Crock Pot Taco Soup With Ground Beef and Beans

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 08/3/21
Taco soup
Diana Rattray
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 6 hrs
Total: 6 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 10 servings

This crock pot taco soup a simple combination of ground beef, beans, corn, and tomatoes, and it makes enough for 10 to 12 people. We like to add onion and garlic to our taco soup, but the original recipe does not include them. The Rotel tomatoes add heat but feel free to add some chopped jalapeno peppers or mild chile peppers to jazz it up even more. 

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground beef

  • 1 cup chopped onion, optional

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans Ranch-style beans or chili beans

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans whole kernel corn, drained

  • 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, chopped

  • 1 (10-ounce) can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles

  • 1 packet Ranch-style dressing mix

  • 1 packet taco seasoning

  • Shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish

  • Tortilla strips, optional

  • Cilantro leaves, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the ground beef and onions, if using. Cook, stirring and breaking up until the onion is tender and the beef is no longer pink. 

  2. Drain the ground beef mixture and transfer to the slow cooker crockery insert. Add the garlic, if using, along with the beans, corn, stewed tomatoes, tomatoes with green chiles, dressing mix, and the taco seasoning.

  3. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.

  4. Garnish with shredded cheese, along with cilantro leaves and crumbled purchased tortilla chips or homemade tortilla strips, if desired. 

Tips

  • If you don't have chili beans or Ranch-Style beans, it's easy to make a substitute. Use 2 cans of pinto beans, 1 tablespoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of oregano.
  • Homemade Tortilla Strips - Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut 8 to 10 corn tortillas into thin strips. Heat about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a deep skillet. Fry the tortilla strips until crispy. With a slotted spoon, remove the tortilla strips to paper towels or brown paper to drain. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and use to garnish servings of tortilla soup.

Recipe Variations

  • Use spicy pepper jack cheese as a garnish for the soup.
  • To replace the Ro-Tel tomatoes, use a 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes and a small can of mild chopped chili peppers or a few tablespoons of minced jalapeño peppers.
  • Serve the soup with lime wedges and a dollop of sour cream or guacamole.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
466 Calories
19g Fat
42g Carbs
34g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 466
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 24%
Saturated Fat 7g 34%
Cholesterol 84mg 28%
Sodium 1326mg 58%
Total Carbohydrate 42g 15%
Dietary Fiber 7g 26%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 34g
Vitamin C 17mg 84%
Calcium 118mg 9%
Iron 6mg 33%
Potassium 1216mg 26%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)