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Easy Crockpot Taco Soup Recipe – Best Kid-Approved Meal

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This easy crockpot taco soup is a budget-friendly, kid-approved meal that comes together with simple pantry ingredients. Just brown the meat, dump everything in the slow cooker, and let it simmer into a rich, hearty soup that the whole family will love.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef (80/20 works great, or use ground turkey for a leaner option)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder in a pinch)
  • 1 packet (1 ounce) taco seasoning (or 2 tablespoons homemade blend)
  • 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chiles (like Rotel, undrained)
  • 1 can (15 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes (undrained)
  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained (or 1.5 cups frozen corn)
  • 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 2 cups beef broth (or chicken broth, or water with a bouillon cube)
  • Optional toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, lime wedges

Instructions

  1. Brown the ground beef: Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef. Cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon as it browns. Once no longer pink, add the diced onion and cook for another 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic for the last 30 seconds. Drain off excess fat if desired.
  2. Transfer the browned beef and onion mixture to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
  3. Add the canned ingredients: diced tomatoes with green chiles, fire-roasted tomatoes, drained black beans, drained kidney beans, drained corn, and tomato sauce.
  4. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over everything, then pour in the beef broth. Use the broth to deglaze the skillet, picking up any browned bits, and pour that into the crockpot as well.
  5. Stir everything together until the taco seasoning is evenly distributed and the soup is a rich reddish-brown color.
  6. Cover the crockpot and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
  7. Before serving, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. If too thick, stir in extra broth or water; if too thin, cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
  8. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with desired toppings.

Notes

Don’t skip browning the beef for best flavor. Use fire-roasted tomatoes for a smoky depth. For a thicker soup, mash some beans against the side of the crockpot or use a cornstarch slurry. Leftovers taste even better the next day. Freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: crockpot taco soup, easy taco soup, slow cooker taco soup, kid-friendly taco soup, budget-friendly dinner, ground beef soup, weeknight dinner

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