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Beef Taco Soup

Beef Taco Soup with a deep Tex-Mex broth made from browned 80/20 ground beef, beans, corn, and tomatoes, then simmered until well-flavored. Topped with shredded cheddar, sour cream, tortilla chips, jalapeños, and cilantro for a hearty, spoonable finish.
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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
  

Beef taco 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
  • cheddar
  • sour cream
  • tortilla chips
  • jalapeños
  • cilantro

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat, stirring until no pink remains, then drain off excess fat.
Sauté aromatics and bloom spices
  1. Sauté the diced onion and green bell pepper in the same pot for 4 minutes, stirring often, until softened and glossy.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant and lightly golden at the edges.
  3. Stir in the taco seasoning, cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute to toast the spices.
Build the soup
  1. Add the kidney beans, black beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and beef broth, then bring the mixture to a boil.
  2. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broth is deeply flavored; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with cheddar, sour cream, tortilla chips, jalapeños, and cilantro.

Notes

Pro tip: For thicker soup, simmer uncovered for the full 20 minutes and stir a few times to help the beans break down slightly. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze for up to 3 months (add toppings after reheating). For a lighter option, use 90/10 ground beef and swap sour cream for plain Greek yogurt.