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Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Slow Cooker Taco Soup with tender ground beef and a deeply flavored, lightly thickened broth made from Rotel tomatoes, beans, and corn. Cook low for 6-8 hours, then load each bowl with cheddar, sour cream, and crunchy tortilla chips.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 470
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Base soup
  • 1 lb ground beef Brown thoroughly and drain excess fat.
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans Drained before adding to the slow cooker.
  • 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans Drained before adding to the slow cooker.
  • 1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn Drained before adding to the slow cooker.
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes Includes tomatoes and green chiles.
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes Use the canned diced style.
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch dressing mix
  • 3 cup beef broth Add as directed; use extra if soup thickens too much.
  • 0.5 onion Diced.
  • 3 garlic Minced (about 3 cloves).
Toppings
  • 1 shredded cheddar For serving.
  • 1 sour cream For serving.
  • 1 tortilla chips For serving; pile on top.
  • 1 jalapeños For serving.
  • 1 green onions For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown beef
  1. Brown the ground beef in a cast iron skillet until no longer pink, then drain excess fat and add it to the slow cooker.
  2. Let the slow cooker contents settle briefly so the browned beef distributes evenly before adding the rest of the ingredients.
Build the soup
  1. Add the black beans, kidney beans, whole kernel corn, Rotel tomatoes, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, ranch dressing mix, beef broth, diced onion, and minced garlic to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
  2. Press down any ingredients that float so they’re submerged in the broth for even flavor.
Slow cook
  1. Cook on Low for 6-8 hours, keeping the lid closed to maintain heat.
  2. For faster cooking, cook on High for 3-4 hours instead, without lifting the lid during the cook time.
Finish and serve
  1. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning; if it thickens too much, add more beef broth to reach your preferred consistency.
  2. Serve hot and load each bowl with shredded cheddar, sour cream, tortilla chips, jalapeños, and green onions.

Notes

For best texture, keep the lid on during the full Low or High cook so the broth develops and beans soften evenly. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months (leave toppings off until reheating). For a lighter option, swap in low-sodium beef broth and use reduced-fat sour cream.