low-effort recipe for slow-cooked taco soup is made with cooked and shredded ground beef, canned black beans, and pinto beans, plus frozen corn (or fresh corn if you have it), so this recipe requires minimal preparation time. It’s an excellent weekday meal that’s super filling, Plentiful and tasty!
About this slow cooker taco soup recipe
We’re big fans of simple slow cooker meals around here, especially the cozy and comforting soup and stew recipes
. This easy taco soup recipe is a particular favorite,
due to the fact that it’s easy to prepare and is always a crowd favorite! This particular beef
taco soup recipe
was inspired by The Pioneer Woman’s Taco Soup, which I adapted to be made in the slow cooker so you can cook low and slow all day. I also love making this taco
soup with black beans in the slow cooker because it’s largely hands-free. which makes it perfect for busy weeknights, game days, parties and more.
The ground beef makes this a recipe you’ll come back to again, much like this slow-cooked hamburger soup recipe.
With a few tweaks, I also made this a healthy slow-cook taco soup by decreasing the amount of beef, increasing vegetables (much like this slow-cooking vegetable soup full of vegetables), and skipping the taco seasoning package.
Instead of the package, we are making our own healthy mix of taco seasoning spices with soft chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and smoked paprika.
It’s so tasty and easy (much like this clay pot shredded chicken omelette soup), I promise you won’t miss out on store-bought stuff!
Along with its canned tomato sauce, black beans and pintos, diced tomatoes, and soft diced green chiles, it makes an incredibly delicious and easy soup that will keep everyone running back to the kitchen for seconds.
Tip: The best part is that this recipe makes six servings, so there may be leftovers for you to enjoy for easy lunches or dinners the rest of the week.
Process and tips
Once you sauté the ground beef and onions and add everything to your slow cooker, this is
a hands-off recipe.
Just cover up, set the timer and walk away
.
And before you know it, you’ll have a super tasty homemade clay pot taco soup recipe that’s full of hearty beans, ground beef, and a rich tomato broth
.
Don’t panic when you see that the ingredient list includes diced green chili peppers.
Most of the heat is cooked out of them and results in a fairly smooth soup, making it a hit with almost anyone.
But if you are sensitive to heat you can omit green chilies.
On the other hand, if you want it more spicy, you can use hot green peppers instead of regular ones and add hot sauce at the end.
Tips: It’s totally up to you if you want to cook it on the high or low slow cooker setting! I’ve included instructions for both below to keep your options open in busy weeks.
Ingredients and substitution suggestions
Ground beef
: I used lean grass-fed and ground beef for this recipe, but I could also use regular ground beef. Be sure to drain excess fat before adding it to your slow cooker for best results.
Canned beans: I used a combination of black beans and pinto beans. But you could use any combination you want. For example, all black beans or all pinto beans.
Chicken broth
: You can substitute chicken bone broth or homemade chicken broth for a richer flavor. You can also swap meat broth instead.
Tomato sauce: An excellent and versatile ingredient to keep in your pantry! This helps create the rich-tasting tomato broth that is the basis of this soup.
Onion: Sautéed onions add a lot of flavor to homemade soups. But if you don’t like or can’t eat onions, feel free to omit them in this recipe.
Corn: Fresh or frozen corn will work great in this recipe. If you use frozen corn, be sure to thaw it before adding it to your slow cooker.
Soft chili powder
: Since we’re skipping the taco seasoning package here, chili powder (along with garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cumin) is the basis for making ours. Soft chili powder doesn’t add much heat to your recipe, but it does add a lot of flavor.
Olive oil
: I like the taste of olive oil better in this recipe. But any neutral oil will work in this soup, such as avocado oil, vegetable oil, or canola.
Cuveted tomatoes with green chilies
: Cuveted tomatoes with green chili peppers are another favorite pantry staple. They add great depth of flavor to homemade soups.
Green chiles cut into cubes: This soup is very soft as is. But if you want it hotter, use hot green chiles instead of soft diced green chiles.
Lemon juice: I love the taste of fresh lemon juice with these ingredients. But you can also use fresh lemon juice instead.
Kosher salt: Look for kosher salt with regular iodized salt at the grocery store (it has a more subtle flavor). Use less iodized salt if that’s what you have on hand.
What to serve with Crock Pot taco soup
A hot tortilla or crispy corn chips on the side for dipping
.
With a mixed vegetable salad mixed mixed with our avocado vinaigrette or Chipotle honey vinaigrette.
A bowl of cornbread muffins
Creamy cabbage salad
tip : Get creative with your ingredients! Think avocado, sour cream (traditional or dairy-free), chopped onion, cilantro, fresh lemon juice, jalapeños, hot sauce, Monterey jack cheese, or dairy-free cheese chunks.
How to Store and Freeze
Leftover Slow Cook
Taco Soup This is one of
those soups that tastes even better the next day, and leftovers make for a great lunch!
It keeps well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, in a sealed container.
This meat taco soup recipe also freezes beautifully, either in a gallon ziplock bag, or individually in mason jars.
You can store it in a sealed container for freezing for up to 2-3 months.
This recipe is…
Dairy-freeGluten-freeNo nuts
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