Crock Pot Taco Soup

This Slow Cooker Taco Soup has layers of flavor, and isn’t just one-note like many other crock pot recipes. Includes variations for large batch, small batch, freezing and stovetop.

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A Cozy Bowl Of Slow Cooker Taco Soup For A Busy Day

If you’ve ever had high hopes for a crockpot soup but have ended up disappointed, we hope you’ll give it just one more try, with this Crockpot Taco Soup.

You see, we’ve been there – disappointed by slow cooker recipes where the finished product has a dull, one-note flavor.

That’s why this recipe begins with browning the beef and onion – an often-skipped step that makes all the difference. Sure, it’s not a “dump recipe” (gross), but taking an extra 15 minutes to make something more flavorful will always be worth it, in our book.

Each bowl is packed with perfectly browned beef, black beans, juicy tomatoes, smoky green chiles and corn, then topped with all the fixings – shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips and more.

Taco Soup Crock Pot Ingredients

A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.

• ground beef – this is the meaty element of the soup, adding protein and texture. We’ve also tested this with ground chicken and ground turkey, and it’s great all ways.
• onion – chopped yellow onion serves as an aromatic base for this soup. White onion or even red onion works as well.
• canned diced tomatoes (and their liquid) – these add vibrant, tangy tomato flavor to the soup liquid.
• black beans (and their liquid) – adds fiber and protein and makes the soup more filling.
• beef broth – this provides most of the liquid base for the soup.
• tomato sauce – this concentrated tomato product helps thicken the soup.
• green chiles (and their liquid) – this bring a mild heat to this dish.
• corn -either frozen or canned corn will work here to add a touch of sweetness and vibrant color.
• taco seasoning mix – this is a convenient blend of various spices such as chili powder, cumin and cayenne for seasoning the soup with classic taco flavor. Store bought is great, or you can make homemade taco seasoning.
• salt and pepper – because seasoning makes all the difference for any soup.
• toppings – let your imagination run wild and add as many of your favorite taco toppings as you would like, but we like chopped red onion, cilantro, lime wedges, shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips. Chopped avocado and thinly sliced green onions are also nice on top.

How To Make Crock Pot Taco Soup

1. BROWN. If you have a slow cooker with a stovetop-safe insert, you can use it to brown the beef for this recipe. If not, just use a large skillet. Cook the beef and onion on the stove until the beef is browned.

2. STIR AND COOK. Add the diced tomatoes, black beans, broth, tomato sauce, green chilies, corn, water, taco seasoning and salt and pepper to the bowl of your slow cooker. Then, drain the excess fat from the beef and stir in the beef. Cover the slow cooker and cook.

3. SERVE. Serve the soup topped with your favorite toppings, like onion, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, cheese, a dollop of sour cream and/or tortilla chips or tortilla strips.

Making Crockpot Taco Soup Recipe On The Stove Instead

If you’d like to make this soup on the stove instead of a slow cooker, you can! Simply brown the beef and onion in a 3 quart or larger pot. Drain the excess fat from the meat, then stir in the remaining soup ingredients.

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes to let all of the flavors come together.

Crockpot Taco Soup Recipe: Large Batch Option

Crock pot taco soup is a great option for parties, potlucks and tailgates. To make a bigger batch (at least 8 servings, but you could stretch it to 10 to 12 if you offer more toppings), double every ingredient in the recipe card below.

When you do this, feel free to substitute one of the cans of black beans for pinto beans or kidney beans, just for a little variation.

Slow Cooker Taco Soup Storage

If you have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container and place them in the fridge uncovered for a few hours until they are fully chilled, then cover them with the lid and keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days. 

Reheat crockpot taco soup on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding broth or water to thin the soup out if necessary.

You can also freeze this slow cooker taco soup. Transfer soup to a freezer-safe container and place it in the fridge uncovered for a few hours until it is fully chilled, then cover it with the lid, transfer it to the freezer and keep in the freezer up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.