Taco Soup
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Taco soup: All the bold, zesty flavors of your favorite tacos—packed into a satisfying one-pot meal that’s ready in under an hour.
Taco soup is like a quicker, soupier version of chili, ready in just 45 minutes. Made with homemade taco seasoning, Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, your choice of ground meat—turkey, beef, chicken, or pork all work nicely—plus beans and corn, it’s the perfect way to enjoy your favorite taco flavors in a hearty soup.
What sets this taco soup recipe apart from the hundreds of others online is blending some of the beans and tomatoes into a smooth base, which thickens the broth just enough. Satisfying, healthy, and packed with Tex-Mex flavor, it’s perfect for loading up with all your favorite taco toppings—avocado, cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, or whatever else you’re craving.
Video Tutorial
What You’ll Need To Make Taco Soup
- Spices: Chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika and dried oregano make a smoky Tex-Mex seasoning blend.
- Rotel Tomatoes with Green Chilies: Adds tomato flavor and a touch of heat, giving the soup its signature Tex-Mex kick.
- Black Beans: Provide heartiness, protein, and creaminess when partially blended.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Used to cook the veggies.
- Yellow Onion and Garlic: The sweet and aromatic base for the soup.
- Ground Meat: Adds richness, texture, and protein.
- Tomato Paste: Deepens the tomato flavor.
- Chicken Broth: The savory base for the soup.
- Frozen Corn: Adds a pop of sweetness, texture, and color.
- Cilantro and Lime Juice: Brightens and balances the dish with fresh, zesty notes.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Mix chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and salt in a bowl.
Blend 2 cans of Rotel and ¾ cup beans until smooth; set aside. This mixture will thicken the broth.
In a large pot, sauté onion in oil until soft, then add garlic and cook briefly.
Add ground meat and seasoning, cooking until browned. Stir in tomato paste.
Add the tomato/bean mixture, remaining tomatoes, beans, and broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
Add corn, cilantro, and lime juice; simmer briefly. Adjust seasoning and serve with toppings. The soup can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
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Taco Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons chili powder (see note)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 3 (10-oz) cans Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilis (original or mild, depending on your heat preference)
- 2 (15-oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1⅓ pounds ground turkey, chicken, beef, or pork (see note)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup frozen corn
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine 2 cans of the Rotel tomatoes and ¾ cup of the beans in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Do not brown.
- Add the ground meat and seasoning mix, breaking it up with a spoon, and brown until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir until combined.
- Add the blended tomato and bean mixture, the remaining can of tomatoes, the remaining beans, and the chicken broth to the pot. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in the frozen corn; simmer, uncovered, until the corn has heated through, about 5 minutes. Add the cilantro and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve with toppings of choice.
Notes
Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: Once cooled, transfer the soup into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When you're ready to enjoy it, thaw the soup overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. You may need to add a bit of broth or water as it reheats to reach the desired consistency. Make sure to add toppings like cheese, sour cream, or tortilla chips just before serving for the freshest taste.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I love your website as I have always found your recipes to be reliable and delicious. But the taco soup has to be one of my favorites – so easy, so quick and so yum! And it’s clever because you can adjust the heat by your choice of the variety of Rotel tomatoes and green chilies. Quick Q: how do you know how much garlic to add to a recipe when the number of cloves is listed because garlic cloves vary so much in size? Thank you.
So glad you like the soup! Since garlic cloves vary in size, a good rule of thumb is about 1 teaspoon minced garlic per medium clove, and you can adjust to taste from there.
Can I make this soup vegetarian. What fresh vegetables can I add and not the vegetarian fake meat.
Hi Donna, unfortunately, I don’t think this will translate well to being vegetarian. I think you’ll have better luck with looking for a vegetarian version of the soup. Sorry!
I made this last night with ground chicken and Penzey’s Medium Hot Chili Powder. Delicious! Thumbs up from the fam!
Sounds delicious and delightful. Thank you very much!!!!