Hearty Taco Soup Recipe

Let's face it: We love cooking, but we hate doing dishes. It's true! That's why we gravitate toward one-pot meals during the busy work week. When planning dinners, we often look for the entrées that dirty the least amount of dishes, without sacrificing on taste.

Recipe developer and registered dietitian-nutritionist Kristen Carli brings us this recipe for a hearty taco soup prepared in one pot. This soup is made by browning ground beef with onions and bell peppers, then adding in canned black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes, along with some taco-inspired seasonings. Ready in under an hour, this soup makes for the ideal weeknight dinner. 

While unnecessary (as this is a complete meal on its own), this soup pairs nicely with Mexican rice or tortilla chips. That is, of course, only if you desire a starchy side. Though if we are being honest, we've never said no to a carb.

To make this hearty taco soup, you can start by gathering your ingredients. For this recipe, you will need ground beef, salt, pepper, a yellow onion, a bell pepper (we like orange here), a can each of black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes, chicken broth, dried oregano, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. You may want to also get out your optional toppings: limes, shredded cheddar cheese, avocado slices, sour cream, and sliced green onions.

Let's get started! Place a large pot or Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Let this cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once it is no longer pink, add in the diced onions and diced bell pepper. You will not need to add any oil or butter to cook these veggies; the fat from the meat will be enough. Stir this mixture and allow the onions to cook until they are tender. That's your cue to move on to the next step.

Next, give the canned black beans and corn a drain and a rinse. Pour those into the pot along with the can of diced tomatoes and the chicken broth. Lastly, sprinkle in the chili powder, cayenne pepper, and dried oregano. These spices will add the taco flavor and a little heat to the soup. Give this mixture a good stir and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, you can decrease the heat to low and allow the soup to simmer for at least 20 minutes. This will allow the flavors to meld — not to mention make your kitchen smell amazing!

Once the soup has simmered, you are ready to serve it. Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls. Then, top with any combination of the optional toppings: avocado slices, green onions, sour cream, a squeeze of lime juice, and shredded cheddar cheese.

This meal lends itself well to serving large groups. Allow diners to assemble their own bowls with a toppings bar. Place all of the toppings in bowls and line them up next to the soup. People can pick and choose which toppings they want to add, making each bowl custom to their tastes.