This ground beef taco soup is a slow cooker Mexican-inspired soup made with ground beef, black beans, corn, crushed tomatoes and taco seasoning. It is meal prep-friendly because it makes a big batch, reheats well and freezes into easy portions for future weeks.
I'm a big fan of a taco rice bowl especially for meal prepping during the week because you can mix-and-match the toppings depending on what you feel that night.
I wanted something that was a little more cosy for a winter-themed meal prep which is why I created this taco soup. Originally it was made in a dutch-oven on the stove (which I've still provided the option to do), but because I'm falling more and more in love with my slow cooker, I decided to adapt this recipe. It makes more serves and as it's freezer-friendly, it means I can have some for other weeks when I need a bit of a Plan B option.
TL;DR
- Servings: 8 servings
- Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 4 hours (high); 6 hours (low)
- Meal prep: Great for meal prep because it has protein from the ground beef and black beans, carbohydrates from the corn and beans, and vegetables from the onion, garlic and tomatoes. Store the toppings separately so each serve still feels fresh.
- Fridge storage: Up to 4 days in airtight containers - glass recommend to prevent staining. Keep topping separate.
- Freezer storage: Up to 3 months for best quality, or up to 6 months if well sealed.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top for most even result
- Customise: Make it spicier with fresh chilli or chilli flakes, swap the protein, change the beans, add extra vegetables or adjust the toppings depending on what you feel like that day.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Slow cooker. You only need to do a little bit of searing at the start to build flavour, then the slow cooker does the rest.
Customisable toppings. This is the same reason I love a recipes like my sheet pan chicken fajitas for meal prep: the base stays the same, but the toppings can change depending on what you feel like.
Mexican-inspired. If you love recipes like slow cooker mexican chicken, this slow cooked taco soup has the same cosy vibe. It is mild enough for a family dinner, but easy to make spicier at the end.
Budget-friendly. Ground beef, tinned black beans, corn and crushed tomatoes help stretch the recipe into about 8 serves without needing expensive ingredients.
Ingredients
Taco seasoning. A mix of garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, cumin powder, paprika and cayenne pepper brings bold Mexican-inspired flavour to this ground beef taco soup; use homemade taco seasoning if you want to control salt and spice, or store-bought seasoning for convenience (just check the ingredients).
Ground beef. I recommend ground beef that has a little more fat for this because the fat helps carry flavour and keeps the beef from tasting dry after slow cooking. This is different from a skillet recipe like my ground beef sticky rice bowl, where leaner beef is better because you do not want excess grease soaking into rice.
Black beans. I use tinned black beans that are drained and rinsed because they are easy, affordable and safe to add straight to the slow cooker. You can use dried beans, but they need to be properly soaked and boiled before going into the slow cooker because some dried beans contain natural toxins that slow cookers may not get hot enough to destroy.
Sweet corn. Tinned sweet corn is easy and works well here, but frozen corn also works and can be added straight to the slow cooker. Corn adds sweetness and texture, which balances the tomato and taco seasoning.
Crushed tomatoes. Crushed tomatoes make the base thick and stew-like, which is why this can sit somewhere between a Mexican soup with ground beef and a taco stew. Different brands vary in acidity, so taste at the end and balance if needed.
Stock. Use a stock with minimal added salt so you can control the final seasoning, especially because this recipe uses a decent amount of stock. I usually use homemade chicken stock, but beef stock gives a richer flavour and vegetable stock keeps it a little lighter.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations.
Taco soup toppings
You can mix-and-match your toppings depending on your preferences. I very highly recommend serving this with corn chips because yum.
These are some of my faves:
- Corn chips. Corn chips add crunch and make the soup feel more like a deconstructed taco bowl. Store them separately so they do not go soggy.
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt. Sour cream gives you a richer finish, while Greek yogurt adds creaminess and a little tang with extra protein.
- Fresh herbs. Coriander, parsley or spring onion add freshness, which helps balance the slow cooked tomato base.
- Shredded cheese. Cheese melts into the hot soup and makes it feel more like a taco situation.
- Fresh chilli. Add this at the end if you want heat without making the whole batch spicy.
Substitutions and variations
Protein. You can use ground turkey, ground chicken or pork mince instead of ground beef. Turkey and chicken are naturally leaner, so they can become a little tougher in the slow cooker, but the crushed tomatoes help keep the soup moist.
Make it spicy. Add fresh chilli, chilli flakes, cayenne pepper or a spicier taco seasoning. If you are meal prepping for a family, keep the base mild and add chilli to individual serves.
Beans. Swap black beans for kidney beans, pinto beans or cannellini beans if that is what you have.
Add extra vegetables. Capsicum, zucchini, carrot or diced sweet potato can be added to stretch the slow cooker taco soup further. Cut them into small, even pieces so they cook through at the same time. Softer veggies, like your capsicum (bell pepper) and broccoli, for example, should only be added at the end otherwise they'll go mushy.
How to make slow cooker taco soup
Step 1: Use the searing function on your slow cooker if you have one, or heat a pan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Step 2: Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. It does not need to be fully cooked through as it'll continue to cook during the slow cooking phase, but browning it first gives the beef taco soup better flavour and texture.
If you've used a separate pan, transfer to the slow cooker now.
Step 3: Add the crushed tomatoes, stock and taco seasoning.
You can add the corn and black beans now if you want complete hands off until the end but they do get slightly mushy. I prefer to add mine at the end.
Step 4: Stir everything together until the taco seasoning is evenly mixed through. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours, until the soup has thickened slightly and the flavours have come together.
If adding corn and black beans toward the end, you can do it in the last 30 minutes (or even just before adding to your meal prep containers)
Step 5: Taste the soup before serving. If the tomatoes are quite acidic, add a small pinch of sugar and stir through; if it tastes flat, add extra taco seasoning, salt, pepper or a squeeze of lime.
Step 6: Ladle into bowls and add shredded cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, coriander, spring onion, chilli and corn chips.
Lauren's Top Tips
Browning. Do not skip the browning step unless you are really short on time. Slow cookers are great, but they do not brown meat, and that browned flavour is what stops this tasting like mince floating in tomato.
Taste at the end. Crushed tomatoes vary a lot between brands, so the soup may need a pinch of sugar, extra seasoning or a squeeze of lime to balance it.
How to make beef taco soup in the dutch oven
- Saute. Heat the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped onion and minced garlic to the beef. Cook until the onion is softened and fragrant.
- Brown. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Combine ingredients. Stir in the black beans, sweetcorn, crushed tomatoes, and stock. Mix in the taco seasoning until everything is well combined.
- Simmer the soup. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
- Reduce heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve. Once the soup has thickened slightly, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Serve. Serve with your favorite toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, fresh coriander, spring onion, and corn chips.
Recommended Equipment
A searing slow cooker will be your best friend for this recipe because you can sauté the onion, garlic and beef in the same insert before adding the rest of the ingredients. That means better flavour and fewer dishes, which is always the preferred outcome.
I also recommend glass meal prep containers because the red tomato base can stain plastic, especially when reheating. For freezing, 2-cup Souper Cubes are ideal because each portion pops out easily and can go straight into a small pot from frozen.
Meal prepping ground beef Mexican soup
This ground beef taco soup is a great meal prep option because it gives you protein from the ground beef and black beans, carbohydrates from the corn and beans, and vegetables from the onion, garlic and crushed tomatoes. It also reheats well because it is a soup, and honestly, soups are one of the least dramatic meal prep foods.
It is also easy to mix-and-match with similar Mexican-inspired recipes. If you already have slow cooker mexican chicken or ground beef taco bowl in your weekly plan, you can use similar toppings across the week so you are not buying coriander, Greek yogurt, cheese and corn chips for one recipe only.
Storing
Allow the soup to cool at room temperature for no more than 2 hours, then transfer it into airtight containers. Store the Mexican taco soup in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Store toppings separately so they do not get soggy. Sour cream, Greek yogurt, cheese, herbs, spring onion and fresh chilli all hold up better when added after reheating.
Corn chips need extra care. Even when stored separately inside the same lunch container, they can soften in the fridge because of the moisture. I recommend keeping them in a ziplock bag, a small pantry container or at work if you are using this for lunches.
If you are meal prepping for multiple people, store the soup base in large containers and let everyone add toppings when serving. If you are meal prepping work lunches, portion into single-serve containers so you can grab and go.
Lauren's Meal Prep Tip
Keep the soup base boringly practical and make the toppings do the fun work. Portion the ground beef taco soup into containers, then change up each serve with Greek yogurt, cheese, spring onion, coriander, chilli or corn chips so it does not feel like the exact same lunch four days in a row.
Reheating
Stove top is my preferred method because it heats the soup evenly and lets you control the thickness. Add the soup to a small pot over medium-low heat and warm for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot all the way through.
Microwave reheating works well for work lunches. Add the soup to a microwave-safe container, cover loosely, and heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway. If reheating from fridge-cold and the portion is large, it may need an extra 30-60 seconds.
Slow cooker reheating works if you are reheating a larger batch. Add the soup back to the slow cooker and warm on low for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until hot.
Bulk prep and freezing
This slow cooker ground beef taco soup makes 8 serves which is great because it freezes really well.
I like freezing soup in 2-cup Souper Cubes because it is the perfect single-serve portion for lunch or dinner. Once frozen solid, pop the cubes out and store them in a freezer bag or container so you can grab one when you need a Plan B meal.
For best quality, use frozen portions within 3 months. They can last up to 6 months if well sealed, but the flavour and texture are usually best earlier.
Label the container with the recipe name and date. This sounds obvious, but all frozen tomato-based meals eventually start looking like the same mystery brick.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
To thicken taco soup, use less stock, simmer it uncovered for the last part of cooking, or mash some of the beans into the broth. This recipe is naturally a little thicker because it uses crushed tomatoes, black beans and corn.
Taco soup works with corn chips, rice, tortillas, avocado, Greek yogurt, sour cream, shredded cheese, coriander, spring onion or a simple side salad. For meal prep, keep crunchy and fresh toppings separate until serving.
Taco soup can taste bland if the ground beef, onion and garlic are added raw instead of browned first. Searing builds the base flavour, then you can adjust at the end with extra taco seasoning, salt, lime juice or a small pinch of sugar if the tomatoes taste too sharp.
Other soups and stews recipes you'll like
Or, you can have a browse through my winter warming recipes for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Ground Beef Taco Soup
Save Recipe
Equipment
- Dutch oven, optional, recommended
Ingredients
Soup
- 1 kg (1 lb) ground beef, subs note 1
- 800 g (9 oz) black beans, approx.2 tins
- 800 g (9 oz) sweetcorn, approx.2 tins
- 1.2 kg (1 ¾ lb) crushed tomato, approx.3 tins
- 750 ml (2 cups) stock, beef or chicken (store bought or homemade)
- 2 onion,
- 8 garlic cloves, diced
- ¼ cup taco seasoning , store-bought or homemade, see note 3
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Toppings (optional)
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream or yoghurt
- Fresh coriander
- Spring onion
- Corn chips
Instructions
Preparation
- Dice 2 onion and 8 garlic cloves
- Drain and rinse 800 g (9 oz) black beans and 800 g (9 oz) sweetcorn
Slow Cooker/Crock Pot Instructions
- Heat a 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil in a pan over medium heat or in the slow cooker if it has a searing function, then add 2 onion and minced 8 garlic cloves for 2 minutes.
- Add 1 kg (1 lb) ground beef and break it apart to allow to brown briefly (it doesn't need to be cooked).If you've used a separate pan, you can transfer to the slow cooker now.
- Add 1.2 kg (1 ¾ lb) crushed tomato, 750 ml (2 cups) stock, ¼ cup taco seasoning . Stir well. Note - you can put the corn and black beans in now if you want. I prefer to add them later.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours. 30 minutes before finishing, add 800 g (9 oz) black beans and 800 g (9 oz) sweetcorn.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed (e.g. if too acidic, add a spoonful of sugar). Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheese, sour cream or yogurt, fresh coriander, spring onion, and corn chips.
Dutch Oven Instructions (note - may have to decrease quantity depending on size)
- Heat a 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil in the dutch oven, then add 2 onion and 8 garlic cloves for 2 minutes.
- Add 1 kg (1 lb) ground beef and break apart to allow it to brown.
- Stir in 800 g (9 oz) black beans, 800 g (9 oz) sweetcorn, 1.2 kg (1 ¾ lb) crushed tomato, 750 ml (2 cups) stock. Mix in ¼ cup taco seasoning until well combined.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once thickened and flavours have melded, taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve with your favourite toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, fresh coriander, spring onion, and corn chips.
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