chips with salsa and guacamole. Agua fresca or sparkling water with lime rounds out a taco-night dinner.
More Taco Night and Soup Recipes
A chicken version, crisp homemade chips, a creamy white chili, a crowd-size taco casserole and more cozy soups.
Chicken Taco Soup
The same spices with tender shredded chicken. See the recipe → ToppingHomemade Tortilla Chips
Crisp, salty chips for the toppings bar. Make the chips → Cozy BowlWhite Chicken Chili
A creamy white-bean cousin of taco soup. See the recipe → Taco NightWalking Taco Casserole for a Crowd
Plus more Mexican food for a taco-night table. See the ideas → Ground BeefFall Soups With Ground Beef
More hearty pots built on a pound of beef. See the soups → Soup NightHomemade Soups for Cozy Nights
Big, comforting bowls for cold evenings. See the soups →Brown. Bloom. Dump. Simmer.
Save this beef taco soup recipe easy enough for any weeknight, with the seasoning mixes and the toppings bar, for the next cold night.