Description
This hearty Taco Soup recipe combines seasoned ground beef, beans, and bold spices in one comforting bowl. Ready in 45 minutes with endless topping possibilities!
Ingredients
The Flavor Base:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1¼ pounds lean ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1½ cups)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (optional — can swap for ⅓ cup bell pepper for milder flavor)
The Liquid Gold:
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 (14 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14 oz) can low-sodium beef broth (or chicken broth)
The Spice Magic:
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1½ tablespoons dry ranch dressing mix or ⅓ cup chopped cilantro with 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
The Hearty Goodness:
- 1½ cups frozen corn
- 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
Instructions
Heat oil in your biggest pot. Chuck in beef and onion, break it up with spoon. Takes maybe 8 minutes. Kitchen smells amazing when done.
Toss in garlic and jalapeño. Stir one minute. Don’t burn garlic or you’ll hate yourself.
Nobody likes greasy soup. Drain it off.
Everything else goes in now – tomatoes, sauce, broth, all spices, ranch packet. Salt and pepper good. Cover, bubble 30 minutes. Stir sometimes.
Corn and beans go in last. Heat through maybe 5 minutes.
Taste it. Need more salt? Add it. Too thick? Splash water. Using cilantro instead of ranch? Now’s the time.
Ladle up hot. Set out toppings, watch people go nuts.
Notes
Don’t rush browning the meat. Those brown bits stuck to bottom of pot? That’s flavor gold.
Want it richer? Use half beer instead of half the broth. Sounds nuts but my brother does this and it’s amazing.
Frozen corn straight from freezer. Don’t thaw first or it gets mushy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican-American