The BEST Stovetop Taco Soup (2024)

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Next time your family wants taco night, make this easy taco soup recipe. It has all of the zesty flavors of freshly made ground beef tacos but comes in the form of a hearty soup. It’s one of those easy stovetop soup recipes that the whole family will love.

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Table of Contents

  • Why I love this recipe
  • Ingredients needed to make taco soup
  • How to make taco soup
    • Step 1: Cook ground beef
    • Step 2: Deglaze pan
    • Step 3: Add the remaining ingredients
  • Favorite toppings
  • Modifications and substitutions
  • Storage and reheating
  • Best taco recipes
  • Taco Soup (Easy Stovetop Recipe) Recipe
  • Storage and reheating

Why I love this recipe

  • Uses mostly pantry staples
  • Perfect for busy weeknights
  • Satisfies any taco craving

Ingredients needed to make taco soup

The exact quantities are listed in the recipe card below, but here are the main ingredients for your shopping list.

  • ground beef
  • homemade taco seasoning (or store bought)
  • chicken broth
  • black beans
  • pinto beans
  • canned diced and fire-roasted tomatoes (i.e. Rotel tomatoes)
  • tomato sauce
  • corn
  • roasted green chile
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How to make taco soup

Step 1: Cook ground beef

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef with the onion. Continue to stir to break up the meat and promote even cooking. When most of the liquid has burned off and the meat starts to brown and stick to the bottom, add the taco seasoning. Stir well to combine and cook for a few more minutes.

Step 2: Deglaze pan

Add the chicken broth to the pot and use a flat-bottomed spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen anything that may have stuck.

Step 3: Add the remaining ingredients

Add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Stir well to combine. Soup is ready to eat when everything is heated through. For even better results, bring the soup to a very gentle simmer, cover it, then reduce the heat to the lowest amount where it can still maintain a gentle simmer, and continue cooking longer to allow the flavors to develop.

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Favorite toppings

This soup is fantastic on its own, but I think we can all agree that the toppings are what take it above and beyond.

Your favorite taco toppings are what you’ll want to use to top this soup. Some suggestions include a dollop of sour cream, sliced green onion, shredded cheddar cheese, crushed tortilla strips or corn chips, avocado, sliced radishes, diced red onion, green chiles, pico de gallo, and/or fresh cilantro. A few lime wedges on the side are great too!

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Modifications and substitutions

  • Ground turkey can be used in place of ground beef. Diced chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken work as well, but at that point, the recipe is basically chicken tortilla soup.
  • Beef broth or vegetable broth can be used in place of chicken broth.
  • Kidney beans can be used in place of either black or pinto beans.
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Storage and reheating

Leftover taco soup can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It’s best if used within 3-5 days.

This soup also freezes extremely well. Simply place cooled leftover soup in a freezer-safe container. Freezer bags or plastic quart-sized individual containers both work great. It should last a good six months in the freezer.

To reheat, place thawed soup in a sauce pan over medium-low heat until heated through. Alternatively, you can place it in a covered bowl in the microwave and heat in one-minute increments.

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Best taco recipes

If you love the flavor of ground beef tacos, you’ll love these recipes.

  • Warm Taco Seven Layer Dip
  • Taco Meat Recipe
  • Taco Chili
  • Easy Taco Casserole (Taco Bake)

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Taco Soup (Easy Stovetop Recipe)

Prep5 minutes mins

Cook40 minutes mins

Total45 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Author Krissy Allori

The BEST Stovetop Taco Soup (12)

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Next time your family wants taco night, make this easy taco soup recipe. It has all of the zesty flavors of freshly made ground beef tacos but comes in the form of a hearty soup.

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 2 Tablespoons taco seasoning more if desired
  • 6 cups chicken broth can increase it to 8 cups if you like extra broth
  • 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 15 ounce can pinto beans drained and rinsed
  • 14 1/2 ounce can diced and fire roasted tomatoes
  • 15 ounce can tomato sauce
  • 2 cups frozen corn roasted corn recommended
  • 1/2 cup roasted green chile more if you like it spicy
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt add more after tasting, if desired
  • top with sour cream, sliced green onions, crushed tortilla chips, grated cheese, avocado, sliced radishes, and/or cilantro

Instructions

  • Cook ground beef: In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef with the onion. Continue to stir to break up the meat and promote even cooking. When most of the liquid has burned off and the meat starts to brown and stick to the bottom, add the taco seasoning. Stir well to combine and cook for a few more minutes.

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  • Deglaze pan: Add the chicken broth to the pot and use a flat-bottomed spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen anything that may have stuck.

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  • Add remaining ingredients: Add the remaining ingredients (except for the topping recommendations) to the pot. Stir well to combine. Soup is ready to eat when everything is heated through. For even better results, bring the soup to a very gentle simmer, cover it, then reduce the heat to the lowest amount where it can still maintain a gentle simmer, and continue cooking longer to allow the flavors to develop.

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  • Serve: To serve, ladle portions into bowls and top with sour cream, sliced green onions, crushed tortilla chips, avocado, sliced radishes, and/or cilantro.

Notes

Storage and reheating

Leftover taco soup can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It’s best if used within 3-5 days.

This soup also freezes extremely well. Simply place cooled leftover soup in a freezer-safe container. Freezer bags or plastic quart-sized individual containers both work great. It should last a good six months in the freezer.

To reheat, place thawed soup in a sauce pan over medium-low heat until heated through. Alternatively, you can place it in a covered bowl in the microwave and heat in one-minute increments.

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 44mg, Sodium: 1739mg, Potassium: 898mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 357IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 90mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave me acomment below

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The BEST Stovetop Taco Soup (2024)

FAQs

How do I thicken up my taco soup? ›

If you're looking to upgrade your taco soup into a rich, creamy meal, you could turn to tried-and-true thickeners like cream cheese, heavy cream, flour, or corn starch.

What is the key to flavorful soup? ›

Making a delicious soup depends on building flavors as you go along. Aromatics, which include garlic, onion, leeks, carrots and celery, are the basic flavor-building blocks of most soup recipes. Sautéing these vegetables in oil or butter is the first step to boosting your soup's flavor.

How to thicken taco soup without cornstarch? ›

Beans are not only a great addition to taco soup for their taste but also for their thickening properties. Mash a portion of the beans with a fork or potato masher and then add them back to the soup. The mashed beans will act as a natural thickening agent, making your taco soup heartier and more substantial.

What is taco soup made of? ›

Ingredients
  • 2 pounds ground beef.
  • 1 envelope taco seasoning.
  • 1-1/2 cups water.
  • 1 can (16 ounces) mild chili beans, undrained.
  • 1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained.
  • 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained.
  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes.
  • 1 can (10 ounces) diced tomato with green chiles.
Dec 13, 2023

What ingredient makes soup thicker? ›

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute.

How can I make my soup thicker and creamy? ›

6 ways to thicken soup:
  1. Blend all or part of it. If you've made a broth with chunks of vegetable in it, such as minestrone soup, then pour the soup through a sieve. ...
  2. Add cream or yogurt. ...
  3. Add flour or cornflour. ...
  4. Use a butter and flour paste. ...
  5. Blend in bread. ...
  6. Add lentils or rice. ...
  7. 5 of the best soup recipes to try next:

What not to do when making soup? ›

The 7 Biggest Mistakes You Make Cooking Soup
  1. Boiling instead of simmering. You want a small bubble or two to rise to the surface of the liquid every few seconds. ...
  2. Not using enough salt. ...
  3. Ignoring water. ...
  4. Overcooking the vegetables. ...
  5. Adding tomatoes at the beginning. ...
  6. Neglecting to garnish. ...
  7. Not trying a pressure cooker.
Nov 19, 2014

How to make soup taste more rich? ›

Savoriness can come from other ingredients besides salt. (Especially if you need to watch your sodium intake.) Adding umami-rich ingredients like tomato paste or a parmesan rind to the soup will add a deep, rich savoriness and body to the soup. (Here's what umami means.)

What should be added to enrich the flavor of the soup? ›

Herbs and sources add flavor, aroma, and intensity to the soup broth. You can pick fresh or dried herbs like basil for tomato-based soups or fresh parsley for clear broths. You may also add more spices like turmeric, ground ginger, ground paprika, or nutmeg for a touch of spice and color to your soup broth.

How to make soup richer? ›

Simple method with things I'd almost guarantee you have in your kitchen - take two tablespoons of butter and two tablespoons of flour; mix it into a “paste” like consistency, then mix it into your soup until it dissolves. Your soup will be thicker and creamier.

Can you add milk to soup to make it creamy? ›

Milk or Half-and-Half: This is the other magical ingredient that turns your homemade chicken noodle soup into the creamiest soup ever. Use 1 cup of whole milk or 1 cup of half-and-half. If you want to make regular (non-creamy) chicken noodle soup, replace the milk with more chicken broth.

Is it better to thicken soup with flour or cornstarch? ›

It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. If you need to substitute cornstarch to thicken liquid in a recipe that calls for ¼ cup (four tablespoons) flour, you only need two tablespoons cornstarch.

Why is my taco soup so watery? ›

Addition of Cornstarch or Flour: Create a slurry by mixing equal parts cornstarch or flour with water. Stir this mixture into the soup and let it simmer for a few minutes until it thickens.

What is Mexican soup with blood in it? ›

It is probable that the source of the name fritada for the Guam dish came from a dish of the same name in Monterrey, Mexico where it refers to a stew made with the innards and blood of a young lamb. The origin of this Mexican dish is chanfaina from Extremadura, Spain.

Who invented taco soup? ›

The exact origin of tortilla soup is unknown, but it is also known as sopa Azteca (Soup of the Aztecs) which leads many to believe this dish originated in central or southern Mexico, where the Aztecs originally settled.

How do you thicken watery taco meat? ›

If you want to skip the cornstarch in your homemade seasoning to use it for other purposes, just sprinkle ⅓ to ½ teaspoon of cornstarch per pound of browned, spiced meat before adding ¾ cup of water and heat until thickened.

How do you make soup more watery? ›

Ok, this may be a little obvious, but just adding water is going to make your soup go a little further. If you stick to a 50/50 ratio between water and whatever flavoured liquid you're using in your soup (be it tomatoes, a stock type, or a cream), you're unlikely to dilute it to the point of making it unpalatable.

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