This 30-minute taco soup recipe is loaded with ground beef, flavorful taco spices, corn, beans, and has a completely irresistible creamy broth! It's quick and easy to make.
If you like these flavors, you may also enjoy my Easy Chicken Taco Soup or Simple Taco Seasoning Recipe next.
Why you'll love it
This creamy beef taco soup comes together easily and there isn't too much preparation needed, making it great for busy weeknights. Everyone can choose their own toppings, so it's sure to be a hit in your family. You get all the best taco vibes! I know there are a LOT of versions out there, but I think you'll like my taco soup recipe with a creamy twist the best.
This is easily my favorite taco soup recipe that I've made so far. Adding cream cheese to soup gives the perfect amount of tanginess and creaminess! As the air begins to get a chill, I find myself turning to this soup for taco night instead of actual tacos. It's just so warming and cozy for soup season.
What you'll need
- Ground beef - I like to use at least 90% lean
- Red bell pepper - it adds a touch of veggie sweetness
- Rotel tomatoes - grab a can of these tomatoes with mild green chilies
- Chicken broth - to start the base of the soup off right
- Seasoning - my homemade taco seasoning blend for this soup has garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder
- Corn and black beans - I keep cans of them in my pantry at all times for this soup since they're so convenient
- Cream cheese - for that creamy, luscious quality. Philadelphia is my go-to. I suggest taking the cream cheese out of the fridge to let it soften up ASAP. It takes a lot longer for it to incorporate into the soup when it goes in cold.
Taco soup toppings
- For an irresistible crunch, try tortilla strips or chips.
- Some of my go-to fresh toppings include diced avocado, scallions, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
- You can't go wrong with cheese. Cheddar or a Tex-Mex blend is my recommendation!
How to make taco soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Brown the beef in a large soup pot. Drain the excess fat if there's any. Add all the ingredients apart from the cream cheese and salt & pepper. Bring it to a boil, and then simmer gently. Prep your toppings.
Cut the cream cheese into smaller pieces and add it into the soup. Stir it in until completely melted. Season with salt & pepper, portion it out, and add the toppings!
Substitutions and variations
- This soup isn't spicy if you use mild Rotel tomatoes with green chilies. You can buy the spicy kind or add some cayenne pepper if you want to make this a spicy taco soup, though.
- Our kitchen recommends trying the homemade seasoning blend, but you could swap out a packet of premade taco seasoning in a pinch. Just keep in mind those normally already contain salt.
- You can use beef broth if that's all you've got, but the soup will turn out a darker color. Low-sodium broth is fine as well.
- If using regular diced tomatoes rather than Rotel, I suggest adding a can of diced green chilies to the soup because they add a ton of flavor. You can buy mild ones if you don't like spice.
What to serve with creamy taco soup
- Along with all the suggested toppings above, it's a complete meal on its own! A dinner roll or a slice of crusty bread would be a welcome addition, though.
- If you're making it for taco night, you can't go wrong with chips and Homemade Guacamole for the table.
- Craving soup and salad? Try mixed greens with my Chipotle Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing, or make this delicious Black Bean Corn Avocado Salad with Rice.
Leftovers and storage
- Any leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
- Warm them up in a pot over a low heat and slowly, giving it a stir every so often.
- This isn't a soup that freezes great because of the cream cheese. It can get grainy when reheated. If you do want to make it ahead and freeze it, I suggest adding the cream cheese after it's thawed.
Will you give this simple taco soup recipe a try? Questions? Ask me in the comments below, and I'd love it if you left a review! You can also tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram.
Creamy Taco Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 red bell pepper chopped
- 2 (10 fluid ounce) cans Ro-tel diced tomatoes & green chilies with juices
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 (12 fluid ounce) can corn drained
- 1 (15 fluid ounce) can black beans drained & rinsed
- 1 (8 ounce) block of cream cheese (I used Philly)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Toppings (optional): grated cheddar, avocado, cilantro, tortilla strips, etc.
Instructions
- Take the cream cheese out of the fridge an hour or more prior to starting the recipe to let it soften up, or microwave it for 20-30 seconds.
- Add the ground beef to a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef, and if there's excess fat, spoon most of it out.
- Add all the ingredients to the pot except for the cream cheese and salt & pepper.
- Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Turn down the heat so it's simmering gently for 8 minutes. While the soup cooks, prep your toppings.
- Cut the cream cheese into smaller pieces and add it to the soup. Let it melt in (you may have to stir it a fair bit until it's fully dissolved). Season the soup with salt & pepper and serve with toppings as desired.
Notes
- You can use beef broth instead of chicken broth if you don't mind the soup being a darker color. If you have any concerns with salt, use low-salt broth.
- If you want to make this soup spicy, add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- If you're not using Rotel diced tomatoes, you can use regular ones, but I suggest adding a can or two of diced green chilies as well (the 4 oz. size ones) since it really makes a difference in the way the soup tastes.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on September 24, 2019. It's been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
Kimberly W says
Very tasty and souper easy! I couldn’t resist the pun.
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
We love a good pun. So happy you enjoyed the recipe, Kimberly!
Caroline says
Soup was soooo good!
I know the creaminess comes from the cream cheese primarily but for anyone with dietary restrictions like me.. I subbed it for a thick non fat plain Greek yogurt and it was so yummy!
Thanks for a great recipe!
Natasha says
Thank you!
Jill says
Entire family loved this soup! Can’t wait to make it again.
Natasha says
I'm thrilled to hear that, Jill! Appreciate your review. 😀
Joni says
One of our staples in my house.
We love it. And it’s so easy.
Question- says 6 servings? Is that at 1 cup?
Natasha says
Hi Joni! So happy to hear that! 🙂 Re: serving size, it's calculated automatically from a database of ingredients, and it's meant to be an estimate. I don't know what 1/6 of the recipe works out to in cups/oz/etc - sorry.
Madelaine says
We only had to make this once for it to become a family fav! So easy, so flavorful, and makes for the perfect leftover meal the next day. We only use one can of Rotel tomatoes and it tastes great!
Natasha says
I'm so glad it's a hit!
JW says
Delicious!! My family loved!!! Only thing I changed was I used ground Turkey instead of ground beef!!! Definitely will make again.
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
That's wonderful to hear!
Pati Castillo says
I am making this for dinner tonight, and I expect leftovers, we usually do. I have been freezing the leftovers because I have an upcoming knee surgery and after I won't be able to cook for a while. I'm wondering if this freezes well? I have frozen lots of other soups but have read online that dairy doesn't freeze well, like turns grainy or splits. Have you frozen this one? Thanks in advance, and we're sure to love this recipe!
Natasha says
Hi! There's a section in the blog post that talks about freezing it under the "leftovers and storage" section. Hope you enjoy the soup, Pati! 🙂
Tracy Roche says
This is an excellent Creamy, robust & delicious soup! My husband raved, it’s a keeper and somehow it tasted better the next day! Thank you for sharing such a lovely recipe.
Natasha says
Fantastic!! You're very welcome! 😀
Mayra Flores says
Can the ground beef be substituted with chicken? I saw that there is another recipe for creamy chicken soup but I already have everything needed for this one and it also seems easy enough. I just rather chicken instead of beef?
Natasha says
You could!
Heather H says
This was sooooo easy and very delicious. Added some cheese, sour cream, avocado and hot sauce and it was perfect. Thank you for another great recipe!
Natasha says
You're very welcome, Heather!! 🙂