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Home » Food » Taco Soup (Instant Pot, Slow Cooker or Stovetop)

Taco Soup (Instant Pot, Slow Cooker or Stovetop)

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Taco Soup

Taco soup is a delicious and easy family favorite, and you can make it in the Instant Pot, slow cooker or on the stove top.

taco soup with cheese and green onion marble counter

I have made taco soup in the slow cooker and on the stovetop for years. I just recently made it in my Instant Pot (Amazon affiliate), and it was a hit!

ladling taco soup out of stainless pot

If you haven’t jumped on the Instant Pot bandwagon yet, see my full Instant Pot review here. There are pros and cons, but overall I have loved mine!💞 

But back to this taco soup! No worries if you don’t have an Instant Pot because I include instructions for stovetop and slow cooker taco soup as well.👌🏻

closeup taco soup in white bowl with cheese

All the well-known TV cooks have their own version of taco soup: Pioneer Woman, Paula Deen, etc. Well, this is my version.😉👌🏻

It is super easy to make, and it is one of our go-to family dinners – especially perfect for football-watching food. 🏈🙌🏻 And much like any soup or chili, I think it is even better leftover.

Use quality ingredients

If you want the soup to taste best, use the best quality ingredients you can find.

ground beef, salsa, cumin, chili powder, beans and tomatoes on marble counter

We love ButcherBox ground beef. I am an affiliate, but I purchase a box each month. We try to go organic with most of our ingredients, but we are not perfect or stressful about it over here.

Seasoning taco soup

I give you options here, people. This is a diverse audience with many different needs and preferences.

Homemade Seasoning

If you love homemade seasoning, (Hi! That’s me.🙋🏼‍♀️) then you will be so happy to know that I season this with a few simple pantry ingredients to make my own homemade seasoning. It is an offshoot of my homemade taco seasoning, which I use to make ground beef tacos, chicken fajitas, beef nachos supreme and so many other things!

Homemade taco seasoning is such a versatile seasoning, perfect for tacos, nachos and so much more! Plus, it's easy to make from scratch with a few pantry staples. | APinchOfHealthy.com

Clearly we like TexMex and Mexican food at our house. 😍👌🏻 But I digress.

Taco Seasoning Packet

But, hey, what if you are one of those people who just needs convenience and speed to get dinner on the table? I see you, friend. 😎👊🏻

Sometimes life is hard, and you just need a short cut. You might prefer to use one of those pre-made taco seasoning packets. I’ve got you covered. I made this for years with a packet of taco seasoning before I learned to season it myself. So by all means, please feel free to do that in place of my seasoning blend.

Ranch Packet

If you are all about tons of flavor, I know lots of people who also make taco soup with a ranch packet as well (in addition to the taco seasoning). We don’t do that over here, but feel free to try it.

The only thing I would suggest is to check the salt content of your packet first to make sure you don’t over-salt.

Can I freeze it?

Yes! This soup freeze’s beautifully. I would estimate it would be good for one to two months, possible more in a well-sealed, freezer-safe container.

How big of a batch does it make?

This makes a fairly big batch. It should easily feed 6 people, and possibly up to 8. And if you are feeding fewer than that, the leftovers are delicious too, of course. They will last in the fridge for about 5 days in well-sealed container.

Sometimes double this in my crock pot to have extra to freeze. I have a really large one, so make sure the capacity is big before you try that. Heads up: I would not recommend doubling this recipe in the Instant Pot. The pot will get too full and may not come to pressure.

Toppings for taco soup

Also, I am alllllll about some great toppings on soup.😋👌🏻 And the options are endless here. I showed mine here with a side of tortilla chips, plus some chopped green onions and a sprinkle of cheese. Maybe a dollop of sour cream never hurt anything either.🙃

sour cream on taco soup

Some people fry up little tortilla strips. We are perfectly content to open a bag of tortilla chips over here. But if you want to make your own, knock yourself out!👊🏻

Other fun options: diced avocado, cilantro, guacamole, jalapeños…the possibilities are endless!

Another easy side item to make with this is my southern skillet corn bread. 👌🏻😋

Tools Used to Make Taco Soup

This post may contain affiliate links, which pay a referral fee to me at no additional cost to you. My full affiliate disclosure can be seen here.

  • Instant Pot, slow cooker or large pot like this enameled cast iron dutch oven.
  • Knife
  • Cutting board
  • Measuring spoons and cups
  • Can opener

Taco Soup Recipe (Instant Pot, Slow Cooker OR Stovetop)

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taco soup with cheese and green onion marble counter
5 from 5 votes
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Taco Soup (Instant Pot, slow cooker or stovetop)

Taco soup is a delicious and easy family favorite, and you can make it in the Instant Pot, slow cooker or on the stove top.
Course Soup
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword instant pot, taco soup
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8
Calories 334 kcal
Author Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy

Ingredients

  • cooking spray
  • 1.25 pounds ground beef (anywhere from 1 lb-1.5 lbs will work)
  • 1 onion, diced (I used yellow onion)
  • 2 cup corn kernels (I used frozen, but fresh is fine too)
  • 1 10-ounce can Ro'tele tomatoes with green chilis, undrained
  • 1 16-ounce jar of mild salsa
  • 1 14-ounce can pinto beans, undrained
  • 1 14-ounce can black beans, undrained
  • 1.5 cups water

Seasoning (you can substitute a packet of taco seasoning)

  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or more to taste)

Instructions

Instant Pot

  1. Spray the inner pot with some cooking spray.

  2. Using the sauté mode (medium), brown the ground beef and onions until fully cooked, about 7 to 8 minutes.

  3. Drain the fat off beef, if desired, and return to pot. (I have skipped this step if I have used leaner meat or grass-fed beef).

  4. Add the remaining ingredients, and place the lid on, lock it.

  5. Cook on manual high pressure for 12 minutes. (Note: it will take a while to get up to pressure)

  6. Allow the pot to depressurize naturally, indicated by the pressure indicator pin drop. (not using the quick presser release lever - mine took about 25 minutes to fully release).

Stovetop

  1. Spray a large pot or dutch over with some cooking spray.

  2. Brown the beef and onions over medium high heat until fully cooked, about 7 to 8 minutes.

  3. Drain excess fat, if desired, and return to pot. (I have skipped this step if I have used leaner meat or grass-fed beef).

  4. Add seasoning and water to the meat and stir to combine.

  5. Add remaining ingredients, and stir to combine.

  6. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours partially covered, stirring ocassionally to prevent scorching. (Note: you may see more evaporation of liquids with the stovetop method. Keep and eye on it, and feel free to add a little extra water (1/2 cup to 1 cup), if needed.

Slow Cooker

  1. Using a stovetop pot or pan sprayed with cooking spray, and brown the ground beef and onions on the stovetop over medium high heat.

  2. Drain excess fat, if desired. (I have skipped this step if I have used leaner meat or grass-fed beef).

  3. Add to slow cooker, along with all other ingredients, stirring to combine.

  4. Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 8 hours. (This may vary slightly if your slow cooker temperature differs from mine).

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.

I would not recommend doubling this in the Instant Pot due to it making too full of a pot. It may not come to pressure. I have doubled this in a large stockpot on my stove, or in my (large capacity) slow cooker.

You can freeze this up to a couple months in an airtight container. It will last in the fridge up to 5 days.

Feel free to sub out my homemade seasoning blend with a packet of taco seasoning if you need a little added convenience.

Nutrition Facts
Taco Soup (Instant Pot, slow cooker or stovetop)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 334 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 50mg17%
Sodium 1017mg44%
Potassium 818mg23%
Carbohydrates 30g10%
Fiber 8g33%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 20g40%
Vitamin A 550IU11%
Vitamin C 7.8mg9%
Calcium 96mg10%
Iron 4.4mg24%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This post originally appeared on A Pinch of Healthy October 2, 2017. It was recently updated with new photos. Here is what it used to look like.

Taco soup is with hand sprinkling cheese on top

(Visited 57,818 times, 5 visits today)

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2369 shares
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Niki Hogue says

    October 10, 2022 at 1:02 pm

    5 stars
    This quickly became a family favorite and it stays in the rotation all winter long. It’s a great dinner for a cold winter night, very filling, warm and tasty!

    Reply
    • Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says

      October 17, 2022 at 8:49 am

      Yay Niki!❤️ So glad to hear it. Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback.

      Reply
  2. Teresa says

    October 17, 2021 at 11:55 am

    5 stars
    So easy to make and so delicious! Thanks for the recipe 🙂

    Reply
    • Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says

      October 22, 2021 at 7:02 am

      I am so glad you enjoyed it, Teresa!❤️

      Reply
  3. Cat says

    August 7, 2020 at 5:06 pm

    5 stars
    Made these today for refried beans. In a word, delicious. I did add dehydrated onion & garlic, along with cumin & chili powder. Next time, and there will definitely be a next time, I will reduce the water by about a cup or so. I had to scoop out about a cup & a half before using my immersion blender to mash them to a lumpy consistency.

    Reply
    • Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says

      August 12, 2020 at 10:09 am

      I am so glad you enjoyed it, Cat! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. 💖

      Reply
  4. Christy says

    October 22, 2018 at 10:43 am

    5 stars
    We have enjoyed this recipe so very much! Dad and I love when you make this when we come to visit.

    Reply
  5. AP says

    January 30, 2018 at 7:19 pm

    5 stars
    This was perfect in the Instant Pot, Marjorie! I would note that the 2 cups of corn kernels = 1 12 oz. pkg. of frozen corn. Also, since you wrote that a packet of taco seasoning could be substituted for all of the spices, I added 6 tablespoons of Ortega 40% less sodium Taco Seasoning Mix. Oh, wow…this is as good as any taco soup we’ve ever had in a restaurant…and we live in Texas! Thank you, thank you!!

    Reply
    • Marjorie@APinchOfHealthy says

      January 30, 2018 at 8:37 pm

      Yaaaay!👏🏻🙌🏻👊🏻 I am so happy that it turned out delicious for you. And it means an extra lot coming from a Texan. 😉🤗 Hugs and high fives to you.

      Reply
  6. Joan Osborne says

    January 8, 2018 at 7:26 am

    I have been making taco junk in my slow cooker for years. This recipe is very similar to that. I added a packet of dry ranch dressing to this one since I love that in the taco junk. My beans must not have contained enough liquid since I got a burn notice on my instant pot while coming to pressure. I hit cancel and scraped the bottom of the pot. Then added a half cup of warm water and continued with the recipe and it came out perfect. Yummy on a cold winter night. We ate with some toppings, Mexican Cheese blend, sour cream, diced tomatoes, green onions and tortilla chips.

    Reply

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I am a home cook, recipe developer, coffee drinker, wife and mom of two. My recipes are simple and tasty. I enjoy lots of fresh, healthy food, plus full treats without guilt. Thanks so much for stopping by! Read more here.

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