This Taco Soup recipe is easy to make with ground beef and your favorite taco ingredients. It can be made on the stove top or in the Crock Pot and also makes the best freezer meal for easy lunches and dinners.

Be sure to try my Chicken Enchiladas and Steak Fajitas next!

A soup pot filled with Taco Soup with a ladle in it and avocados and cheese on top.

Taco Soup

I think that every recipe should have a Taco version of it. (As is evident by my Taco Casserole, Taco Salad, Taco Lasagna,  Taco Pasta, and Taco Stuffed Peppers.)

I will warn you though, it’s really hard to stop eating this soup. It starts with one little bite, and before you know it, your bowl is completely empty. You’ve been warned.

Feel free to add in some frozen or canned corn, use diced peppers instead of jalapeno, different kinds of beans, etc. Make it your own! (And be sure to check out all of my soup recipes!)

How to Make It

See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions. See notes section of recipe card for Crock Pot instructions

Cook and crumble the ground beef and onions in a large soup pot until cooked through. Add the jalapeno and garlic, and cook until softened. Add the butter, taco seasoning, hot sauce, oregano, mustard powder, and cayenne. 

Add the diced tomatoes and  use liquid to “clean” the bottom and sides of the pot. This will give the soup more flavor. Add the enchilada sauce and black beans.

A soup pot filled with seasoned taco meat with black beans and tomatoes being added.

Add the beef and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.

Making taco soup with beef, tomatoes, black beans, enchilada sauce, and broth.

Reduce heat to low. Add the sour cream and cream cheese to a small bowl and mix warm broth into it until combined, then add it to the soup. Remove from heat.

Slowly sprinkle in the cheese, stirring continuously. Serve!

Adding cheese to taco stoup and stirring to combine.

Pro Tips

  • An 8 oz. can of tomato sauce may be used as an alternative to enchilada sauce but I prefer the depth of flavor that enchilada sauce adds. My homemade enchilada sauce makes 14 oz. and tastes great in this soup, feel free to add the whole batch.
  • Don’t use reduced fat sour cream as the lower fat content is likely to cause it to curdle when added to the warm soup.
  • Make sure the base of the soup isn’t too hot when the cheese is added, or the dairy can separate and create a grainy consistency.
  • Corn (canned or frozen) makes a nice addition to this soup as well and can be added when the black beans are added.
  • Consider using reduced sodium broth, taco seasoning, and unsalted butter if preferred!
  • Using Chicken: Be sure to try my Chicken Taco Soup recipe as a variation to beef!

Storage

  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. This soup freezes well.

A white bowl filled with taco soup garnished with diced avocado and shredded cheese.

Tools For This Recipe

(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.

  • Box Cheese Grater- Shred the cheese from a block for best results, it will melt and taste much better than packaged shredded cheese.
  • 4.5 Quart Dutch Oven & Soup Ladle 
  • Better Than Bouillon– This is what I always use for broth in my recipes. It takes very little space and makes it easy to measure out customized amounts of broth.
  • Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer.
  • Pinch Bowls– For measuring seasonings, etc. ahead of time.
  • 16 oz. storage containers – I use these to store/freeze my soups. They have 8 oz. sizes as well. They’re stackable, leak proof, and dishwasher/microwave safe.

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A white bowl filled with taco soup garnished with avocado and shredded cheese.

Taco Soup Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
5 from 62 ratings
Servings: 12 cups
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This Taco Soup recipe is easy to make with ground beef and your favorite taco ingredients. It can be made on the stove top or in the Crock Pot and also makes the best freezer meal for easy lunches and dinners!

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
  • ½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon cream cheese, softened
  • 1 ½ lbs. ground beef
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced. Can sub bell peppers.
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 oz. packet Taco Seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more if desired
  • 10 oz. red enchilada sauce
  • 10 oz. diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
  • 15.5 oz. black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 cups chicken broth

Equipment

Instructions

  • Shred the cheese and set it aside along with the sour cream and cream cheese. They should not be cold when added to the soup.
  • Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat and cook and crumble the ground beef for 5 minutes. Add the diced onions and cook for 3 more minutes, or until the ground beef is cooked through. Drain grease.
  • Add the jalapenos and soften for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
  • Add the butter and let it melt. Stir in the taco seasoning, hot sauce, oregano, mustard powder, and cayenne.
  • Add the undrained tomatoes and use the liquid to "clean" the bottom and sides of the pot with a silicone spatula. This will give the soup more flavor.
  • Add the enchilada sauce and drained/rinsed black beans. Stir to combine. Add the beef and chicken broth.
  • Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
  • Reduce heat to low. Place the sour cream and cream cheese in a small bowl and spoon in about 1/4 cup of broth. Stir until well-combined, then add it to the soup and stir to combine.
  • Remove from heat. Sprinkle in the cheese and stir to combine. Serve!

Notes

Pro Tips
  • An 8 oz. can of tomato sauce may be used as an alternative to enchilada sauce but I prefer the depth of flavor that enchilada sauce adds. My homemade enchilada sauce makes 14 oz. and tastes great in this soup, feel free to add the whole batch.
  • Don’t use reduced fat sour cream as the lower fat content is likely to cause it to curdle when added to the warm soup.
  • Make sure the base of the soup isn't too hot when the cheese is added, or the dairy can separate and create a grainy consistency.
  • Corn (canned or frozen) makes a nice addition to this soup as well and can be added when the black beans are added.
  • Consider using reduced sodium broth, taco seasoning, and unsalted butter if preferred!

Crock Pot Method

  • Follow steps 2-5 as outlined in the recipe card above.
  • Transfer it to the slow cooker and add the enchilada sauce, black beans, chicken broth, and beef broth.
  • Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4.
  • Switch heat to warm.
  • Place the sour cream and cream cheese in a small bowl and spoon in about 1/4 cup of broth. Stir until well-combined, then add it to the soup and stir to combine.
  • Turn heat off and sprinkle in the cheese, stirring as you do so. Serve!
  • Nutritional information per cup, there are approximately 12 cups in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 251kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 61mg, Sodium: 851mg, Potassium: 450mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 707IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 146mg, Iron: 3mg
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Course: Soup
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Author: Stephanie