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Taco Soup

Taco soup with a rich orange-red broth, tender beans, and sweet corn simmered together, then finished with crunchy tortilla chips and melty shredded cheddar. This Tex-Mex main dish is built in one pot for an easy weeknight comfort bowl.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Base soup
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 15 oz black beans, drained
  • 15 oz kidney beans, drained
  • 15 oz corn, drained
  • 10 oz Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles
  • 14 oz diced tomatoes
  • 1 oz taco seasoning
  • 1 oz ranch dressing mix
  • 4 cup beef or chicken broth
Toppings
  • 0.5 cup shredded cheddar
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 0.75 cup tortilla chips Crushed just before serving.
  • 0.5 jalapeños, sliced
  • 0.25 cup cilantro
  • 0.5 avocado Sliced or cubed.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown and sauté
  1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef, breaking it up, until no longer pink, then drain the fat.
  2. Add the diced onion to the same pot and sauté for 3 minutes, then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Simmer the soup
  1. Stir in the black beans, kidney beans, corn, Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, ranch dressing mix, and beef or chicken broth until evenly combined.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld.
Finish and serve
  1. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to balance the broth.
  2. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with shredded cheddar, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, jalapeños, cilantro, and avocado.

Notes

Pro tip: crush the tortilla chips right before serving so they stay crisp. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; for best texture, keep chips separate. Freeze up to 3 months (leave off dairy toppings until reheating). For a lighter option, use 93% lean ground beef or swap to ground turkey.