Creamy Taco Soup (Printable)

A rich, comforting soup with bold taco flavors, creamy texture, and hearty ingredients—perfect for cold winter nights.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
06 - 1 can (14 ounces) sweet corn, drained
07 - 1 can (14 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 2 green onions, sliced for garnish

→ Dairy

09 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
10 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus additional for garnish

→ Liquids

11 - 3 cups chicken or beef broth

→ Spices and Seasonings

12 - 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional Toppings

18 - Sour cream
19 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
20 - Crushed tortilla chips
21 - Lime wedges
22 - Avocado slices

# How-To:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat until browned and crumbly. Drain excess fat if needed.
02 - Add the diced onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in the taco seasoning, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add the diced tomatoes with their juice, corn, black beans, and broth. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil.
05 - Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Lower the heat, then stir in the heavy cream and shredded cheddar cheese. Cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, until the cheese is melted and the soup is creamy. Do not boil after adding cream.
07 - Adjust seasoning if needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with green onions, extra cheese, and your choice of toppings.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like restaurant-quality comfort in 45 minutes flat, no fancy techniques required.
  • The soup is forgiving enough to handle substitutions but bold enough that nothing feels like a compromise.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup on nights when you need a win in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Do not skip the step of cooking spices for a minute—it's the difference between soup that tastes like home and soup that tastes like a spice cabinet fell in.
  • Never boil the soup after cream goes in; high heat will cause it to separate and look curdled, which tastes fine but looks sad.
03 -
  • Brown your meat without moving it around too much at first—let it develop a proper crust instead of steaming, which means bigger flavor.
  • If your soup tastes flat even with all the spices, it usually means salt, not more seasoning—add it in small pinches and taste between each one.
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