Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Warm up with a bowl of Taco Soup, easy to make with ingredients like canned beans, tomatoes, corn, and ground turkey. – Jump to Recipe

I’ve started using my crock pot more lately, and it’s made me realize… why don’t I use it every single day? The convenience factor never ceases to amaze me. My favorite food to make in a slow cooker is soup (it’s harder to dry out meat when it’s in a pool of liquid), but the problem is that my favorite soup recipes I usually make in a pot on the stove—i.e., Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup and Thick & Hearty Chili.

This taco-inspired soup recipe is one I’ve made for years, and if you do some searching online, you’ll find an endless supply of recipes for it. Every time I want to make it, though, I can never remember which recipes I’ve made in the past, so I always end up making a slightly different version of it.

I’ve declared it time to finally just share my own Taco Soup recipe so I know exactly how I like it and how I want to make it in the future. AKA: Which combination of canned ingredients and packet seasonings I prefer.

A popular form of this soup is something like a “7-Can Taco Soup,” because it typically involves a series of canned ingredients you dump in a slow cooker and go, “VOILA! Dinner is served! I’m such a great chef!”

I’m talking canned beans (I like to use 3 different types), canned tomatoes, canned Rotel tomatoes and green chiles, canned/boxed chicken broth, and canned corn. (I didn’t even realize it, but this is legit a 7-Can Taco Soup. Success!)

In addition to all those canned ingredients, this is seasoned with two packets of popular spice mixes: dry ranch seasoning and taco seasoning. Many people have these on hand at all times, because they’re just easy ways to make food more delicious.

Since I like to make things more difficult for myself (but more so just control what ingredients I’m consuming), I make both of these from scratch and keep the seasoning blends in our spice cabinets. (Side note, “Lazy Susans” are a godsend and the only way I will store spices from here on out. Also, I’d love to know the history of that name…)

The collection of canned ingredients and seasoning packets make this soup especially easy to throw together. Oh, and I use ground turkey instead of beef. You could easily make this recipe vegetarian, though, by omitting the turkey and using vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth. (You could even make it vegan by using those vegetarian instructions with the addition of no dry buttermilk in the homemade ranch seasoning.)

One thing you might find different in some Taco Soup recipes is whether to drain the canned beans or not. I actually think there’s more flavor when you keep the liquid (and there’s more liquid in the soup, obviously). However, I usually drain and rinse the beans to get rid of the extra salt and starch that’s in it. Not to mention, I think the soup is perfect without the addition of bean juice (though that term definitely sounds appetizing).

And as usual, this recipe can be tweaked with fresh ingredients if you don’t want to use the canned versions. Sometimes I’ll use frozen corn or beans I’ve made from the dried bags (which I rarely do anymore). Whether I use taco and ranch seasoning packets vs. my homemade blends depends on whether I actually have them prepared or not.

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5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground turkey or beef, browned or beef, browned
• 1 16-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15.5-oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15.25-oz can corn, with liquid
• 1 14-oz can low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 15-oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 10-oz can Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chiles
• 1 1-oz taco seasoning packet (or 2 Tbs homemade taco seasoning, see notes)
• 1 1-oz ranch dressing seasoning packet (or 2 Tbs homemade ranch seasoning, see notes)

Instructions

• Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and stir.
• Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.
• Garnish with toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, and broken tortilla chips.

Notes

Ranch Seasoning Mix (with dry buttermilk powder)

Homemade Taco Seasoning (with cornstarch)

Depending on the brands you use for the beans, tomatoes, and broth, the amounts may be slightly off (e.g., 14 oz, 15 oz, 15.5 oz, etc). A couple ounces won’t matter, so just get close to whatever the measurements above are.

We’ve been enjoying this all week, which is perfect because it’s officially entered the 20s outside (and below; insert tears), and I’m all about the warmth of soup season.

This actually reminds me of a chili, but maybe that’s because I’m controversial and add a lot of beans to my chili. They’re a great source of protein and, more so, I just really love beans.

For toppings, I highly recommend some shredded cheddar and crushed tortilla chips. If you want to eat this straight up, though, it’s tasty by itself, as well. But mmmm, you can’t deny the seductive look of melty cheese in this action shot.

Have you ever had a Taco Soup before? Do you make it differently than me?

Beans in chili or nah?