Slow Cooker Taco Soup (w/ Ground Beef)
This easy slow cooker taco soup is made with ground beef, canned to beans, sweet corn (fresh or frozen), and a little kick from canned green chilis; all slow simmering away in a rich and savory broth. A super hearty, filling and flavorful meal that’s simple to make, but still packed with flavor.
5 star review
“This is SO good! I didn’t change a thing. Adding this to the rotation. Great leftovers too. Thanks Robyn!”
– Robyn
This May Just Be the Best Taco Soup You’ve Ever Had
I’m know for my simple slow cooker meals, especially cozy and comforting soups that can be made simply with pantry ingredients. This easy taco soup recipe is a particular favorite, due to the fact that it’s easy prep and always a crowd favorite!
This particular beef taco soup recipe was inspired by The Pioneer Woman’s Taco Soup, which I adapted as well as converted to be made in the crockpot so it can cook low and slow all day. I also love making taco soup with black beans in the slow cooker because it’s largely hands-off, making it perfect for busy weeknights, game day, parties, and more!
Ground beef in particular makes this a recipe you’ll return to again again, especially if you keep hamburger meat on hand in your fridge or freezer (in which case you’ll also love this reader-favorite slow cooker hamburger soup). With a few tweaks, I also made this a healthy slow cooker taco soup by reducing the amount of beef (also making it a more budget-friendly meal), upping the vegetables, and skipping the packet of taco seasoning .
Instead of the packet, I’m leaning on a simple homemade taco seasoning spice mix using mild chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and smoked paprika. It’s so flavorful and easy (I use the same no-packet method in this crock pot shredded chicken tortilla soup with equally delicious results), I promise you won’t miss the store bought stuff!
Together with your canned tomato sauce, black & pinto beans, diced tomatoes and mild diced green chilis, it makes an incredibly delicious and easy soup that’ll have everyone running back to the kitchen for seconds. The best part is that this recipe makes six servings, so there may just be leftovers for you to enjoy for easy lunches or dinners the rest of the week!
A Few Tips for the Most Flavorful Mexican Taco Soup
Once you saute the ground beef and onions and add everything to your slow cooker, this is a hands-off recipe. Just cover, set the timer and walk away, and before you know it you’ll have a super tasty, homemade crock pot taco soup recipe that’s filled with hearty beans, ground beef and a rich tomato broth.
Just don’t get scared off when you see that the ingredients list includes diced green chilis, as most of the heat cooks out of them and results in a pretty mild soup, making it a hit with just about anyone. Buuuuuut if you are sensitive to heat you can omit the green chilis. On the flip side, if you want it spicier, you can use spicy green chilis instead of regular and add hot sauce at the end.
Tips: It’s totally up to you if you want to cook it on the high or low slow cooker setting! I’ve included directions for both below to keep your options open on busy weeks.
Ingredient Notes & Substitution Suggestions
Ground beef: I used lean ground beef for this recipe but you could use regular ground beef too. Be sure to drain off the excess grease before adding to your slow cooker for the best results.
Canned beans: I used a combination of black beans and pinto beans. But you could use any combination you like. For example, all black beans or all pinto beans.
Chicken stock: You can substitute chicken bone broth or homemade chicken stock for a richer flavor. You can also swap in beef broth in its place.
Tomato sauce: A great, versatile ingredient to keep in your pantry! This helps create the richly flavored tomato broth that’s the base for this soup.
Onion: Sauteed onions add so much flavor to homemade soups. But if you don’t like or can’t eat onions, feel free to skip them in this recipe.
Corn: Fresh or frozen corn will work great in this recipe. If using frozen corn, be sure to defrost it before adding to your slow cooker.
Mild chili powder: Since we’re skipping the taco seasoning packet here, the chili powder (along with the garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cumin) is the base for making our own. Mild chili powder doesn’t add much heat to your recipe but does add lots of flavor.
Olive oil: I like the flavor of olive oil best in this recipe. But any neutral oil will work in this soup, such as avocado oil, vegetable oil or canola.
Diced tomatoes with green chilis: Diced tomatoes with green chilis are another favorite pantry staple. They add great depth of flavor to homemade soups.
Diced green chilis: This soup is very mild as-is. But if you want it spicier, use spicy green chilis in place of mild diced green chilis.
Lime juice: I love the flavor of fresh lime juice with these ingredients. But you could also use fresh lemon juice in its place.
Tip: Get creative with your soup toppings! Think avocado, sour cream (traditional or dairy-free), chopped onion, cilantro, fresh lime juice, jalapenos, hot sauce, Monterey jack cheese or dairy-free cheese shreds.
How to Store & Freeze Leftovers
This is one of those soups that tastes even better the next day, and leftovers make a great lunch, and it keeps well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, in a sealed container. This beef taco soup recipe also freezes beautifully, either in a gallon ziplock bag, or individually in mason jars. You can store it in a sealed freezer friendly container for up to 2-3 months.
this recipe is…
Slow Cooker Taco Soup (w/ Ground Beef)
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon mild chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilis, such as Rotel
- 1 (4-oz) can diced green chilis
- 2 cups frozen defrosted corn
- 1 quart chicken stock
To Add at the End
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Equipment
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ground beef, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, and paprika. Cook until browned and no longer pink. Drain any excess grease.
- To a 6-quart slow cooker, add the cooked onion and ground beef, black beans, pinto beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, green chili, corn, and stock, stirring until well combined.
- Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Uncover and add the lime juice, stirring to combine. Taste and add additional salt or lime juice if desired. Serve with toppings of your choice.
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ground beef, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, and paprika. Cook until browned and no longer pink. Drain any excess grease.
- Add the black beans, pinto beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, green chili, corn, and stock, stirring until well combined.
- Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 20-25 minutes. Uncover and add the lime juice, stirring to combine. Taste and add additional salt or lime juice if desired. Serve with toppings of your choice.
This is SO good! I didn’t change a thing. Adding this to the rotation. Great leftovers too. Thanks Robyn!
Yay, so happy you enjoyed this one, Robyn! Love it when a recipe gets added to the regular rotation. 🙂
This was so good and very easy!
Yay, so glad you enjoyed this one. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Simply amazing! So easy to prep and the results are delicious. I’m allergic to garlic and onion so I eliminated both items from this recipe with no other adjustments and my entire family still thought it tasted fabulous. We add fresh grated Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese and diced avocado as toppings with a quesadilla and tortilla chips on the side. Another go-to recipe from Robyn.
Yay, so happy to hear you enjoyed this one, Christianne, and great tip on how it turned out without garlic or onion. Thanks for sharing and for leaving a reivew!
Made this tonight. Yummy and super easy!!
Fantastic, so happy to hear you enjoyed this one, Shelly. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
This was very good and easy, and I love that is doesn’t have packaged ranch seasoning and taco seasoning like other taco soup recipes I’ve tried.
Priscilla, happy to hear you enjoyed this taco soup without packets – so much fresher and tastier, don’t you think? Thanks so much for leaving a reivew!