Slow Cooker Taco Soup

A comforting one-pot dish that's ready when you need it.

By
Lisa Lin
Lisa Lin
Lisa Lin
Lisa has been writing and developing recipes for her blog, Healthy Nibbles, for over 6 years. She started writing for Simply Recipes in 2016.
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Updated January 18, 2024
Lisa Lin
Crockpot taco soup made with beans, ground beef, beans, and corn, and topped with tortilla chips, sour cream, and lime wedges.

Simply Recipes / Lisa Lin

This slow cooker taco soup with ground beef is one of my favorite recipes to make in the slow cooker, especially in the fall and winter months.

The soup is so hearty and flavorful, and the beef gets so tender over the long hours of cooking. Let it cook all day and it just gets better.

How to Make Taco Soup

Note that you’ll need a few minutes to brown the beef before putting this soup into the slow cooker. Even briefly browning the beef gives it a better texture and flavor in the finished soup, and it also helps render out some of the fat before it goes into the slow cooker.

Since I'm already browning the meat, I also like to cook the onions a little bit. This draws out their sweet flavor.

One bowl of slow cooker taco soup made with tomatoes, ground beef, corn, and canned beans.

Simply Recipes / Lisa Lin
  • Want to make your beans from scratch? Here's are to make beans on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker.
  • Want more spice? Make this soup more (or less!) spicy by adjusting the amount of chili powder. Start with an extra 1/2 teaspoon and work from there. You can also add a minced jalapeño or other spicy fresh chili.

Make-Ahead Tips

You can brown the meat and onions a day or two ahead and keep them refrigerated until you're ready to make the soup.

What to Serve With Taco Soup

I love serving this soup with crushed tortilla chips for some crunch and also to complete the "taco" part of the soup. Add a healthy dollop of sour cream and it's ready to eat!

Easy Taco Soup in Bowl with Chips and Sour Cream

Simply Recipes / Lisa Lin

Storing and Freezing Taco Soup

  • Make-ahead soup: This soup will last for up to a week in the fridge, so make a big batch for the whole week!
  • Freezing this soup: This soup can also be frozen for up to three months. Reheat it over gentle heat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Wait to add things like tortilla chips and avocado slices until you're ready to serve.

More Slow Cooker Favorites

A bowl of crockpot Taco Soup topped with sour cream and chips

Simply Recipes / Lisa Lin

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 6 hrs 10 mins
Total Time 6 hrs 20 mins
Servings 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 pound (450g) lean ground beef

  • 1 1/2 cups (180g) diced yellow or red onions

  • 2 to 3 cups (475ml to 710ml) chicken or beef stock (use more if you want a thinner soup)

  • 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes

  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles

  • 1 1/4 cups (135g) corn kernels, fresh or frozen

  • 2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • 1 teaspoon salt

To serve:

  • Tortilla chips, lightly crushed, optional

  • Sour cream, optional

  • Chopped cilantro, optional

  • Finely diced or chopped red onion, optional

  • Lime juice

Method

  1. Brown the beef with the onions (can be done a day or two ahead):

    Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add beef and onions and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the ground beef is browned but not completely cooked and the onions are starting to look soft around the edges. Use your spatula to break up the ground beef into smaller pieces as it cooks. Remove from heat and use immediately, or refrigerate for a day or two until needed.

    Brown the beef and the onions for making crockpot taco soup
    Lisa Lin
  2. Combine and cook:

    Combine the browned beef, onions and the remaining soup ingredients in a slow cooker and stir. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours. It's fine if the soup cooks a little longer or the slow cooker switches to the "warm" setting.

    Slow Cooker Taco Soup
    Lisa Lin
  3. Serve the soup:

    Serve soup in bowls and top with crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, cilantro, red onion and lime juice.

    This soup will keep refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.

    Stir together the ingredients for slow cooker taco soup in the crockpot insert
    Lisa Lin
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
448 Calories
17g Fat
37g Carbs
38g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 448
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 21%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 100mg 33%
Sodium 1329mg 58%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 14%
Dietary Fiber 11g 38%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 38g
Vitamin C 41mg 206%
Calcium 109mg 8%
Iron 7mg 36%
Potassium 1079mg 23%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.