This slow cooker taco soup with ground beef is one of my favorite recipes to make in the slow cooker, especially in the fall and winter months.
The soup is so hearty and flavorful, and the beef gets so tender over the long hours of cooking. Let it cook all day and it just gets better.
Note that you’ll need a few minutes to brown the beef before putting this soup into the slow cooker. Even briefly browning the beef gives it a better texture and flavor in the finished soup, and it also helps render out some of the fat before it goes into the slow cooker.
Since I’m already browning the meat, I also like to cook the onions a little bit. This draws out their sweet flavor.
You can brown the meat and onions a day or two ahead and keep them refrigerated until you’re ready to make the soup..
I love serving this soup with crushed tortilla chips for some crunch and also to complete the “taco” part of the soup. Add a healthy dollop of sour cream and it’s ready to eat!
Slow Cooker Taco Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound (450g) lean ground beef
- 1 1/2 cups (180g) diced yellow or red onions
- 2 to 3 cups (475ml to 710ml) chicken or beef broth (use more if you want a thinner soup)
- 1 15-oz. (425g) can diced tomatoes
- 1 15-oz. (425g) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-oz. (425g) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 4-oz. (115g) can chopped green chiles
- 1 1/4 cups (135g) corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- 2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Tortilla chips, lightly crushed
- Sour cream
- Chopped cilantro
- Finely diced red onion
- Lime juice
- Chopped red onions
- 4-quart or larger slow cooker
