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Beef Taco Soup

Beef taco soup with a rich Tex-Mex broth made by simmering browned ground beef with beans, corn, and tomatoes. Finished with optional toppings like shredded cheddar, sour cream, tortilla chips, jalapeños, and cilantro for a hearty, spoonable bowl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 395
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup base
  • 1.5 lb ground beef (80/20)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
  • 4 cup beef broth
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
Toppings
  • 0.33 cup cheddar
  • 0.33 cup sour cream
  • 1 tortilla chips
  • 0.25 jalapeños
  • 0.25 cup cilantro

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown and build flavor
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat; drain any excess fat until the crumbles look browned throughout.
  2. Sauté the onion and bell pepper in the same pot for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and glossy.
  3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant (do not brown).
  4. Stir in the taco seasoning, cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika for 1 minute to toast the spices and deepen the aroma.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add all canned ingredients and the beef broth, then bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
  2. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, until the broth tastes deeply seasoned; season with salt and pepper to finish.
Serve
  1. Serve the taco soup hot, topped with cheddar, sour cream, tortilla chips, jalapeños, and cilantro.

Notes

For the best flavor, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot when sautéing onions and when toasting the spices. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove or microwave until hot. Freezing is yes—freeze soup (without toppings) for up to 3 months, then thaw and reheat; add fresh toppings after reheating. For a lighter option, use 90/10 ground beef to cut fat while keeping the same Tex-Mex seasonings.