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One Pot 30-Minute Taco Soup

One pot 30-minute taco soup with a vibrant orange-red broth, hearty beans, and sweet corn simmered until cohesive. Brown ground beef, simmer with Rotel and tomatoes, then finish with crunchy tortilla chips and melty cheddar.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ground beef or turkey
  • 1 lb ground beef or turkey Drain excess fat after browning.
black beans
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans Drain well.
pinto beans
  • 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans Drain well.
corn
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn Drain well.
Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes
diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
taco seasoning
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
ranch dressing mix
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch dressing mix
beef or chicken broth
  • 3 cup beef or chicken broth
cheddar
  • 0.5 cup cheddar For serving.
sour cream
  • 0.25 cup sour cream For serving.
tortilla chips
  • 2 cup tortilla chips For serving.
jalapeños
  • 2 tbsp jalapeños For serving.
cilantro
  • 2 tbsp cilantro For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the meat
  1. Heat a large pot over high heat and brown the ground beef in a single layer until no longer pink, using a sturdy stir to break it up. Drain excess fat so the soup isn’t greasy.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add black beans, pinto beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, ranch dressing mix, and beef or chicken broth to the same pot, then stir well to combine. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom so they blend into the broth.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. Look for a gently bubbling surface and a cohesive, thickened broth.
  3. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, adding more taco seasoning if you want a stronger taco flavor. Use the spoon to check that beans and corn are warmed through.
Serve
  1. Spoon the taco soup into bowls and serve immediately with cheddar, sour cream, tortilla chips, jalapeños, and cilantro on top. Add chips last so they keep their crunch.

Notes

Pro tip: drain the beef well after browning so the broth stays bright and not oily. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat in a pot over medium until hot. Freezing is okay for up to 2 months, but add toppings after reheating for best texture. For a lighter swap, use ground turkey and reduced-fat cheddar and sour cream.