Crockpot Taco Soup {+Stovetop Instructions}

Crockpot Taco Soup is loaded with flavor! It's like having a taco in a bowl – you can make it on the stovetop or in the slow cooker!

What is the difference between chili and taco soup?

Who doesn’t love tacos? Well, now you can enjoy your taco in a bowl! Like most Crockpot recipes, this soup is super simple to make – just brown some ground beef, dump in black beans, diced tomatoes and corn and then load your bowl up with your favorite taco toppings, like sour cream, avocadoes and cheese!

If you love chili and tacos, then you’ll love taco soup! The main difference is the addition of the broth (or a substitute liquid) which makes this a soup instead of a chili.

Ingredients in taco soup

 Most of the ingredients in crockpot taco soup should be things you already have in your refrigerator of pantry:

• Extra-lean ground beef
• Yellow onions,
• Garlic cloves
• Taco seasoning
• Lime juice
• Frozen corn
• Black beans
• Green chilies
• Diced tomatoes or jarred salsa
• Beef broth 

How to make taco soup

This soup is one of the easiest out there! You technically don't have to brown your meat ahead of time as it will cook fully in the crockpot, but it will help the shape and texture of your ground beef if you brown it slightly ahead of time. Here are the full instructions:

1. Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the beef and remaining ingredients (except for toppings) to the crockpot.
3. Cook the soup on high for 4 hours, or on low for 8 hours.
4. Serve soup in bowls with preferred toppings.

Making crockpot taco soup on the stovetop

If you don’t have a Crockpot, you can still enjoy this soup by making it on the stovetop! Here are the instructions:

1. Brown ground beef and onions in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the taco seasoning and beef broth to the pot and stir until combined.
3. Add the remaining ingredients (except for toppings) to the pot.
4. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to low, partially cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Serve taco soup in bowls with preferred toppings.

Ingredient substitutions

If you’re missing any of the ingredients or want to make some substitutions, go ahead! Feel free to experiment with this recipe and make it your own.

Here are some ideas for additions or substitutions:

• Add some chickpeas for extra protein and fiber
• If you don’t have yellow onions, you can use red onions instead
• Use fresh ingredients (like fresh corn or tomatoes) instead of frozen or canned
• Use chicken or vegetable broth instead of beef broth
• Add in other vegetables, like bell peppers and zucchini
• Add in other hearty beans, like kidney beans
• For olive lovers, toss in some black or green olives
• If you want to want to make this into a vegetarian soup, use your favorite meat substitute instead of the beef and use vegetable broth instead of the beef broth

Topping ideas

You can really make the soup your own by playing around with the toppings. Why not offer bowls of different toppings and let your family and dinner guests top their own bowls? They’ll love being able to customize their soup!

Some popular toppings:

• Tortilla chips
• Red onion
• Avocado
• Green onion
• Sour cream
• Cheese
• Cilantro
• Lime wedges
• Jalapeños

Storing, reheating and freezing

If you have leftover taco soup, then you can store the soup (separate from toppings) in the refrigerator for up to five days and microwave individual portions for 1-2 minutes. If you need to keep it for longer than that, I would recommend freezing it.

To freeze the slow cooker taco soup:

1. Divide the leftover soup (without toppings) into individual or family sized portions and place them into airtight freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags.
2. If using freezer bags, lay them on their side until they have frozen solid. Once frozen, you can stand them up to save space in the freezer.
3. The soup can be kept in the freezer for up to three months.

To reheat the soup:

1. Place the frozen soup into the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
2. Reheat on the taco soup on low in the microwave or in a large saucepan on medium heat, stirring often.
3. Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

You can also reheat individual portions of the soup in the microwave from frozen for 6-7 minutes in the microwave, stirring halfway through.

More crockpot soup recipes

Crockpot soups are absolutely perfect for busy weeknights and cozy weekend evenings, especially during the Fall and Winter months. If you enjoyed this Crockpot Taco Soup, then check out some of my other popular Crockpot soup recipes!

• Crockpot white chicken chili
• Crockpot chicken tortilla soup
• Crockpot chicken noodle soup

Meal prep tools for this recipe

• Use these Ziploc bag holders if you're packing up the leftover soup in freezer-safe bags to freeze it
• Freeze or refrigerate this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls for up to 3 months