Name: Quick and Easy Taco Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds ground beef; 1 can whole kernel corn (15.25 ounces, drained); 1 can mild chili beans (16 ounces, undrained); 1 can pinto beans (15 ounces, rinsed and drained); 1 1/2 cups water; 1 envelope taco seasoning mix; 1 can stewed tomatoes (14.5 ounces); 1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix; 1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles (10 ounces); 1 can chopped green chiles (4 ounces, optional)

This Quick and Easy Taco Soup contains all the bold flavors of a classic taco wrapped up in a warm, comforting soup. Laden with seasoned ground beef, beans, corn and tomatoes, this one-pot dish is a perfect weeknight stopgap and requires little prep time. Garnish as you’d like, then serve with crispy tortilla chips; it’s a crowd-pleaser.

Why You’re Going To Love This Taco Soup:

Easy and Fast: A couple minutes of prep, a one-pot meal — this taco soup is as easy as it gets. Viability, for when time is no joke, for busy weeknights.

Tons of Flavor: Between the taco seasoning and ranch mix and green chiles, this soup packs some amazing Southwest-inspired flavor and is just so satisfying.

Good for Leftovers: Taco soup is one of those things that’s better as it sits, so a great option for meal prep or lunches through the week.

Versatile: You can add ingredients, toppings or swaps for dietary requirements.

Key Ingredients:

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Ground Beef: You want a lean ground beef (like 85% lean) to keep the soup hearty but not too greasy. If you want to lighten this up, you could use ground turkey or even make it vegetarian by omitting the meat.

Taco Seasoning: I love the convenience of pre-packaged taco seasoning, but homemade taco seasoning, if you have the time, adds a beautiful depth of flavor. Use a quick DIY mix (chili powder + cumin + garlic powder + onion powder + paprika).

Ranch Dressing Mix: This mix adds a slight creaminess and herbaceousness to the soup, which is an upgrade. It’s an unusual ingredient that gives the soup a surprise twist. If you don’t have it in your larder, a mix of dried parsley, dill, onion powder and garlic powder will do in a pinch.

Beans: This recipe uses chili and pinto beans, which add up to a nice hearty texture and offer tons of protein. Feel free to use black beans or kidney beans instead if you prefer. Be sure to drain and rinse the pinto beans so that the broth is not too starchy.

Diced tomatoes with green chiles: This adds a mild heat and tangy flavor. If you are sensitive to spice, use regular diced tomatoes instead.

Chopped Green Chiles: Not totally necessary here, but recommended for an extra kick! If you’d like your soup a little spicier, you could replace these with diced jalapeños.

Full ingredient amounts and instructions are in the recipe card below

Directions

Prepare Your Equipment

Prepare Ingredients and Equipment: Lay out all your ingredients and equipment. Use a wide Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed pot to fit the chili.

Cook the Ground Beef

Heat It Up: Set the Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat.

Add and Brown Beef: Add 2 pounds ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks. When pink bits are no longer visible — 7 to 10 minutes.

Drain the Beef

Drain Off Excess Fat: Carefully remove excess fat so that the chili doesn’t get greasy. Tilt the pot and spoon or use a colander to remove fat.

Season the Beef

Season with Taco: Dust over beef an envelope of taco seasoning, stirring to coat evenly and season the meat.

Add the Ingredients

Ingredients in pot: Stir in the following:

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

1 can no-drain mild chili beans

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1½ cups of water

1 can of stewed tomatoes

1 packet ranch salad dressing mix

1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles (different seasonings, optional)

Combine: Stir everything together, set a nice base with beans and tomatoes while ranch dressing mix makes flavor sink.

Bring to a Boil

Increase Heat: Increase heat to medium-high, bringing mixture to a simmer to facilitate melding of flavors.

Simmer the Chili

Reduce and Simmer: Lower heat to a simmer and cook uncovered until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes, stirring from time to time so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. This will make the chili thicker, and the flavor deeper.

Serve and Enjoy

Ladle Into Bowls: After simmering, serve hot.

Optional Toppings: Crunchy tortilla chips on the side, shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onion; all delicious options!

Serving Suggestions:

It is nice and adaptable as you can pair this with so many toppings and sides. Here are a few ideas for making your meal even better:

Very top: Add shredded cheese, a spoonful of sour cream, chopped green onions, cubed avocado or fresh cilantro to each bowl; the combinations for flavor and texture are endless.

Tortilla Chips or Cornbread: Tortilla chips to serve with; cornbread, too, can be wonderful alongside a creamy, hearty recipe like this.

Lime Wedges: Squeezing fresh lime juice over the top brightens everything, cutting the richness and delivering a zippy finish.

Side Salad: A salad of leafy greens with a zesty vinaigrette to cut through the soup’s pungency and richness.

Storage and Meal Prep Tips:

This taco soup is great for leftovers and meal prep making it a great option for busy weeks.

Storage: Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavors deepen over time, so it tastes even better the next day!

Freezing: Taco soup freezes beautifully. Allow the soup to cool completely, then pour into freezer-safe containers or bags. In the freezer it will last for 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight; reheat.

Reheat: To reheat, just heat up the soup in a pot on the stove over medium heat, stirring from time to time. You could also microwave individual portions, using a stir halfway through to heat evenly.

Meal Prep: Divide the soup into individual containers for easy grab-and-go lunches. Pack a small container of toppings (such as shredded cheese or diced avocado) to sprinkle on just before eating.

Recipe Variations:

Vegetarian Taco Soup: Leave out the ground beef and include an extra can of beans (black beans complement the soup nicely) and a few diced bell peppers for texture and taste.

Spicy Taco Soup: If you like it a little extra spicy, add a diced jalapeño or a sprinkle of cayenne pepper to the soup when cooking.And add spicy salsa or hot sauce to take it up a notch.

Chicken Taco Soup: Use shredded rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken breast in place of the ground beef. Try adding the chicken after simmering to prevent it from overcooking.

Creamy Taco Soup: For a richer, creamier take, stir in 4 ounces of cream cheese or a generous splash of heavy cream right before serving. This version is especially nice with shredded cheese and avocado.

Taco Soup With Rice: For an even heartier variation, stir in cooked rice just before the last 5 minutes of cooking. Feel free to use white or brown rice, or you can make this dish even more healthy by subbing quinoa for protein.

Conclusion:

This taco soup, easy taco soup, quick taco soup, is a staple in the weeknight arsenal, because not only is it delicious, but it is also incredibly easy to make. Made in one pot with minimal prep, it’s a great candidate for cozy family dinners and meal prep or crowd-feeding. The beans, tomatoes, well-seasoned beef and sharp spices add up to a hearty, filling dish that is the right application of a colder day or, really, whenever you want a hot bowl of soup.

Give this taco soup a try — you won’t be sorry!