Easy Creamy Taco Soup

This easy creamy taco soup is just like a taco in a bowl. Loaded with lean beef mince, lots of veggies and beans, this hearty soup is velvety, moreish and super easy to make.

This easy creamy taco soup is the answer if you love tacos but feel guilty about all those carbs.

The soup is packed with healthy veggies and beans, and the lean beef mince adds lots of flavour and protein without too much fat.

This is the perfect warming, hearty soup for a chilly night. You can serve it topped with shredded cheddar, tortilla chips, avocado slices, or lemon wedges. The possibilities are truly endless.

What makes this taco soup recipe a real keeper is the fact that you can easily customise it to make it your own.

You can use various types of beans, play with the spices and even make it keto-friendly by skipping the beans.

You can make this soup ahead of time as it will keep well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Simply store it in an airtight container and reheat it when you're ready for dinner. It's just the perfect recipe to make ahead on a busy week.

I like to serve it with tortilla chips because they double up as little scoops, but the soup is hearty enough to enjoy on its own if you're looking for a low-carb lunch or dinner.

What goes into this creamy taco soup?

Lean beef mince — To keep this soup on the healthier side, I use beef mince with 5% fat. You can also go further and substitute the beef with turkey mince or even use a pea-protein mince alternative for a veggie option.

Red pepper — Red bell peppers or sweet pointed peppers are just perfect for this soup. Feel free to add any other colours you may have on hand.

Garlic and green chilli — Use freshly minced garlic and green chilli for the best flavour. However, if you're in a hurry, frozen or jarred versions would work well.

Spices — I use a mix of smoked paprika, chilli powder, ground cumin, oregano and cayenne pepper for this soup. For a speedier approach, you can make it with a ready-made taco seasoning mix instead.

Chopped tomatoes — A can of diced tomatoes is perfect for this soup, but if you have some juicy fresh tomatoes, you can use them here.

Black beans — I love black beans in this soup, but you can substitute them with red kidney beans or pinto beans if you want. You can also go wild and use a mix of beans!

Sweetcorn — Frozen, canned or fresh sweetcorn are all great options for this soup.

Cream cheese — I use full-fat cream cheese because it melts better in this kind of soup. You can use a fat-free version to reduce the number of calories, but you shouldn't expect it to melt completely.

The taco soup is also tasty without the cream cheese, so you can skip it altogether if you're looking for a dairy-free version.

How do you make taco soup?

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and cook the onion and red pepper for 2-3 minutes over medium heat until slightly softened.
• Add the garlic and green chilli and continue to cook for another minute.
• Next, add the beef mince to the pot and brown it for 4-5 minutes, breaking it down with your spoon.
• Stir in all the spices and salt and pepper and continue to cook for another minute, stirring occasionally.

• Add the chopped tomatoes, black beans, sweetcorn and beef stock and stir to combine.
• Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add the cream cheese to the pot and stir continuously until it melts.
• Turn off the heat, season to taste, and serve topped with coriander, lime wedges and grated cheddar, if you like.

Recipe notes and tips

• If you'd like your taco soup to be more fiery, you can up the cayenne pepper or use hot chilli powder instead of mild or medium.
• This taco soup can easily be made low-carb by skipping the beans.
• The soup will keep well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Simply reheat it on the stove or in the microwave. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.

If you liked this easy creamy taco soup, you might also like some of my other easy warming soup recipes:

• Easy Barley Soup with Vegetables
• Butter Bean Soup with Bacon
• Creamy Vegetarian Tortellini Soup
• Easy Italian Meatball Soup
• Creamy Spiced Chickpea Soup with Coconut and Lime

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