25 Minute Taco Soup with Ground Beef (Flavorful!)
This Taco Soup with Ground Beef is ready in just 25 minutes and hits the perfect balance between hearty comfort food and a true, cozy soup (not just a chili in disguise!). It’s absolutely packed with flavor, genuinely budget-friendly, and easily customizable. Plus it tastes just as good when made ahead or frozen, making it perfect for busy weeknights or quick lunches. I'll even share a slow cooker variation!
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 318kcal
Equipment
- Dutch oven or large pot
- Meat chopper or spatula
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs ground beef 90/10
- 1 small onion diced (¾ - 1 cup)
- 2 jalapenos diced (remove seeds for less spice if wanted, but I leave them)
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 15 ounce can black or pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 4 cups 32 oz beef broth (chicken broth can be used, but beef will have heartier flavor)
- 2 14 oz cans fire roasted tomatoes (blended until mostly smooth with an immersion blender)
- Optional toppings: shredded cheese: pepper jack or cheddar, sour cream, avocado, chips, lime juice, cilantro
Instructions
- Heat a large dutch oven or pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the ground beef and cook for 4-5 minutes, crumbling well with a ground meat chopper or spatula, until mostly cooked through.1.5 lbs ground beef
- Add the onions and jalapenos. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, continuing to break up the meat, until the beef is fully cooked.1 small onion, 2 jalapenos
- Tilt the pot forward and use paper towels gripped in a pair of tongs to soak up the extra grease, if needed.
- Add the garlic and all the seasonings. Cook for 1 minute, stirring well to let the flavors deepen.1 tablespoon garlic, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the beans, broth, and tomatoes. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes to let the flavors develop.1 15 ounce can black or pinto beans, 4 cups 32 oz beef broth , 2 14 oz cans fire roasted tomatoes
- Serve with toppings.Optional toppings: shredded cheese: pepper jack or cheddar, sour cream, avocado, chips, lime juice, cilantro
Notes
Tips & Tricks
- Really break up the meat well for the best texture.
- If you like a chunkier tomato texture, the tomatoes can be left un-blended.
- One of the best tips is to cook the spices with the meat mixture for a minute before adding in the liquid. This blooms the spices and intensifies it's flavor.
- Swap out the ground beef for ground turkey.
- Serranos have a great flavor, but are generally have more heat. So if you want to up these spiciness level, these are the peppers to use.
- Chicken broth can be used in place of beef broth, but it won't have quite the same depth.
- Mexican stewed tomatoes or tomatoes with green chilis can be used, but they will change the flavor a bit.
- Smoked chipotle chili powder will add a smokier edge and spicier to the broth.
- Pinto beans or even kidney beans can be used in place of the black beans.
- If you want a thicker soup, leave out about a cup of the broth.
- For a chunkier texture, don't blend the tomatoes before adding them.
- For a creamy version, stir in ½ cup of heavy cream or sour cream. The sour cream could be stirred in with some broth first to thin it and then add it to the soup.
- A big handful of cheese stirred in at the end would make for a cheesy variation.
- Add 1 cup frozen or canned corn if desired.
- Toss 4 oz can of diced green chilis for added flavor.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1084mg | Potassium: 487mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 626IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 3mg
