Who says tacos are just for summer? We took the ingredients of a classic taco and transformed them into a hearty, comforting Creamy Taco Soup. It's so much easier eating tacos with a spoon!
And if you think that makes us taco loco, you have no idea! We have a whole category page dedicated to our favorite Mexican Ground Beef Recipes, so check it out.
A Twist on Tacos for Chilly Nights
Ground Beef Tacos are a staple in our household. They’re simple, fast, and a real crowd-pleaser. But sometimes you gotta switch it up a little! This Taco Soup with Beef is the perfect meal for when you’re craving tacos but want something a little cozier.
Here’s what we love about this Taco Soup:
- Like we said before, it’s fast. With just 5 minutes of prep and 25 minute of cook time, this is a great meal to have in your weeknight dinner rotation.
- It’s customizable. You can use store-bought or Homemade Taco Seasoning and whatever toppings and veggies you like best.
- You can make it ahead of time. This soup will keep for 5 days in the fridge, which makes it great for meal prep and leftovers!
- It's Keto friendly! This soup is grain free and low in carbs, making it perfect for those on a Keto or gluten free diet.
Key Ingredients for Creamy Beef Taco Soup
- Ground beef - This one is pretty self-explanatory. 80/20, everyone's favorite budget-friendly red meat, yada yada yada...
- Cream cheese - It might seem like a weird addition, but cream cheese makes this soup thick and creamy. And we are BIG fans of hearty ground beef soup recipes around here!
- Taco seasoning - You have options here. You can use a packet of taco seasoning, or you can make this Homemade Taco Seasoning. Trust me, making it from scratch is 100% worth the effort! And you can use any leftover seasoning in this Ground Beef Taco Salad.
- Mexican blend cheese - It wouldn’t be a taco recipe without some cheese!
How to Make Our Cream Cheese Taco Soup
- Set a Dutch oven or other heavy bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until the beef is browned, about 6 minutes.
- Add the onion and bell pepper and saute until softened, another 5 or so minutes. If there is a lot of excess grease, drain all but one tablespoon off. Otherwise, continue on with the recipe.
- Stir in the cream cheese until melted, then season with the taco seasoning.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, green chilies, and beef broth. Bring to a low simmer and simmer for 5 or so minutes or until heated through.
- Stir in the cheese until just melted, then turn off the heat. Sprinkle with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice, reserving some of each for toppings.
- Serve the soup with avocado, radish, tortilla strips, cheese, more cilantro and lime, and a dollop of sour cream, if desired.
FAQS
How do you thicken taco soup?
The soup thickens as it sets. If you prefer it to be thick, almost like queso, use 1 ½ cups of beef broth. For a thinner soup, add 2 or even 2 ½ cups.
Can you cook the taco meat the day before?
Sure. Just make sure it's refrigerated no more than 1 day in a sealed container. Or if you're using our leftover Crock Pot Taco Meat, make sure it is used within a day of thawing.
How do you make taco soup less acidic?
Acids are what gives taco soup its characteristic zing. Lime, onions, peppers, tomatoes (They ALL are acidic ingredients).
To limit acids, your best bet is to limit or swap out the ingredients that you're particularly sensitive to. Example:
- If you can't handle spicy acids, maybe forego the peppers and chilis.
- Test to see if a freshly diced tomato (or a different variety) bothers you less than canned.
- Try a sweeter variety yellow onion (instead of the devastatingly acidic red).
- Leave out the lime juice, and instead just zest the lime peel onto your individual bowl for a hint of the flavor without all the acid.
- Adding fatty or savory ingredients help to better balance and mask acids, so you could try adding beans, or increasing the sour cream.
What to Serve with Keto Taco Soup
Why not make it a fiesta? Pair this Creamy Taco Soup with Gluten Free Cornbread or Air Fryer Tortilla Chips and Black Bean and Corn Salsa.
More Ground Beef Soups
While you’re at it, add this One Pot Lasagna Soup, Hamburger Soup and Crock Pot Cheeseburger Soup to your winter dinner rotation.
More Taco Recipes you Might Enjoy
We weren’t kidding…we like tacos. Here are some of our favorite taco recipes:
- One Pot Taco Spaghetti
- Walking Taco Casserole
- Taco Burgers
- Walking Tacos
- Layered Taco Dip with Meat
- Taco Tater Tot Casserole
📖 Recipe
Taco Soup with Beef Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 red onion (chopped)
- 1 bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 block 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 packet taco seasoning (or 2 Tablespoons homemade taco seasoning )
- 1 can 14 oz diced tomatoes (undrained)
- 1 can 4 oz green chilies
- 1 ½- 2 cups beef broth
- ½ cup Mexican blend cheese (plus more for serving)
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 lime (quartered)
Optional Toppings
- 1 Avocado
- 4 Radish (sliced)
- 2 cups Tortilla strips
- Additional cheese
- ½ cup Sour cream
Instructions
- Set a Dutch oven or other heavy bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until the beef is browned, about 6 minutes.
- Add the onion and bell pepper and saute until softened, another 5 or so minutes. If there is a lot of excess grease, drain all but one tablespoon off. Otherwise, continue on with the recipe.
- Stir in the cream cheese until melted, then season with the taco seasoning.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, green chilies, and beef broth. Bring to a low simmer and simmer for 5 or so minutes or until heated through.
- Stir in the cheese until just melted, then turn off the heat. Sprinkle with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice, reserving some of each for toppings.
- Serve the soup with avocado, radish, tortilla strips, cheese, more cilantro and lime, and a dollop of sour cream, if desired.
Notes
- For a spicier version, saute a seeded jalapeno with the bell pepper and onion, or top the soup with fresh sliced jalapeno.
- Soup keeps for 5 days in the fridge.
- Be sure to look for gluten free beef broth if you need it to be gluten free.
- The soup thickens as it sets. If you prefer it to be thick, almost like queso, use 1 ½ cups of beef broth. For a thinner soup, add 2 or even 2 ½ cups.
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