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Paula Deen Taco Soup

Paula Deen taco soup is a bold, Southern Tex-Mex soup made with browned ground beef, tons of canned beans, and a full trio of ranch and taco seasonings. The soup simmers until thick and hearty, then gets loaded with shredded cheddar, sour cream, and tortilla chips.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Southern Tex-Mex
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef and aromatics
  • 2 lb ground beef
  • 1 onion Large, diced.
Beans, corn, and tomatoes
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans Drained.
  • 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans Drained.
  • 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans Drained.
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn Drained.
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
Seasonings and broth
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch dressing mix Hidden Valley packet-style.
  • 1 packet (1 oz) Hidden Valley original Ranch
  • 4 cup beef broth
Toppings (serve generously)
  • 0.5 cup shredded cheddar For topping.
  • 0.5 cup sour cream For topping.
  • 0.5 cup tortilla chips For topping.
  • 0.25 green onions For topping.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Heat a very large pot over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef with the diced onion, stirring until the meat is browned, 8-10 minutes; drain any excess fat.
  2. Add the black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes, and diced tomatoes along with the taco seasoning, ranch dressing mix, and Hidden Valley original Ranch, then stir to combine.
Simmer until flavors meld
  1. Pour in the beef broth and bring the soup to a boil over high heat.
  2. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the flavors meld and the soup thickens slightly, 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Finish and serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste for a signature bold, well-seasoned Paula Deen-style flavor.
  2. Serve hot with a very generous topping of shredded cheddar, sour cream, and lots of tortilla chips, finished with green onions.

Notes

Pro tip: drain the canned beans and corn well so the soup isn’t watery; if you like it thicker, simmer uncovered for the last 5 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days in a sealed container. Freezing: yes, freeze the soup without toppings for up to 3 months, then reheat and add fresh toppings. If you want a lighter option, use lean ground beef and reduce the topping amount (especially sour cream) to cut calories.