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For dinner tonight, try making one of my absolute favorites – Slow Cooker Taco Soup! It’s a flavorful, hearty, and delicious soup that’ll warm you up. This family favorite recipe is a snap to prepare and completely irresistible. Be ready for everyone at your table to want seconds!

Turn a simple dinner into a feast by serving slow cooker taco soup with Easy Chicken Quesadillas, Chicken Enchilada Puffs, or simply with a Perfect Paloma.

taco soup on a bowl in front of a slow cooker

Why We Love Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Let’s be honest. In the chilly winter months, nothing is quite as satisfying as a big bowl of soup, and this slow-cooker taco soup is one of my family’s favorites. However, it’s so good, I also make it all year round, too! Spring, summer, fall, and winter are all wonderful times to make this easy dinner, if you ask me.

Speaking of easy, it doesn’t get much easier than this soup recipe! Slow cooker recipes really are the best, simply because the cooker does most of the work for you. It’s always so rewarding to come home from a long day and have dinner warm, ready, and waiting for you on the kitchen counter!

If you like my Creamy Taco Chili you’re going to love this recipe.

  1. Effortless Prep: Slow cooker taco soup is a breeze to make. Just toss the ingredients into the pot, set it, and let it work its magic. It’s perfect for busy days or when you want a hassle-free dinner.
  2. Flavorful Simmer: The extended cooking time in a slow cooker allows the flavors to meld and intensify, resulting in a rich and deeply satisfying broth that’s bursting all the flavors we love in tacos.
  3. Customizable Ingredients: You can tailor the soup to your taste by adjusting the spice level, choosing your preferred proteins and beans, and adding extra toppings like cheese, avocado, or cilantro. It’s a versatile dish that suits various preferences.
  4. Hearty and Filling: Slow cooker taco soup combines a variety of proteins, beans, and seasonings, creating a filling and satisfying meal. It’s the perfect comfort food for chilly days or when you’re craving something substantial.
woman's hands holding a bowl of taco soup

How To Make Slow-Cooker Taco Soup

(full printable recipe at the end of this post)

Ingredients needed

10 simple ingredients mix together perfectly to make this incredible soup. The step-by-step instructions are also easy to follow and effortless.

  •  ground beef
  •  taco seasoning mix packet
  •  ranch dressing mix packet
  •  Bush’s Red Chili Beans
  •  Bush’s Kidney Chili Beans Beans
  •  canned corn, drained
  •  tomato sauce
  •  water
  •  diced tomatoes with chilies
  •  diced green chilies

Directions

The preparation itself takes about 10 minutes, and then the soup will need to cook for about 8-10 hours. If you’re headed to the office, or busy with the kids all day, this is the perfect dish for you to come home to after a long day!

  1. First, you’ll need to cook the ground beef. All you need to do is use a large skillet and cook the beef over medium-high heat. This step should just take about 5 minutes.
  2. Drain the excess grease, and add the taco seasoning and ranch dressing mix to the meat.
  3. Toss it all in your slow cooker! Stir it all together until it’s fully combined. 
  4. Time to cook! This is the easy part. Simply let the soup cook undisturbed on low for 8-10 hours. 
  5. When it’s time to serve, I recommend garnishing each bowl of taco soup with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese. Tortilla chips on the side are also never a bad idea!

photo collage of steps to make taco soup in a slow cooker

Slow Cooker Taco Soup Tips

  • Browning and draining the ground beef is a step that definitely cannot be skipped! If you put the meat in the slow cooker raw, it won’t brown correctly. The texture and flavor will not be ideal. Likewise, if you forget to drain the grease from your cooked beef, the soup will have a noticeably greasy texture. 
  • When you add the Bush’s chili beans to the slow cooker, do not drain them! If you’re using Bush’s Beans, they’re in chili sauce, and you’ll want to add that sauce to your soup. It’s an easy way to add even more savory flavor to this already delicious recipe! 
  • You can use any other brand of kidney or red beans, but they will not come in a chili sauce, so you will need to drain the beans before adding them to your chili.
  • When cooking the soup on low for 8-10 hours, do NOT open the lid! Every time you open the lid on a slow cooker, you release some of the necessary heat you need to cook the meal. As tempting as it is, just remember that you’ll need to add a few more minutes to your cooking time each time you open the lid. 
taco soup in a slow cooker

Storage and Variations

How long will this soup stay fresh in the fridge? In an airtight container, this taco soup will stay fresh in the fridge for up to a week! It also reheats perfectly in the microwave, making it one of my favorite leftover lunches for the next day. 

Can I freeze taco soup? You absolutely can! Once frozen in an airtight container, this soup will stay fresh for about 3 months. When you’re ready to serve it, you can place it in a large pot over medium-high heat and stir frequently until thawed and warm. You could also put it back in the slow cooker on the warm setting to reheat! 

a spoonful of taco soup in a bowl

Variations

  • Like chicken tacos? Swap out the ground beef in this recipe for 3-4 cups cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken is perfect for this!). Since the chicken is already cooked, just toss it in with the other ingredients.
  • Want to make slow cooker taco soup spicy? Easy! You can add freshly chopped jalapenos for a natural way to add some heat. Just toss them in with the rest of the ingredients right at the beginning! If you really crave spice, don’t shy away from cayenne pepper or red chili flakes! Of course, this soup is also SO good when drizzled with some hot sauce, too.
  • Another way to garnish this soup is with freshly cut cilantro! You can also really dress up this taco soup with chopped onions and tomatoes. Pretty much, if you like it on a taco, you’ll probably like it on this soup, too. 
taco soup on a bowl with tortilla chips

Are you craving more delicious, comforting soups? Check out some of my favorites.

  • Easy Roasted Tomato Soup – A rich, bold pot of roasted tomato soup can be on your dinner table in 30 minutes. This recipe relies on canned tomatoes to keep it easy and smoked paprika and cayenne pepper to kick the classic tomato soup up a notch.
  • Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup – Chicken gnocchi soup is packed with chicken, potato gnocchi, and spinach bathing in a thick and creamy broth. A bowl of this hearty, chicken dumpling-like soup isn’t required, but it’s absolutely recommended!
  • Old Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup – This Old Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup is a flavorful hearty soup packed with various colorful vegetables, tender beef, broth, and noodles. Just like grandma used to make!
a spoonful of soup in a bowl

Like This Recipe?

I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a review below and let me know how you liked the recipe!

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Originally shared in March 2010. UPDATED January 2022. We spiffed up this post with more info and better pictures! No changes to the original recipe.

taco soup on a bowl in front of a slow cooker

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes

SLOW COOKER TACO SOUP! It’s a flavorful, hearty, and delicious soup that’ll warm you up. This family favorite recipe is a snap to prepare and completely irresistible. Be ready for everyone at your table to want seconds!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 (1.25 ounce) packet taco seasoning mix
  • 1 packet ranch dressing mix
  • 1 (16 oz) can Bush’s Red Chili Beans*
  • 1 (15 oz) can Bush’s Kidney Chili Beans Beans*
  • 1 (15oz) can corn, drained
  • 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with chilies
  • 1 (4oz) can diced green chilies

Instructions

  1. Using a large skillet over medium heat brown ground beef (about 5 minutes).
  2. Once the meat is cooked through, drain and add taco seasoning and ranch dressing mix to meat, stir and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
  3. Place seasoned meat in slow cooker
  4. Add beans, corn, tomato sauce, water, diced tomatoes, and green chilies to slow cooker.
  5. Mix to blend and cook low for 8-10 hours.
  6. Serve with tortilla chips, a dollop of sour cream, avocado slices and shredded cheddar cheese.

Notes

*Do NOT drain the chili beans. If you are using Bush's Beans they are in chili sauce and you want to add that to your soup!

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 250Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 796mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gProtein: 20g

Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used.

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© TidyMom
Cuisine: Mexican / Category: Soup and Chili Recipes
taco soup in a slow cooker and in a bowl

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