This Taco Soup is one of my family’s FAVORITE meals! I love this recipe because it’s super easy–make it on the stovetop or toss everything into your crockpot and let it simmer all day. Plus, it uses up a whole bunch of refrigerator and pantry staples: canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, corn, taco seasoning (you can even make your own in bulk!), and kidney beans. Oh, and a fresh onion and some fresh garlic. It’s cheap, packed with protein, and feeds a smally army. In fact, my oldest son, who has always been a die-hard chili fan (this Easy Weeknight Chili and Sara’s Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili are two of his favorite meals) declared this his favorite. So. That’s saying a lot.
My favorite topping is a big spoonful or two of Pico de Gallo. It adds a lot of fresh flavor with almost no extra calories. I also love adding some sour cream, shredded cheese, and some crushed tortilla chips (or, if you’re feeling fancy, you could fry your own tortilla strips.
Ingredients Needed
- Lean ground beef
- Diced onion
- Fresh garlic
- Taco seasoning packet – Or make your own Taco Seasoning and use about 1/4 cup.
- Diced canned tomatoes
- Tomato sauce
- Canned kidney beans
- Canned or frozen corn
- Desired toppings
- Pico de gallo
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheese
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Tortilla strips
- Guacamole
How to Make Taco Soup
Stovetop
- Heat 1-2 teaspoons olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. When hot, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic. When almost brown, add the taco seasoning and 1 cup water. Add the remaining ingredients, including the remaining 2 cups water, bring to a medium boil, then, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for at least 15 minutes. Serve with desired toppings.
Slow Cooker
- Heat 1-2 teaspoons olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. When hot, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic. When almost brown, add the taco seasoning and 1 cup water. Transfer to slow cooker, add remaining ingredients and cook on low for about 6-8 hours.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within 3-4 days for best results.
- Freezer Instructions: Because of all the canned goods, you’ll just take up a lot of space in your freezer if you freeze the whole recipe. However, after it’s been cooked, the leftovers freeze extremely well. You can even try freezing individual portions in 12-oz. freezer-safe containers and then reheating them for a quick lunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ground turkey would work well, just avoid the extra lean variety, as it tends to be dry and lacks flavor. You could also use rotisserie chicken.
If you follow the slow cooker instructions you can toss everything together in the morning and come home to dinner already made! Leftovers also taste great from the fridge or freezer, so feel free to make it one day and enjoy it later.
Taco Soup
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker optional, you can also cook this just fine on the stovetop
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean or extra-lean ground beef
- 1 onion chopped
- 4-5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1.25- ounce packet taco seasoning or make your own and use about 1/4 cup
- 3 cups water divided
- 2 28- ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 1 15- ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 15- ounce cans kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 1 can corn, drained or 1 cup frozen corn
Toppings
- Pico de Gallo, sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, tortilla strips, guacamole
Instructions
Stovetop
- Heat 1-2 teaspoons olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. When hot, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic. When almost brown, add the taco seasoning and 1 cup water. Add the remaining ingredients, including the remaining 2 cups water, bring to a medium boil, then, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for at least 15 minutes. Serve with desired toppings.
Slow Cooker
- Heat 1-2 teaspoons olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. When hot, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic. When almost brown, add the taco seasoning and 1 cup water. Place remaining ingredients into a slow cooker and cook on low for about 6-8 hours.
- See notes for Freezer Instructions.
Notes
- Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within 3-4 days for best results.Â
- Freezer Instructions: Because of all the canned goods, you’ll just take up a lot of space in your freezer if you freeze the whole recipe. However, after it’s been cooked, the leftovers freeze extremely well. You can even try freezing individual portions in 12-oz. freezer-safe containers and then reheating them for a quick lunch.
- Nutritional information was calculated without the use of any toppings.
Questions & Reviews
I also add an envelope of Ranch dressing. Yummy!
one more questions….
dark kidney beans or light red?
I dislike dark kidney beans VERY MUCH >:\
I'm so glad you are doing Weight Watchers and have the points to go along with the recipie! What a help!!!
May I just say…Thank you for calculating all these points for me. I am a 4+ year member of the double W (Weight Watchers). I actually just hit my weight goal right after Thanksgiving. probably the worst timing ever, but still, I'll take it. Read about it here…
http://thevocalsokool.blogspot.com/2010/12/four-years-in-making-goal-is-met.html
Anyway… I like so many struggled through the holidays and feel so discombobulated not knowing the points value of anything. Before the system changed I was an old pro. I just knew everything wiht out having to look it up. Thank you for doing the work for me. Like for reals…I am making all your recipes this week and it has helped me so much to stay on track.
WW is the best. I love that you can live a real life and still eat yummy stuff and still be in control of yourself. Good luck. If I can do it, anyone can.
Just wanted to add to the comments YEAH for WW points. You are awesome.
Thanks for sharing. Please keep the WW points+ coming!
Awesome.. and oddly enough, i've been thinking about making taco soup the last two weeks.
I did the WW thing last year and lost a bunch of weight. I really beleive in their system since it encourages the thigns I've found work on my own when I lost weight pre WW — lean protiens, veggies, smart carbs etc. I'm trying to get back on the bandwagon since I've gained *relationship* weight and want to go back to being a hottie. I love healthy recipes, although I'm struggling since the relationship weight is courtesy of a man who doesn't eat veggies — which are a mainstay when i'm maintaining. I'm trying to learn how to cook for the both of us in one pot and it is difficult. I guess this is preparation for when the kiddies come?
This might be a BIG favor to ask but I'm not doing WW. I am however, watching my Carbs because of diabetes. Any chance you could add in the carbs for the recipes you post? I would LOVE you dearly. This looks so yummy I think I'll make it this week.
Thanks for the recipes. My husband and I just started our new years diet plan and these recipes are the bomb!! I made the Feta Cheese Penne the other night and my family loved it. This taco soup sounds fab too. Thanks for the points system. I've never done WW, how many points can you have in a day? Please keep the recipes coming. My family loves them.
Michelle :O)
I have been wanting to make Taco Soup for a few weeks now. Thanks for the recipe.