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Beef Taco Soup

Beef taco soup with a deeply flavored, tomato-and-beef broth base, simmered until rich and hearty. Ground beef is browned, aromatics are sautéed, and classic Tex-Mex spices create a thick, comforting bowl topped with cheddar, sour cream, and crunchy tortilla chips.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main soup base
  • 1.5 lb ground beef 80/20
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, 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
  • 0.5 cup cheddar shredded
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 2 tortilla chips
  • 0.25 jalapeños sliced
  • 0.25 cilantro chopped

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown and build flavor
  1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef until cooked through, then drain the fat.
  2. Add the onion and green bell pepper to the same pot and sauté for 4 minutes, until softened; then add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
  3. Stir in the taco seasoning, cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
Simmer and finish
  1. Add the kidney beans, black beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and beef broth, then bring to a boil.
  2. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the broth is deeply flavored, then season with salt and pepper.
Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with cheddar, sour cream, tortilla chips, jalapeños, and cilantro.

Notes

Pro tip: simmer uncovered just until the flavors meld—if it thickens too much, loosen with a splash of beef broth. Store in the refrigerator up to 4 days in a sealed container; freeze up to 3 months (best without toppings). For a lighter option, use 90/10 ground beef and reduce cheddar and sour cream.