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Slow Cooker Taco Soup (Ready in 4 Hours)

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A true set-it-and-forget-it slow cooker taco soup — browned ground beef, black beans, kidney beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, Rotel, green chiles, and corn, seasoned with a packet each of taco seasoning and ranch seasoning and slow-cooked in chicken broth for four hours until the broth is deep, unified, and rich with the flavors of taco night. Finished with fresh corn added in the last 30 minutes and served with an abundant topping bar of shredded cheese, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, cilantro, jalapeño, and lime. The soup that feeds everyone, reheats all week, and freezes for a month.

  • Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6–8 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

The Protein

  • 1½ lbs (680g) 80/20 ground beef

The Canned Goods

  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, undrained
  • 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, undrained
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles
  • 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
  • 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles

The Corn

  • 1½ cups (about 255g) frozen corn (or 1 can drained whole kernel corn)

The Seasoning

  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix

The Liquid

  • 1½ cups (360ml) low-sodium chicken broth

Toppings (set out at the table)

 

  • Shredded Mexican blend or sharp cheddar cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Crushed tortilla chips or Fritos
  • Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • Jalapeño, sliced
  • Lime wedges
  • Diced avocado
  • Hot sauce

Instructions

  • Brown the beef. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, until fully browned with no pink remaining — about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the excess fat thoroughly. Transfer to the slow cooker.
  • Add everything (except the corn). To the slow cooker, add the black beans (undrained), kidney beans (undrained), fire-roasted diced tomatoes, Rotel, tomato sauce, diced green chiles, taco seasoning, ranch seasoning, and chicken broth. Stir gently to combine and distribute the seasoning through the liquid.
  • Cook. Set the slow cooker to LOW and cook for 4 hours, or on HIGH for 2 hours, until the broth is deeply flavored and the beans have softened slightly and absorbed the surrounding spices.
  • Add the corn. In the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the frozen corn. Replace the lid and continue cooking until the corn is heated through and tender.
  • Taste and adjust. Remove the lid and taste the broth. Adjust salt if needed — the seasoning packets contain sodium, so add cautiously. If the soup is thicker than desired, stir in additional broth, ¼ cup at a time, until you reach the consistency you prefer.
  • Serve. Ladle into bowls and set out the toppings at the table. Top each bowl with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, a handful of crushed tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeño, and a squeeze of lime. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Brown the beef — do not skip it. Raw ground beef added directly to the slow cooker can cook safely, but it will not develop flavor the same way browned beef does. The five minutes at the skillet produce browned, well-seasoned crumbles with real flavor on the surface. Drain the fat well or the soup will be greasy.
  • Do not drain the beans. The starchy liquid in the cans adds body and thickness to the broth. This is intentional — do not drain.
  • Add corn at the end. Corn added at the start of cooking becomes soft and slightly mushy over four hours. Added in the last 30 minutes, it stays tender with a slight bite. The difference is noticeable.
  • The ranch packet is the secret. Do not omit it in favor of plain taco seasoning alone. The ranch powder’s tangy, herby notes are what make this soup taste more complex and interesting than a straightforward taco-seasoned broth.
  • Season at the end. Between the taco seasoning, ranch seasoning, and canned goods, there is significant sodium in this recipe already. Taste after cooking before adding any additional salt.
  • This soup is better the next day. The flavors continue to develop overnight in the refrigerator. If you have the time, make it the day before and reheat gently — the improvement is real.
  • Tortilla chips go in at the moment of serving, not before. Chips added to the soup even five minutes before eating will be completely soft. Set them at the table and add them to each bowl at the last second.
  • Lime is not optional. A squeeze of fresh lime over the finished bowl brightens and balances the entire soup. Set lime wedges at the table every time.
  • Author: Elle
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4 hours (on LOW) or 2 hours (on HIGH)
  • Category: Dinner, Weeknight
  • Method: Slow Cooking
  • Cuisine: Mexican
  • Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free

Find it online: https://slowcookerrecipes.us/slow-cooker-taco-soup-ready-in-4-hours/