Name: Quick + Easy Taco Soup with Ranch Dressing - Dump & Go!
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 1 cup chopped onions; 3 (15 oz.) cans tri beans OR 1 can each of kidney, pinto, and black beans; 1 (10 oz.) can rotel tomatoes; 2 (14.5 oz.) cans petite diced tomatoes; 1 (1.25 oz.) package taco seasoning; 1 (1 oz.) package ranch salad dressing mix

Inside: Super simple Taco Soup recipe with ground beef, canned beans and tomatoes, and taco and ranch seasoning packets. This hearty soup version of tacos is so full of flavor and a great change from the same old Taco Tuesday! Cook it on the stovetop or in the Crock Pot or Instant Pot. ➡

Bowl of taco soup topped with sour cream, shredded cheese, and green onions

Don’t you love an easy recipe for a quick meal that always gets raves from the whole family?

And the hardest part is opening six cans?

Taco soup is one of the absolute easiest and tastiest soups you will make!

If you’ve never tried this soup in your household, I guarantee it will become a regular in your busy night recipe arsenal.

Because one, your family will love it. This hearty version of tacos is so full of flavor, so filling, and is a great change from the same old Taco Tuesday.

Two, you will love it because it is ridiculously easy You literally just dump all of the ingredients in a pot with browned beef and onions and let it cook!

And by the way, this recipe is part the “Budget Friendly Recipes” blog hop hosted by Marty at A Stroll Thru Life. Make sure and scroll down to the bottom for what all of my blog friends are cooking up.

The simple ingredients for taco soup.

Ingredients for taco soup including ground beef, canned beans, tomatoes, onion, taco seasoning, and ranch packets

1 Pound of Ground Beef
1 Cup Chopped Onion
3 Cans of Tri-Color Beans or 1 Can each of Kidney Beans, Pinto Beans, and Black Beans
1 Can Rotel Tomatoes (with your preferred spice level)
2 Cans Petite Diced Tomatoes
1 Taco Seasoning Mix Packet
1 Ranch Seasoning Packet

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How to make quick taco soup on the stovetop.

Taco soup cooking on stovetop beside brick backsplash and copper pans

Step 1: Cook the ground beef and onions over medium heat in a large pot. (This meat chopper tool breaks the meat up so nicely!)

Cooking ground beef and onion with a meat chopper tool

Then drain the fat. (And I love this silicone strainer that I can throw in the dishwasher).

Step 2: Dump the cans of beans and tomatoes into the pot, liquid and all. Add the taco seasoning and ranch packets.

Canned beans, tomatoes, taco seasoning and ranch added to pot with ground beef and onions

Step 3: Stir it all up and let the soup simmer for about an hour. That’s it.

Taco soup cooking on the stovetop in a white enamel cast iron dutch oven

It’s also minimal mess since you cook it all in one big pot so clean up is quick too!

JUMP TO RECIPE

Optional ingredients for taco soup.

Corn. Most people add corn to taco soup. It does make it more colorful but my family prefers it without. If you do use canned corn, Drain the liquid off of only this canned ingredient.
Sliced black olives
Green chiles

Taco soup served in a white bowl topped with sour scream, shredded cheese and green onions

Recipe FAQs.

What do you serve with taco soup?

Top it with any of your favorite taco toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, green onion, a dollop of sour cream, a slice of avocado, tortilla strips, salsa, pico de gallo, jalapenos, and even a lime wedge.
Serve it with a side of corn or tortilla chips to dip with or mix in.
Follow it with a mouthwatering Mexican dessert, sopapilla cheesecake bars.

Can I make this taco soup without the ground beef?

Yes! Substitute another meat like shredded chicken for the beef. Or leave out the ground beef and add an extra can of beans to make this a vegetarian taco soup recipe.

Can I make this taco soup in the Crock Pot or Instant Pot?

Yes, but my favorite way is on the stovetop because it’s so quick and easy.

Taco soup in the Crock Pot.

Brown beef and onions together in a large skillet and drain the excess grease. Add it and the rest of the ingredients to a slow cooker, stir and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Taco soup in the Instant Pot.

Brown the beef and onions together on saute mode then drain the excess grease. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot, stir and cover. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes and then do a quick release.

How do you thicken taco soup?

With this recipe, it makes the perfect thick soup just from the canned liquid and the cooking, without adding any broth or water.

But if you’d like to have a less thick, more broth-y soup, add some chicken broth or water. Then to thicken, make a slurry of a tablespoon of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of cold water. Stir it into the soup and cook until the desired thickness is reached.

How do you store and reheat taco soup?

Storage: Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge.

Reheat: Reheat on the cooktop or in the microwave – you may need to add a little splash of chicken broth or water.

Freeze: Freeze in a freezer safe container or freezer bag for up to 6 months.

I’m all about dump and dash recipes. I hope you enjoy this one as much as my family does. If you’ve got a favorite dump dish, help us all out and share it in the comments!

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