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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.

a bowl of creamy taco soup with a spoon

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.
ingredients for taco soup on a countertop

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.

cooking ground beef in a soup pot and adding in corn, broth, and beans

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.

adding cream cheese to a pot of creamy taco soup

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

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.
a ladle of creamy taco soup

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.

a bowl of creamy taco soup with a spoon
4.99 from 114 votes

Creamy Taco Soup

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.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 (10 ounce) cans Ro-tel diced tomatoes & green chilies with juices
  • 1 (14 ounce) can black beans drained & rinsed
  • 1 (12 ounce) can corn drained
  • 1/2 red bell pepper chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (I used Philly) softened, see note
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Toppings (optional): grated cheddar, avocado, cilantro, tortilla strips, etc.

Instructions 

  • Add the ground beef to a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown it, breaking it up with your spoon as you go along, for about 10 minutes. If there's excess fat, spoon most of it out.
  • Add the remaining 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, uncovered, 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

  • The cream cheese for this recipe should be super soft so it melts into the soup easily. I recommend taking it out of the fridge prior to starting the recipe and then microwaving it in 20-30 second intervals until it’s very soft.
  • 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 370kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 88mg, Sodium: 1118mg, Potassium: 823mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 993IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 111mg, Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.

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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!


Hi! I’m Natasha.

Salt & Lavender is a recipe blog with a focus on delicious comfort food using everyday ingredients. Beat the weekday grind with hundreds of easy-to-follow and hassle-free recipes!

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315 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Excellent! My husband said, “That’s one of the best soups you’ve made in the 37 years we’ve been married.” It is a real winner!

  2. I can’t wait to make this soup. With the leftover soup I’m going to use it for a sauce for some enchiladas. This way it will make two great meals❤️

  3. 5 stars
    15/10! We love this soup! It’s a huge hit when my college kids are home. I double it so there’s plenty for them to reheat at midnight or when they wake up the next day at 2pm. :)) Family fave!

  4. 5 stars
    This soup is very flavorful & has made its way into my regular soup rotation. I use fire roasted Rotel for a little extra flavor. Always gets rave reviews if I can get myself to share!

  5. 5 stars
    Excellent soup! Have made this numerous times and my husband and kids raved! It’s now on our weekly rotation of favorite soups.