Slow Cooker Taco Soup is made with taco seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, beans and corn for THE BEST taco soup, that’s also so easy to make! This simple Crock Pot recipe is gluten free, under 500 calories per serving and guaranteed to become a new family favorite!

Taco soup in a yellow crock with cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro

This easy taco soup recipe was one of my favorite dinners that my Mom would make when I was growing up. It has all the flavors of your favorite ground beef tacos in a warm, hearty soup recipe.

Over the years, I’ve made several different versions of the soup, from a One Pot Turkey Taco Soup, to a Slow Cooker Cheesy Turkey Taco Soup. They’re all delicious, but when I’m in the mood for a taste of home, I always go back to this simple taco soup recipe my Mom used to make!

This taco soup recipe is so easy to make. The only prep you’ll need to do is to cook the onions and ground beef on the stove, then add it to a crock pot with cans of tomatoes, corn, beans, chilies and taco seasoning. It’s an easy recipe, made with pantry staples, perfect for weeknight meals!

So what makes this the best Taco Soup recipe?

  1. Homemade taco seasoning mix adds delicious flavor to the soup!
  2. It takes minimal prep time!
  3. It’s family-friendly, even picky kids will love it!
  4. It makes a ton, so you’ll likely have leftovers for the week. And the leftovers are so delicious!

Table of contents

ingredients for taco soup

Ingredients

  • Olive oil
  • Red onion – you can also use yellow onion, if you prefer.
  • Ground beef – I recommend using a leaner ground beef for this recipe. Either 85/15 or 90/10 will work well in the soup. Ground turkey can also be used in place of the ground beef.
  • Canned diced tomatoes
  • Canned diced tomatoes with green chilies
  • Diced green chilies – found in a small can, usually in the Hispanic section of American grocery stores.
  • Canned corn
  • Kidney beans – drained and rinsed from a can. You can also substitute in canned black beans, if you’d like.
  • Pinto beans – drained and rinsed from a can.
  • Homemade taco seasoning – a good seasoning is the key to a GREAT taco soup! That’s why I always recommend using my tested and perfected homemade seasoning mix. It’s one of the most popular recipes on the blog and easy to mix up in just 5 minutes! You can also purchase a pre-made taco seasoning mix at the grocery store.
collage of images showing how to make slow cooker taco soup

Instructions

  1. Cook the ground beef and onions. Pour olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat, add diced onions and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add ground beef to the onions and cook until browned, 6-8 minutes.
  2. Place the canned ingredients in a crock pot. Do not drain the canned tomatoes or green chilies, add the entire contents of the cans to the crock pot. Drain and rinse the cans of corn, kidney beans and pinto beans, then add them to the crock pot.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients to the crock pot. Add the cooked ground beef with onions and taco seasoning to the crock pot.
  4. Slow cook the taco soup. Stir to combine all of the ingredients. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8-10 hours.
Taco soup in yellow crocks with gold spoon, fresh cilantro, cheddar cheese and fresh avocado

Toppings to add

Every good soup is served with a variety of toppings! Feel free to top this soup with any (or all!) of the following topping ideas.

  • Shredded cheddar cheese – you could also use a spicy cheddar or pepper jack cheese for a little added spice!
  • Jalapenos – fresh sliced or pickled nacho jalapenos are both great additions to this taco soup.
  • Sour cream – cool down the hot soup with a dollop of cool sour cream on top!
  • Avocado – I love topping this soup with diced creamy avocado.
  • Guacamole – To step your avocado game up even more, top the soup with a scoop of guacamole! My easy homemade recipe is made in just 10 minutes.
  • Diced onions – raw onions add a nice crunch on top of the soup.
  • Fresh chopped cilantro – for a fresh, flavorful garnish, chop up some fresh cilantro and sprinkle it on top.
Crockpot taco soup in yellow crock with cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro and red crock pot

Pro tips

  • Cook the ground beef the night before, then your prep time in the morning will only be 5 minutes of adding the ingredients to a slow cooker.
  • You can easily make this recipe on the stove by cooking the ground beef and onions in a large pot, draining off the grease, then adding the canned ingredients and taco seasoning to the pot. Stir the ingredients together, cover with a lid and simmer on the stove for 30 minutes over medium-low heat.
  • This is a chunky soup, if you’d like to add more liquid to the soup, add one cup of chicken broth or beef broth to the soup with the canned ingredients.
  • You can use frozen corn, instead of canned corn, if you prefer.

Diet variations

  • To make the soup vegetarian, instead of ground beef, add your favorite meatless crumbles, like Impossible Meat, Beyond Meat or Lightlife Smart Ground. You can also use soy chorizo as a protein substitute in place of the ground beef.
  • To make the recipe vegan, follow the instructions for making it vegetarian, then omit the cheddar cheese on top.
  • This recipe is naturally gluten free, when homemade taco seasoning is used to make the soup. If using a store-bought taco seasoning, always be sure to check the label to make sure it’s gluten free.

How to store and reheat

  • To store: Place any leftover cooked taco soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days.
  • To reheat from the refrigerator: Add the soup to a pot on the stove over medium heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until heated through. You can also reheat it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
  • To freeze: This recipe feeds 8 people, if you’re making it for only 2 or 4 people, you can easily freeze the rest to eat later. Simply place the soup you want to freeze in freezer-safe plastic bags, mason jars or plastic containers and place in the freezer for up to 6 months. Be sure to leave 1 inch of space in the container for the soup to expand in the freezer.
  • For reheating from frozen: Place the soup back in a crockpot set to low for 2 hours, or add it to a large pot on the stovetop over medium heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until completely thawed and heated through.
Crockpot taco soup with corn, beans, tomatoes and ground beef

What to serve with the soup

Growing up, we would serve tortilla chips on the side and I would dip the chips into the taco soup. This is still one of my favorite ways to eat the soup!

As an adult, I’ve served the soup with both Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread and Jalapeno Cheddar Focaccia Bread. I just love the combination of jalapeno and cheddar cheese breads dipped into this yummy taco soup!

You could also serve it with chips and any of the following homemade dips!

More slow cooker recipes to try

Line up your weekly menu with all of these popular crock pot recipes!

Don’t forget to pin this easy Crockpot Taco Soup recipe for later and when you make it, be sure to share a pic on Instagram and tag me @WhitneyBond or use the hashtag #WBRecipes!

Crockpot Taco Soup in yellow crock with gold spoon, topped with cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro
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Crock Pot Taco Soup

This simple Crock Pot Taco Soup Recipe is made with taco seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, beans and corn for the best tasting soup, that's also so easy to make!
Servings: 8 people
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
Author: Whitney Bond
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

Taco Soup

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup red onion, diced
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, do not drain
  • 2 15 ounce cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, do not drain
  • 4 ounce can diced green chilies, do not drain
  • 15 ounce can corn, drained and rinsed
  • 15 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 15 ounce cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Optional Toppings

Instructions

  • Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the diced red onions and cook for 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned, about 7-9 minutes.
  • Once the ground beef is cooked through, drain any grease from the skillet and set it aside.
  • Add the entire contents of the cans of diced tomatoes, diced tomatoes with green chilies and green chilies to the crock pot.
  • Drain and rinse the cans of corn, kidney beans and pinto beans, then add them to the crock pot.
  • Prepare the taco seasoning by combining all of the spices in a small bowl.
  • Add the cooked ground beef with onions and taco seasoning to the crock pot.
  • Stir to combine all of the ingredients.
  • Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8-10 hours.

Video

Notes

  • The nutritional information provided is for one bowl of soup and does not include the optional toppings.
  • To make the soup vegetarian, substitute meatless crumbles or soy chorizo for the ground beef.
  • To freeze the soup, place it in freezer-safe plastic bags or plastic containers and place in the freezer for up to 6 months. Be sure to leave 1 inch of space in the container for the soup to expand in the freezer.
  • To reheat the soup from the freezer, add it back to a crockpot set to low for 2 hours, or add it to a large pot on the stove over medium heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until completely thawed and heated through.
 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 424kcal (21%)Carbohydrates 23g (8%)Protein 25g (50%)Fat 26g (40%)Saturated Fat 9g (45%)Polyunsaturated Fat 2gMonounsaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 1gCholesterol 81mg (27%)Sodium 733mg (31%)Potassium 723mg (21%)Fiber 5g (20%)Sugar 4g (4%)Vitamin A 915mg (18%)Vitamin C 10mg (12%)Calcium 85mg (9%)Iron 5mg (28%)
Did you make this recipe?Tag @WhitneyBond on Instagram and hashtag it #WBRecipes!

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