One Pot Easy Taco Soup Recipe
Make this easy Taco Soup Recipe in one pot in under an hour! Loaded with protein, veggies, and beans, it’s a hearty comfort food soup that will fill your belly and satisfy your tastebuds.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Taco Soup Recipe
- Easy – All you have to do is combine the ingredients. Then, the stove top does all the hard work, simmering the flavors together. Plus, with just one pot, cleaning up is a breeze!
- Nutritious – Made with all the flavor of your favorite tacos, this recipe is a great way to take your taco Tuesday up a notch with high-protein, vitamins, nutrients, and fiber thanks to the meat, beans, and veggies.
- Customizable – Feel free to mix and match any ingredients you have on hand and like best, and don’t forget to include all the best toppings! I like to set out a taco bar so everyone can pick their favorites.
What’s the Difference Between Taco Soup and Chili?
While both taco soup and chili are made with similar ingredients, they aren’t quite the same things. The primary difference is in the consistency!
Taco soup has a slightly soupier consistency and is thinner than chili. Meanwhile, chili is chunkier and thicker.
In addition, taco soup typically has more Tex-Mex-inspired flavors while chili is typically a little spicier with warm spices like chili powder and cumin.
Ingredients
Below is an overview of the ingredients and instructions to make this recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details including prep time, total, time, nutrition information, etc.
- Ground Meat – I prefer to use lean ground beef (80% or leaner), but you could also use ground chicken or ground turkey.
- Veggies – Yellow or white onion, bell pepper zucchini, corn, and diced tomatoes make this simple taco soup recipe full of nutrients and super filling.
- Beans – I use a tri-blend beans, but white beans, black beans, or kidney beans will all work.
- Water – Feel free to substitute bone broth if preferred. It adds a little more savory flavor!
- Seasonings – Taco seasoning, Ranch seasoning, salt, and pepper combine to make this the best taco soup recipe ever.
How to Make This Easy Taco Soup Recipe
- Brown the meat in a large pot, breaking it up into pieces as it cooks.
- Add the remaining ingredients, stirring to combine.
- Simmer until the flavors combine and the veggies are tender.
- Adjust the seasonings to suit your preferences. Then, add your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Taco Soup Recipe
- Adjust the seasonings – Wait until the end of cooking. Then, taste your soup right before serving, and adjust the ingredients as needed. Feel free to include an extra dash of chili powder, cayenne pepper, or hot sauce for extra heat!
- Drain and rinse the beans – If you’re using canned beans, be sure to drain and rinse them before adding them to your soup. Otherwise, it might be too salty.
- Stir the pot – Don’t forget to stir the ingredients occasionally as they cook. This prevents anything from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.
Topping Ideas
Feel free to serve your soup on its own, or dress it up with toppings like:
- Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
- Shredded Cheese
- Sliced Green Onion (Scallions)
- Red Onions
- Black Olives
- Fresh Cilantro
- Guacamole or Avocado
- Lime Wedges
- Tortilla Chips
How to Store and Reheat
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three to four days.
- Freeze the cooled soup for up to three months. For single-serving portions, pour it into freezer cubes first. Then, transfer the cubes to a freezer-safe bag! Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
- Reheat your soup in a pot on the stove over medium heat. Or, warm individual servings in 30 second increments in the microwave.
Common Questions About This Easy Taco Soup Recipe
Absolutely! To do so, brown the meat in a skillet on the stove. Then, transfer all the ingredients to a crock pot or slow cooker, and cook on low for four to six hours or high for two to three hours.
As it’s written, this recipe is relatively low-carb. However, if you want to make it even lower, feel free to omit the beans and any carb-heavy toppings.
This soup will thicken the longer it sits on the stove. Or, you can add an extra can of beans!
More Cozy Soup Recipes
One Pot Easy Taco Soup Recipe
Equipment
- soup pot
- can opener
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground meat (turkey, beef, venison)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- 2 cups frozen corn or 15 oz can, drained
- 28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 15 oz can of beans, undrained I used an organic Tri-Bean Blend (kidney, black, and pinto beans) from Wal-Mart
- 2 cups water or bone broth
- 3 Tbsp homemade taco seasoning or 1 packet
- 3 Tbsp homemade ranch seasoning or 1 packet (RECIPE HERE)
- salt and pepper
Toppings
- shredded cheese, tortilla chips, avocado, cilantro, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
- In a large pot, brown the meat. Then add in remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add more seasoning such as chili powder, cayenne, salt, or pepper, if needed. I've been known to stir in a generous drip of Frank's Hot Sauce to kick it up a notch!
- Top with plain Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, avocado, or lime wedges!
Our toddler’s favorite soup!
Approximately how big is each serving? I made a huge batch awhile back but now need 1 serving for specific calories and have no idea how to figure it out
Hi Mikayla! I think (not 100% sure) a serving is about 2 cups. 🙂
This recipe was so great! I’ve made taco soup many times but usually use ground meat and the prepared taco and ranch seasonings. This time I used ground turkey and used the recipes for seasoning you provided and it honestly came out better than it usually does! This will definitely be on our rotation. Thank you!
Lindsey, you just made my day! THANK YOU SO MUCH for making this delicious recipe and then telling me about your experience. So glad you enjoyed it. Happy Eating!
This looks a awesome recipe
Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy it!
Tastes so good! I used turkey meat!!!!
Awesome!! So glad you enjoyed it, Rachael. Thanks for the sweet comment. Blessings to you!
I just made this and I am very excited! I didn’t have zucchini but replaced it with green chilies. I made the taco seasoning and ranch and my husband and I was so obsessed smelling it. It smells heavenly in my home and I can’t wait to try it. I have a friend that just had a heart attack a few months ago and need to cook some healthy meals. This is great right now in windy Colorado. Thank you so much
Hi Jennifer! It is windy here in SD too and guess what? I’m making this soup tonight too! It is the perfect soup for this weather and for your friend that has suffered a heart attack. I wish him(her) the best! Thanks for sharing your recipe experience with me. Happy eating!
Do you happen to know the calorie count for this meal per serving?
Hi Courtney, I have 270 calories/serving which is about 2 cups of soup. However, calorie calculators greatly differ so who really knows. Ha! I hope this helps a little bit though ????
I forgot to drain the hamburger meat! but it smells delicious????
Oooops! I am sure it still tasted amazing. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Happy eating!
I mean wow! I have tried several recipes..and this is the bomb! That taco seasoning is perfect..the ranch mix goes amazingly well with it. I wish I could post the way it smells when simmering .LOL..thank you and your friend for sharing. He is really gonna enjoy this!!
Yaaaaayyyy for taco soup and sweet individuals like you that share your recipe experience with us! I am just finishing up some leftovers of this right now. I will be honest, I will be a little sad when it’s my last bite. 😉 Blessings to you, Cherlon!
Can you make this without the ranch seasoning? I can’t stand ranch dressing and it really turns me off from anything related.
Hi Brittany,
Yes, you can make this soup without the ranch seasoning. You may want to add some flavors that you do like such as garlic, parsley, and onion powder in place of the ranch seasoning and leave out the dill if that is flavor you do not prefer. 🙂 I hope you enjoy the soup!
You cannot taste any ranch like flavor when added in to the soup. I’m sure it adds subtle background flavors, but go ahead and try it without.
Thank you for sharing, Kathy! Happy eating and many blessings to you!
Made this tonight- my first time making taco soup. I’ve had friends tell me about it, but I always get stuck at the ranch packet. When I typed, “all natural taco soup” up yours came. Oh my gosh, so delish! My entire family, kids too, love it! Thanks so much for sharing ; ))
Woot woot!! Cindy, we just LOVE this soup too and I TOTALLY know what you mean about ranch packets. Thanks for giving this recipe a try. 🙂 We are a soup sort of family so you may enjoy these other recipes too! Blessings to you and happy eating! https://happihomemade.com/10-best-clean-eating-soups-chili-stews/
Just barely made this. Absolutely delicious! The small modifications I made was I used less onion and used canned tomatoes that also included diced jalapeños for an extra kick, and added Siracha as well toward the end (I’m a spicy gal ????) seriously, this is becoming a staple this winter!
Gianna, yay for new recipes that become a part of our meal rotation. Thank you SO much for sharing your recipe experience and how you have made it your own. Blessings to you!!
I made a big pot of this for 3 people, just to get us through our busy work days when we can’t cook as much. This was so yummy, I made it twice in one week because it was gone in a day and a half! I love that I can get my comfort food feeling without feeling guilty! Thanks for this!
2x in 1 week?! Woot woot for Taco Soup!! So glad you all enjoyed it so much. It certainly is a delicious recipe for one or many. 😉 Thanks for your kind comment, Megan!
Thank you so much for publishing this! I have spent the past 10 min (once I got it in my head I wanted to make Taco Soup) to find a recipe that did not include 1000+ mg of sodium! A packet of taco seasoning and a packet of ranch seasoning? While you’re at it, might as well buy your favorite diuretic! Lol : ) So, thank you for taking the time to share your own seasoning blend!
You are too kind, Jamie! It is my pleasure to share our family’s favorite healthy recipes. I hope you enjoyed this soup!! PS…We just made it last weekend! YUM!
Your soup looks simply delish!! I like the fact that it’s quick and easy!! My husband passed away recently so I’m just cooking for myself now. I’m going to the market to buy all the ingredients needed to make your soup and the cornbread idea to go along with it is just great!! I can freeze small portions for myself. The only problem I have are the spices you use with it! I can’t do spicy anymore, bothers my stomach! Instead of Cayanne Pepper and Pepper Flakes, what other seasoning can I substitute in its place? I do like the idea of the yogurt dip that Leanne suggested!!
Hi Linda,
I am so sorry to hear of your husband’s passing. What a difficult time for you.
I hope you enjoyed this soup and yes, that is a great idea to freeze portions. You can omit the cayenne and red pepper flakes altogether. My mom doesn’t like spicy and she chooses to not add those two spices.
Blessings to you, Linda! Thank you for taking the time to leave this kind comment. 🙂
I have used many different taco soup recipes, and this is good as any. I used one 14 oz can of fire roasted tomatoes and one can of regular. I love the recipes for homemade seasonings, as I swore off packaged ones some time ago.
Claire, thank you so much for your comment. I am SO glad you liked this recipe and appreciated the homemade seasonings used in it. Happy cooking!
Made this for dinner last night. I’m not sure what I love best about this recipe, that the whole family thought it was delicious or that is was super easy and quick to make. Thank you for sharing. We will definitely be having this for dinner again.
That is so great to hear! That is my goal here at G&S 🙂 I am so glad you loved this meal and will be having it again. Blessings to you and thank you so much for making my day with your sweet comment!
So much better than the pre-packaged. Thanks Sammi!
Totally! Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment. 🙂 Happy Eating!
Thanks so much for the Taco soup recipe. I just made it and it is simply delicious and so easy to make. Looking to even more great soups.
You are SO welcome, Clarice! Can I just tell you, you and my grandma share the same name so I already know we would be friends. It is not a common name, but a beautiful one for sure. 🙂 I hope you enjoy a few more soup recipes before the weather warms up!
Thank you for the comments about my name. It’s somewhat of a family name. wanted to ask you if you have a calorie count for the taco soup?
Hi Clarice, I have 270 calories/serving which is about 2 cups of soup. However, calorie calculators greatly differ so who really knows. Ha! I hope this helps a little bit though 🙂
Made this today and just tried a “sample.” AMAZING! Can’t wait to have a full serving for dinner!
That is so great, Nicole! Thank you for telling me 🙂 I just love this hearty soup too! Stop back soon. 🙂
Perfect recipe, Sammi! I could eat tacos every day!
Me too, girl. Me too. 😉 Thanks for stopping by, Agness!
Hi I just made this:). I’m trying to track it, do you know how many cups per serving?
Hi Yen! I think they are about 2 cups/serving. When I am tracking I come up with about 269 calories/ serving. Hope this helps!
Thank you for the idea! I have everything except the ground beef right now, but I do have some top sirloin, I may mix this up this afternoon and see how it does in my pressure cooker (which I’m a little obsessed with at the moment), and serve it with cornbread!
I bet it will turn out great! Love how you are swapping out ground meat with top sirloin. My husband would love that! Plus, with cornbread every meal is a winner. 😉 Yum! Enjoy, Jennifer!
How long do you cook it
Hi Renee! Let it simmer for 20-30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!!
I have his going in the crockpot nowand it smells amazing! Any idea on the nutrition info?
Hey Meg, I bet it does smell good! Yay! We are having Sweet & Spicy Chili tonight 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment! Enjoy your soup!
Hi again! If you are looking for calories I have 269 calories/serving with the soup serving 7 people…but who knows! All the calorie counting websites differ. Hope this helps!
My little guy is sick today. When I asked him to select a soup from the list of Pinterest ideas, he went through the list and selected this one. Looks and sounds super yummy. Can’t wait to make it today.
Oh, poor little thing! I hope he feels better soon 🙂 Give him a big hug from me for picking my soup out of all the options! Thanks for taking the time to leave your comment it put a big smile on my face today! Blessings to you both!
Will you share your recipe for your Taco Seasoning.
Hi Carol! Oh course, I will share the recipe with you (if you didn’t see it above 🙂 ) Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to ask your question! Blessings to you 🙂
Taco Seasoning
5 Tbsp chili powder
4 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayanne pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Place all spices in a small jar. Tightly seal with a lid and shake shake shake. Store this seasoning for months in your pantry or cupboard!
Just made this tonight with venison and LOVED it! If I made it with a greasier meet like beef, I would need to drain the grease before adding the other ingredients to the pot, right? Venison didn’t have enough grease to have to worry about that this time around. Thanks for your addition to our evening through this recipe!
Hi Caroline! I am humbled by your words 🙂 Thank you for making my day! We are like you and typically make soup with our ground venison or buffalo meat so there is no need to drain off the excess fat because there is none. Ha! However, yes, if you used ground beef you would more than likely need to drain it before adding in the remaining ingredients. I appreciate you taking the time to let me know your recipe experience and wish you happy and healthy cooking always. Blessings to you 🙂
I made this tonight and really enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing it!
Oh that is so great, Nik! It makes my heart happy when you share your positive recipe experiences with me. Blessings to you and happy cooking!
Holy Smokes @Sammi Ricke – this recipe(and killer photos) looks amazing! A great winter alternative to Taco Tuesdays.
I’m working on a post for my own blog, TopStretch that focuses on new and fun ways to get some more fiber into your diet – and your kid’s diets too. Would you mind if I used one of the pictures you took and offer a direct link back to this article? I’m always looking for ways to get my readers to eat more beans!
That would be just fine, Rick! Thanks for sharing this recipe with your readers and displaying the appropriate links back. Blessings!
I’m with you, Sammi — soup year round! And this looks like such a good and easy one. I’ve always made my own seasoning blends, partly because I’m allergic to garlic and there isn’t a blend on the market that doesn’t contain garlic powder.
Oh goodness, I bet that is impossible to find any seasonings or other packaged food that does not contain garlic. Thanks for your kind words! I hope you enjoy this soup as much as I do 🙂
Looks great! Just made my grocery list and going to make it this week. Thank you for sharing this recipe. 🙂
Awesome, Lyndsay! You will have to stop back and let me know what you think 🙂 Enjoy!
This looks great! I am especially excited about giving the homemade taco seasoning recipe a try and keeping it available. I usually just throw things in, and it will be nice to have an actual recipe. I haven’t used store-bought seasonings in FOREVER because of the chemicals and salt. Thank you! 🙂
Hi Heidi! That is exactly why it has taken me 2 years to put this recipe out on the blog. I never measure and do the same as you-throw in whatever I have available! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I’m on my way to the store to get the ingredients for your taco soup. It sounds delicious. Thank you for sharing your recipes with us at Snickerdoodle Create~Bake~Make Link Party!
Yay! What did you think? I can only imagine you loving it 🙂 Take care, Sharon, and thanks for the comment!
I love homemade seasoning mixes, Sammi, and this soup looks amazing! It’s perfect fall comfort food. Sharing. Thank you for being a part of Hearth and Soul.
Hi April! I agree, soups are always a hit when the weather turns crisp 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Yummy! I love the versatility of this recipe. You can add any vegetable or meat you want and vary the seasoning as well. Thanks for sharing this awesome and very seasonal recipe with us on #shinebloghop! So glad you were able to join us this week!
You got it, Maria! This soup is incredibly versatile. There is no way to mess it up. Honest! It tastes amazing each and every time. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you and your family love this soup too 🙂
Love soups! I have different recipes of soups, but this one is must have!☺
I hope you enjoy it, Helena! You mean to tell me this recipe isn’t one of the many Julia Child recipes you have tried? 😉 Happy cooking, girl!
My mouth won’t stop watering this looks so amazing! 🙂
hehe Right?! I hope you and your family enjoy this healthy soup! Take care 🙂
I prefer my own taco seasoning to store bought, but my ranch dressing leaves something to be desired, I will have to check your recipe. Thanks for aprtying with us on Creative K Kids #TastyTuesdays
Hi Audrey! Well I hope you find my ranch seasoning recipe delicious. I tend to think I sometimes don’t love homemade seasonings at first because they lack the saltiness of pre-made mixes. Thanks for stopping by!
This looks delish – can’t wait to try it!
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do, Shelly! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
This sounds and looks amazing! I love soup and I can’t wait to try this…Pinned 🙂
Hi: I really enjoyed reading your home made taco season recipe. This is a beautiful thing. I have a severe allergy to food colours so alot of prepackaged products are off limits for me. I thank you for posting this. I will make this soup and use the spice mix with yogurt for dip and in various casseroles as well. Awesome.
Hi Leanna! Thank you for your kind words. I am so glad you have found a taco seasoning recipe that will provide so much usefulness to you! Great idea to add it to yogurt as a dip 🙂 Take care!
I used Jennie-O turkey taco meat and it was so good! I will definitely be making this again! I used the crockpot and it was so easy! Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Kim! I am THRILLED that you like this soup. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe experience. Happy eating! 🙂
Sammi
This sounds great. I’ve been wanting to make some seasoning packets so this is just perfect! Thanks for linking at Family Joy Blog Link party this week!!
Wonderful! Enjoy your homemade seasonings and thanks for stopping by, Melissa 🙂
I’m with you, we enjoy soup all year long too! As I always say…. Soup is Good Food!! Taco Soup is a favorite at our home and I’m making some today. Yours looks delicious also, YUM! Visiting from Ilka’s Link party. Have a great day!
Oh, I love that,”Soup IS Good Food!” We are meant to be foodie friends, girl 🙂 Blessings to you, Debra!