Creamy Taco Soup (Printable Version)

Rich soup loaded with ground beef, beans, corn, and taco spices in a velvety cream base.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
06 - 1 can (14 ounces) sweet corn, drained
07 - 1 can (14 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 2 green onions, sliced for garnish

→ Dairy

09 - ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
10 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese plus additional for garnish

→ Liquids

11 - 3 cups chicken or beef broth

→ Seasonings

12 - 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - ½ teaspoon chili powder
16 - ½ teaspoon salt
17 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional Toppings

18 - Sour cream
19 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
20 - Crushed tortilla chips
21 - Lime wedges
22 - Avocado slices

# How-To:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat until browned and crumbly, approximately 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add the diced onion, garlic, and bell pepper to the pot. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
03 - Stir in the taco seasoning, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute until the spices become fragrant and the mixture darkens slightly.
04 - Add the diced tomatoes with their juice, corn, black beans, and broth. Stir well to combine and bring to a gentle boil.
05 - Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking and flavor development.
06 - Lower the heat to low, then stir in the heavy cream and shredded cheddar cheese. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted and the soup reaches a creamy consistency. Do not allow the soup to boil after adding the cream.
07 - Adjust seasoning to taste if needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with green onions, additional cheese, and desired toppings. Serve immediately with warm crusty bread or tortilla chips.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours cooking when you've actually only been in the kitchen for 45 minutes.
  • The creamy texture with all those savory taco flavors hits that sweet spot between comfort food and something you'd actually want to eat on a regular Tuesday.
  • You can easily stretch it to feed more people or customize the heat level depending on who's eating it.
02 -
  • Never boil the soup after you add cream—it will separate and look grainy instead of silky, and no amount of stirring will fix it.
  • Rinsing the canned beans actually matters; it removes excess starch and sodium that can make the soup taste metallic if you skip this step.
03 -
  • If your cheddar isn't melting smoothly into the cream, shred it finely and add it slowly while stirring constantly—this helps it incorporate without becoming clumpy.
  • Taste the soup before you add the cream and adjust your spices then, because cream mutes flavors slightly and you want the taco seasoning to shine through.
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