There’s nothing like a nice bowl of taco soup to warm you up on a cool evening. This Classic Taco Soup recipe is the one I turn to again and again. It’s an easy weeknight dinner like the Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli Soup.
I like to use a variety of beans, but you don’t have to. You can use whatever type you prefer.
I also always add a finely grated or chopped carrot or two, because my kids don’t even notice. They think the carrot pieces are little specs of cheese.
More Soup and Chili Recipes
- Favorite White Chicken Chili
- Corn Chowder
- The Best Chili Ever
- Thick and Creamy Potato and Ham Soup
- Split Pea Soup
- Kale and Sausage Soup with Cannellini Beans
HOW TO MAKE CLASSIC TACO SOUP
- Drizzle some olive oil or canola oil in the bottom of a 5- or 6-quart pot and turn heat to medium high.
- Add ground meat, chopped onions, grated carrots and crushed garlic. Cook until meat is browned and onions are tender.
- Add chili powder, cumin, beef bullion, paprika, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano and red pepper flakes if you are using them.
- Stir seasonings into meat and then add tomatoes, tomato sauce, drained beans, corn and water. Stir together and bring to a boil.
- Keep it at a low boil for 5-10 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch water mixture to thicken the soup.
- Serve with cheese, sour cream and your favorite corn chips.
This recipe reminds me of my mom. She loves taco soup and almost always makes it when a big group of us come for a visit. It’s one of her signature dishes.
It is a great meal to feed a crowd. Filling, relatively inexpensive, gluten free and something almost everyone likes.
I’m getting hungry typing about this recipe and wishing I had a bowl of it right now.
Tips for making Classic Taco Soup
- In this recipe, I do not use a taco seasoning mix. If you would rather add the taco seasoning packet than the spices called for, go for it. Just keep everything else the same, and it will be yummy!
- We always serve taco soup with cheese, sour cream and corn chips. It can also be yummy served over rice, if you want it to go a little farther.
- The soup can be made in an Instant Pot.
More must make soups
- Drizzle of olive oil or canola oil
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, finely grated
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp beef bullion
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp oregano
- ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
- 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 4 15 oz cans of beans, drained (use a variety)
- 2 cups frozen corn or a 15 oz can of corn
- 2-3 cups water (start with 2 cups and add more, if needed)
- 1 tbsp corn starch plus 3 tbsp of water
- Drizzle some olive oil or canola oil in the bottom of a 5 or 6 quart pot and turn heat on medium high.
- Add ground meat, chopped onions, grated carrots and crushed garlic. Cook until meat is browned and onions are tender.
- Next, add chili powder, cumin, beef bullion, paprika, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano and red pepper flakes (optional). Stir seasonings into meat.
- Then, add tomatoes, tomato sauce, drained beans, corn and water. Stir together and bring to a boil.
- Keep it at a low boil for 5-10 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch water mixture to thicken the soup.
- Serve with cheese, sour cream and your favorite corn chips.
- Enjoy!
This is excellent! My favorite is the fact you use spices instead of a packet of taco seasoning. I didn’t have carrots so left them out and didn’t need the corn starch. Tons of flavor. Thanks!
Thank you Melissa, I am so glad you liked it!
Hi! I’m in the middle of making this and realized I only have beef bullion cubes, is that okay and if so do I use a whole one?
Thanks so much!
Hi June, yes that will be fine.
Can totally do this in the Instant Pot!ⁿ
Yes, super easy in the insta pot!
I am curious as to the liquid and if it was left out of recipe. I followed it to a t as I do new recipes and draining all the beans there was NOT enough liquid. It was very little and had I thickened it with the small amount of water and cornstarch, it would have been a sold mass. I had to add 2 of the 8 oz can of tomato sauce worth of water to even come close to looking like your picture. It is very good but where did you get your liquid? The canned tomatoes have very little. Thanks
Thank you CB, it does look like I forgot to add the liquid. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
Can this be put in a crock pot to keep warm and ready to serve at different times? I’ve got kids in and out all evening, plus my husband can get home any time between 7:00 and 9:00, and he doesn’t ever warn me when that will be. No one eats at the same time. Will it be ok simmering in a crock pot for 3 hours or so?
Hi Susan, Definitely! It should be totally fine.
Oh my goodness!!! This is delicious! So yummy I’m sharing it with EVERYONE I know! Thank you!
Yay! I love hearing that Lisa!