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Crockpot Taco Soup

Crockpot taco soup with deeply flavored Tex-Mex broth, beans, corn, and tomatoes cooked low for hours until thick and hearty. Serve it loaded with cheddar, sour cream, tortilla chips, and jalapeños for a crowd-ready bowl.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crockpot taco soup base
  • 1 lb ground beef Brown and drain before adding to the slow cooker.
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans Drain well.
  • 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans Drain well.
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn Drain well.
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch dressing mix
  • 4 cup beef or chicken broth Use as needed to adjust thickness.
Toppings
  • cheddar Shred or use pre-shredded.
  • sour cream
  • tortilla chips Crush lightly or serve whole.
  • green onions Slice.
  • jalapeños Slice, optional heat level.
  • avocado Dice.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown beef and assemble the slow cooker
  1. Brown the ground beef in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until fully cooked, then drain any excess fat. This removes grease so the soup stays thick and flavorful.
  2. Add the browned beef to the Crockpot along with black beans, kidney beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, ranch dressing mix, and beef or chicken broth, then stir to combine. Scrape the bottom so no seasoning pockets remain.
Slow cook
  1. Cook on Low for 6–8 hours, stirring once midway if you can. The soup should look thicker and more cohesive as it cooks.
  2. If cooking on High, cook for 3–4 hours instead. The beans should be tender and the broth should have reduced slightly.
  3. If the soup gets too thick, stir in extra broth as needed and simmer on Low for 10 minutes to re-warm. The texture should be spoonable, not paste-like.
  4. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving, adding more taco seasoning or broth as needed. Make sure the flavor is strong enough to handle the toppings.
Serve with toppings
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with shredded cheddar, sour cream, tortilla chips, sliced green onions, jalapeños, and avocado. Serve immediately so the chips keep their crunch.

Notes

For the best flavor, let the soup sit covered for 10–15 minutes after cooking so the spices meld. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 4 days; freeze for up to 3 months (do not freeze with avocado/sour cream/tortilla chips—add those fresh when reheating). For a lighter option, use lean ground beef or swap in turkey; the soup will still thicken well in the slow cooker.