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Beef Taco Soup

Beef taco soup with rich Tex-Mex flavor, simmered until deeply flavored and packed with beans, corn, and Rotel. Ground beef creates savory crumbles, and the broth stays brothy for easy spooning over tortilla chips and toppings.
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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: 420
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
  • 1 cheddar
  • 1 sour cream
  • 1 tortilla chips
  • 1 jalapeños
  • 1 cilantro

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown and build the flavor
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat, stirring until no longer pink, then drain the fat. Aim for browned crumbles with visible sear for a deeper broth color.
  2. Sauté the onion and green bell pepper in the same pot for 4 minutes, until softened. Then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring so it doesn’t brown.
  3. Add the taco seasoning, cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika, then stir for 1 minute. Keep the heat steady so the spices bloom and smell toasted.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add all canned ingredients and the beef broth, then bring the mixture to a boil. You should see steady bubbling across the surface.
  2. Simmer for 20 minutes until the broth is deeply flavored, then season with salt and pepper. Keep it at a gentle simmer for an even, thickened texture.
Serve
  1. Serve the soup loaded with cheddar, sour cream, tortilla chips, jalapeños, and cilantro. Add toppings right before eating for the best crunch and freshness.

Notes

Pro tip: drain excess fat from the browned beef to keep the broth from tasting greasy. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave. Freezing is yes for up to 3 months—add fresh toppings after reheating. For a lighter option, use 90/10 ground beef (or 93% lean) and swap sour cream for plain Greek yogurt.