How to Make Taco Soup in a Crock-Pot
Offering the delicious flavors of tacos with the comfort of a hot bowl of soup, taco soup is a doubly satisfying dish. This Crock-Pot version has twofold appeal: the hands-off convenience of putting everything in the pot earlier in the day and return to a cooked meal hours later, plus a time-saving lineup of ingredients that require barely any effort to prepare. You'll put in only minutes of work yet still create a flavor-packed, slow-cooked soup that the whole family will love. Add an array of extra toppings that you probably already have in your fridge or pantry, such as sour cream, tortilla strips and grated cheese, and the soup becomes even better.
Total Time: 3 to 8 hours | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Serves: 8 to 10
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained and rinsed, or 3/4 cup frozen corn
- 1 (26-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can beef or chicken broth
- 2 (4-ounce) cans mild green chilies
- 1 (15-ounce) jar salsa
- 1 (3-tablespoon) package taco seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- salt and pepper
Instructions:
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, stirring and breaking it up with a wooden spoon. This should take approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add to the Crock-Pot all the other ingredients: the diced onion, beans, corn, tomatoes with juice, chilies, salsa, broth, taco seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and parsley.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the browned beef to the pot, leaving the liquid and fat in the skillet.
- Cook everything on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours, stirring occasionally if you're home.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, then serve.
Tip
You can substitute ground turkey, chicken or pork for the beef, or leave out the meat altogether and add extra vegetables, such as zucchini, mushrooms and bell peppers, for a vegetarian version.
If you don't want to use store-bought taco seasoning, add instead 2 teaspoons each of cumin, onion powder and garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon each of chili powder, paprika and dried oregano. You will also probably need to add extra salt and pepper.
Delicious toppings for this taco soup include diced raw onion, avocado chunks, sour cream, tortilla strips and shredded cheese. You might also like to add some hot sauce.
References
Writer Bio
A writer of diverse interests, Joanne Thomas has penned pieces about road trips for Hyundai, children's craft projects for Disney and wine cocktails for Robert Mondavi. She has lived on three continents and currently resides in Los Angeles, where she is co-owner and editor of a weekly newspaper. Thomas holds a BSc in politics from the University of Bristol, England.