This easy taco soup recipe is full of hearty Mexican flavor! It’s a one-pot meal done in 30 minutes. This is one of the most cooked dinners in our home.

Bowl of taco soup with toppings.

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The Best Taco Soup Recipe

This simple taco soup has all the flavors of crowd-pleasing ground beef taco recipe, taco bake or taco salad but in a warm bowl of soup perfect for fall and winter! It’s easy to customize and can be made in your slow cooker or even make Instant Pot taco soup.

Why I Love This Recipe

  • Easy. Only one pan and this easy taco soup recipe preps is ready in 30 minutes.
  • Customizable. Make on the stove top, Instant Pot or crockpot!

Taco Soup Ingredients

Taco soup ingredients on a marble countertop.

Find the full printable recipe with measurements below.

  • Lean ground beef: Ground hamburger or turkey will both work.
  • Veggies: Chopped onions, bell peppers and corn.
  • Beans: Black beans, kidney beans and pinto or white beans.
  • Tomatoes: Tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Rotel (or an extra can of tomatoes and add diced green chilies) and salsa.
  • Spices: I used homemade taco seasoning, a packet of taco seasoning works, too! Add in some extra chili powder, ground cumin and garlic powder.

How to Make Taco Soup

Brown hamburger in a large soup pot over medium-heat. Add in the onions, bell peppers and saute for a few minutes. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, salsa, corn and seasonings

Sauteing onions, bell peppers and ground beef.
Adding beans, corn, seasonings and tomatoes to a pot of taco soup.

Continue to simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste.

A pot of taco soup.

Top with cilantro, sour cream and cheese. Serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Ladle full of taco soup.

Tips and Variations

  • Easy shortcut. Make this simple taco soup recipe even easier by using frozen cooked taco meat from the freezer.
  • Chicken taco soup: Use leftover rotisserie chicken or my crockpot shredded chicken instead of ground beef.
  • Adjust heat. For more spice, add chopped jalapenos with the peppers. For less heat, substitute canned tomatoes for Rotel.
  • Consistency. Adjust soup thickness for your liking. For a thinner soup, add in 1/2-1 cup beef broth or chicken broth.
  • Toppings. Garnish with favorites like cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, cilantro, tortilla strips or cornbread croutons and avocado or guacamole.

Storage

  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • This soup also makes a great freezer meal. Cool completely, then place in a zip top bag or freezer container (leaving room for it to expand) and add a freezer label. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw then reheat by simmering in a pot over low heat.
Favorite taco soup recipe in a bowl.

More winter soup recipes include this stuffed pepper soup recipe, green enchilada chicken soup or crock pot chicken tortilla soup.

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Bowl of taco soup with toppings.

Taco Soup Recipe

5 from 164 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8
This easy taco soup recipe is full of hearty Mexican flavor! It's a one-pot meal done in 30 minutes. This is one of the most cooked dinners in our home.
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Ingredients 

  • 1 pound ground beef , or ground turkey
  • 1 medium sweet onion , finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper , chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper , chopped (optional)
  • 1-2 Tablespoons taco seasoning , to taste
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans , drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans , drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pinto or white beans , drained and rinsed (optional)
  • 1 (15-ounce) can corn
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (10-ounce) can Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1/4-1/2 cup fresh salsa
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • Salt , to taste
  • Pepper , to taste

Optional toppings: Sour cream, Shredded cheese, Avocado, Lime, Tortilla strips

Instructions

  • Brown beef with veggies. In a large pot, add 1 pound ground beef and cook over medium-heat for a few minutes. Add 1 onions and green and red bell peppers and sauté 3 minutes, or until softened. Drain any grease, then stir in 1-2 Tablespoons taco seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Add in beans and tomatoes. Add in 1 can black beans, 1 can kidney beans, 1 can pinto beans, if using, corn, 1 can tomato sauce, 1 can Rotel, 1 can diced tomatoes, and 1/2 cup salsa until combined.
  • Simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 to 40 minutes, or longer if time allows. Add 1/2 to 1 cup warm water if starts to thicken. Stir in cilantro. Salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Ladle into bowls and top with desired toppings. We love to serve with tortilla chips.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Topping: If you have a little bit of time, I recommend topping the soup with homemade tortilla strips. Or dip it with tortilla chips or fritos. 
Crockpot version: Brown beef, onions, and bell peppers in a skillet first. Add all ingredients to the crockpot and cook on low 6 to 7 hours, or on high 3 to 4 hours.
Storage: Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze: Let soup cool completely. Place in a zip-top bag or freezer container (leaving room for it to expand). Store in freezer up to 6 months. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight or microwave. Simmer in a pot over low-heat until warm. 

Nutrition

Serving: 350grams, Calories: 415kcal, Carbohydrates: 62g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 455mg, Potassium: 1387mg, Fiber: 17g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 1100IU, Vitamin C: 49mg, Calcium: 110mg, Iron: 7mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.