Taco Soup
Everything you love about taco night, tucked into a hearty bowl of soup. This easy, one-pot dinner builds plenty of flavor in about 30 minutes, with a savory broth that’s lightly thickened so every spoonful feels satisfying. It’s an affordable way to stretch a pound of ground beef into a generous family meal—and everyone can finish their bowl with their favorite taco toppings.
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.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!