A Hearty Dinner from a Pound of Ground Beef
A pound of ground beef can go a long way when you turn it into a pot of taco soup. This is the kind of dinner I love having in my back pocket: easy to put together, full of flavor, and made with ingredients I usually already have.
The beans and corn make it a filling meal, and the broth has enough body to bring everything together without being heavy. Set out a few toppings, let everyone fix their own bowl, and dinner is ready.
Homemade Taco Seasoning and Beef Stock
I use my copycat taco seasoning packet mix here. It’s convenient to keep on hand, and making it myself means I choose what goes into it. The mix includes cornstarch, which gives this soup a little body as it simmers.
My homemade beef stock is another staple I reach for. I make my stocks without salt, so keep that in mind when seasoning your soup. The amount you need will depend on the stock and taco seasoning you use.
Use the Beans and Corn You Have
I use my home-canned beans, but store-bought canned beans work here too. Black beans paired with pinto or kidney beans give you a nice mix of textures, although you can use all black beans if that’s what you have.
The corn is flexible as well. Home-canned, store-bought canned, or frozen corn all work. Drain canned corn before adding it; frozen corn can go straight into the pot.
For the tomatoes, I used a full 26-ounce carton of Pomi chopped tomatoes. They soften into the broth as the soup cooks, which is exactly what I want here.
Finish Your Bowl Your Way
The toppings are part of the fun. Shredded cheese melts into the hot soup, sour cream adds a cool, creamy finish, and diced avocado is especially good with the taco seasoning. Green onions, cilantro, or crushed tortilla chips give you even more ways to make it your own.
Put everything on the table and let everyone choose. It’s an easy way to serve one pot of soup that suits several different tastes.
Taco Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 medium carrots finely diced
- 2 celery stalks finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 copycat taco seasoning packet or 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 carton 26 ounces Pomi chopped tomatoes
- 4 cups beef stock
- 1 can diced green chilies, undrained or freshly roasted chilies
- 1 pint home-canned black beans drained and rinsed, or 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 pint home-canned pinto or kidney beans drained and rinsed, drained and rinsed, or 1 can (15 ounces) pinto or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1½ cups corn—home-canned and drained frozen, or one drained 15-ounce can
Optional Toppings
- Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- Sour cream
- Diced avocado
- Chopped cilantro
- Sliced green onions
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking it into crumbles. While the beef is still slightly pink, add the onion, carrots, and celery.
- Cook for another 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned and the vegetables begin to soften. Drain excess grease if needed, leaving a little in the pot.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and taco seasoning and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds.
- Gradually stir in the beef stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the tomatoes, green chilies, black beans, pinto or kidney beans, and corn.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots and celery are tender and the broth has thickened slightly.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve hot with your choice of toppings.
- Notes
- Finely dice the carrots and celery so they soften within the short cooking time.
- My copycat taco seasoning packet contains cornstarch, which gives the broth a little body without a separate thickener. Other taco seasoning blends may produce a thinner broth.
- You can use two cans of black beans or change up the combination with pinto or kidney beans.