Slow Cooker Taco Soup Recipe

Slow Cooker Taco Soup Recipe will warm you up on a cold night and is a great freezer friendly soup.  Brown the beef, add everything to the crockpot and have a meal on your table at the end of the day. Don’t forget to add all of your favorite toppings like cheese, sour cream and cilantro!

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SLOW COOKER TACO SOUP RECIPE

We eat a lot of soups on rotation in the cold months of the year. I love that soups are easy to throw together and are a great way to clean out your pantry and produce drawer.

They also make for great leftovers or even freezer friendly meals for later. This Slow Cooker Taco Soup Recipe is one I make a lot.

My family loves this one on those cold busy weeknights or even for football watching.

I always set out a variety of toppings like chopped red onion, jalapeños, salsa, cheese, sour cream and cilantro and let everyone top their soup with their favorites.

Today’s soup is one of those super easy meals that just involves browning the beef and throwing everything in the slow cooker.

When we are craving soup we will make this Taco Soup, Pinto Bean Soup, Zesty Bean Pozole Soup, Instant Pot Taco Soup and this Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Lime Soup.

Why You Will Love This Slow Cooker Taco Soup Recipe

• Packed with Protein: This soup uses ground beef and beans to create a hearty soup that will remind you of your favorite tacos but in soup form. You will be full and satisfied from this soup.
• Great Meal-Prep: Brown the beef and add all of the remaining ingredients to a crockpot and you have a quick and easy meal. I like to make this soup on the weekend and eat the leftovers throughout the week. I even think the leftovers are even better the next day!
• Freezer Friendly: I always like to freeze half of the soup for later. You can even portion the soup out into single servings to make meal-time even easier. I like these Souper Cubes to individually freeze the soup.

Recipe Ingredients

• Ground Beef: I like to use an 80/20 ground beef because I feel like it really has the most flavor but you can use whatever ground beef you like. You also could sub the beef for ground pork, turkey, chicken or lamb.
• Red Onion: I like a red onion because I feel like it adds color and has a nice flavor in the soup. You could use a sweet onion or white onion in its place. A shallot even works if that is what you have on hand.
• Garlic:  I prefer fresh minced garlic but you can save time by using garlic powder or jarred minced garlic.
• Spices: The spices in this taco soup are similar to what you find in a store-bought taco seasoning packet. You could skip the spices here and just use a taco seasoning packet or try my homemade taco seasoning. I prefer to just add the spices on my own because I can then add more depending on how much flavor I want. This soup uses chili powder, cumin, sweet paprika and cayenne red pepper.
• Diced Green Chiles: I love adding diced green chiles for that extra flavor but it isn’t necessary. If you don’t have them on hand you will still have enough flavor in the soup so you can skip them.
• Diced Tomatoes: I add the diced tomatoes with the liquid and I don’t drain them. If you want an extra smoky flavor try adding fire roasted diced tomatoes.
• Beans: I used black beans and pint beans but you can swap those out for your favorite beans like kidney beans, red beans, chickpeas or white beans.
• Corn I added a can of corn to the soup but if you have frozen that works great as well. If you are making this soup during the summer months you can even throw in some fresh off the cob corn.
• Beef Broth: With this soup any broth works but I used beef broth. You can also try making your own Easy Beef Bone Broth or buy a beef stock at the store. Other options are to use chicken broth or chicken stock.

How to Make Crockpot Taco Soup

Step 1. Cook the Beef: In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the ground beef and sauté until the beef is browned. Drain the fat from the beef and add the beef to the slow cooker. 

Step 2. Add Ingredients to the Crockpot: Add the red onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, sweet paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, cayenne red pepper, diced green chilies, tomatoes, black beans, pinto beans, corn and beef broth. Mix well until combined. 

Step 3. Cook on the Low: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. Serve warm with cheddar cheese, dollop of sour cream, cilantro and green onion.

Ways to Modify This Soup

• Protein: I used ground beef in this taco soup but any ground meat works including ground pork, ground turkey, ground lamb or ground chicken. You also could use pulled pork or cut up steak.
• Vegetarian: You can make a vegetarian taco soup. Leave out the beef and just use the beans or try a plant-based meat alternative. If I do a vegetarian version I always add more vegetables to my soup in place of the meat.
• Beans: You can pick whatever beans you like in this soup. Other than the black beans and pinto beans some I like are red beans, kidney beans or cannelini beans.
• Vegetables: If you want to add additional vegetables try bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, poblanos or jalapeños.
• Heat: I love a spicy soup. If you are like me you can spice this soup up with crushed red pepper or hot sauce.
• Other Ingredients: Some other ingredients I like to add are things like diced sweet potatoes or butternut squash for a touch of sweetness. You could add a grain like quinoa or brown rice. Squeeze in some lime juice for a tangy, citrus flavor.

Recipe FAQ

Storing Slow Cooker Taco Soup

This soup makes great leftovers. I actually think the leftovers taste even better than the first day that I eat it. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Slowly warm the soup back up on the stove or in the microwave. You can freeze the soup also. Make sure to completely cool the soup then freeze in an airtight container for up to three months.

When you are ready to eat the soup thaw in the fridge overnight and then heat.

Other Soup Recipes You Might Like:

• INSTANT POT TURKEY CHILI
• COPYCAT OLIVE GARDEN CHICKEN GNOCCHI SOUP
• CHICKEN TORTELLINI SOUP
• LEMON LENTIL SOUP
• MOROCCAN CARROT RED LENTIL SOUP
• INSTAN POT CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

4 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Taco Soup Recipe

By Julia

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 6 hours hrs

Total: 6 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings: 6

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Slow Cooker Taco Soup Recipe will warm you up on a cold night and is a great freezer friendly soup.  Brown the beef, add everything to the crockpot and have a meal on your table at the end of the day. Don't forget to add all of your favorite toppings like cheese, sour cream and cilantro!

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 pound ground beef
• ▢ 1/2 of a small red onion,, diced
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves,, minced
• ▢ 2 teaspoons chili powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sweet paprika {you can use smoky for a smoky flavor}
• ▢ 1 teaspoon oregano
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon cayenne red pepper {optional}
• ▢ 1 – 4 ounce can of diced green chilies
• ▢ 1 -15 ounce can of diced tomatoes {or fire roasted diced tomatoes}
• ▢ 1 – 15 ounce can of black beans,, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1 – 15 ounce can of pinto beans,, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1 – 15 ounce can of corn,, drained
• ▢ 4 cups beef broth {or broth of your choice}
• ▢ Cheese for garnish
• ▢ Fresh cilantro for garnish
• ▢ Green onion for garnish

Instructions 

• In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat.
• Add the garlic and onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add the ground beef and sauté until the beef is browned.
• Drain the fat from the beef and add the beef to the slow cooker.
• Add the red onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, sweet paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, cayenne red pepper, diced green chilies, tomatoes, black beans, pinto beans, corn and beef broth. Mix well until combined.
• Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.
• Serve warm with cheese, cilantro and green onion.

Notes

• Storage: This soup makes great leftovers. I actually think the leftovers taste even better than the first day that I eat it. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Slowly warm the soup back up on the stove or in the microwave.
• To Freeze: You can freeze the soup also. Make sure to completely cool the soup then freeze in an airtight container for up to three months. When you are ready to eat the soup thaw in the fridge overnight and then heat.

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