This Easy Taco Soup Recipe with Rotel is the epitome of using pantry canned staples. You’ll be superstar of the kitchen with minimal effort!
I got this recipe from my longtime friend, Brandee, a few years ago and we have been making it since then! I tend to adapt a recipe to fit our tastes over time so we might make it a little different. Regardless, she gets the credit for this one! That’s part of why you should try it. It’s that versatile…use what you have and like! I am so glad she shared, because it is the BEST weeknight recipe to work into your meal rotation. If you can use a can opener, you can make this recipe!
If you are one of the 5,382 people who have asked me where I get the cutest holiday and dino themed outfits for my little girl, let me tell you again! They are from Brandee who runs Cactus Cuties TX, her online boutique. Join the Cactus Cuties TX Facebook group and see what she’s got! Your kiddos will especially love those PJs! She is also responsible for my western/Navajo styled jewelry collection…she has picked out probably 75% of it out for my husband to gift me over the last few years. Get you a friend like her!
See full recipe card for this Easy Taco Soup Recipe with Rotel at the bottom of the page with detailed ingredients list and full step-by-step instructions. Print to save in your cookbook binder or bookmark this page! This recipe will make it into your meal planning time and time again, if not weekly during the cooler months!
Why this Taco Soup Recipe is a Favorite?
This is one of my favorite meals to immediately put into my meal plans at the first hint of an October cool front here in Texas! It is a cold weather recipe that the whole family loves even in the warmer months. It has:
- Wonderful Tex-Mex flavor
- Simple Ingredients
- Low to no cooking experience needed
- Easy cooking method in Crock Pot or Instant Pot
- ANYONE, I repeat ANYONE can make it
- The effort to taste ratio is really in you favor
Equipment Needed
You really don’t have to have anything special for this recipe. You can definitely cook it in a stock pot over the stove in less than 30 minutes. My favorite way to cook this recipe is in the Instant Pot. I have also made this in the crock pot when I didn’t plan ahead and thaw my meat the night before. So, pick your method of choice! Regardless of your choice, it’s still a one-pot meal.
Stock Pot on Stove Method
In a nutshell, quickly brown your meat on medium-high heat, drain your excess fat (if desired), add all other soup ingredients, and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Instant Pot Taco Soup Method
This is my preferred cooking method. Brown hamburger meat on the sauté setting, drain excess grease (if desired), add all other soup ingredients, set to cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Bam…Yes, it’s that easy. Thank me later!
Crock Pot Taco Soup Method
Throw your meat into your slow cooker frozen or thawed. Cooking time will obviously depend on ground beef status. You might have to babysit your meat if put in frozen by chopping up as it thaws. If you don’t want to pay attention to it, put ground beef in already browned. Once beef is cooked, add in all remaining ingredients for the soup and cook on low heat for 3-4 hours or until flavors are well combined throughout.
Ingredients needed for Taco Soup Recipe with Rotel
I can literally walk to my pantry, fridge or freezer and pull every one of these ingredients out and be ready to make this recipe. I consistently keep all of these ingredients on hand which equals fewer trips to the grocery store. See how Using Pantry Staples makes my life so much easier!
Soup Ingredients
- Ground Beef
- Chicken broth or beef broth
- Taco Seasoning (see my homemade version here)
- Ranch Dressing Mix (see my homemade version here)
- Canned Beans (Pinto Beans, Black Beans, or Kidney Beans, or pick two)
- Rotel Tomatoes (Diced tomatoes and Green Chilies)
- Canned Tomatoes
- Canned Corn
- Onion (Sweet Onion, Yellow Onion, or Red Onion)
Soup Add Ons for Serving
- Sour Cream
- Shredded Cheese
- Tortilla Chips
Substitutions, Variations, and Additional Add-Ons
This recipe is so versatile and will maintain a great flavor with so many different variations. Adding in the sour cream at the end morphs this soup into a more creamy taco soup. Depending on what your family likes, you could make the whole thing creamy.
I like to use a dollop of sour cream at the end in mine since the soup is more visually appealing to my kids that way. If you know, you know. But if you are all a creamier the better family, next time try adding in heavy cream, or some cream cheese.
Sub the ground beef for ground turkey. Cooked chicken, ground or cut into pieces, is another option. For the Cheese, a Mexican cheese blend is our preference, but cheddar cheese is just fine also. Use whatever cheese you like.
Add in other garnishes on top of this soup at the end such as bell pepper, jalapenos, green onions, or corn chips like Fritos instead of tortilla chips.
Really y’all…just use what you have and I’m certain you will end up with a delicious taco soup recipe your family will enjoy.
Instructions for Taco Soup Recipe with Rotel in Instant Pot
Pick your cooking method or pot. Instant pot is my method of choice. Get your instant pot set up and put on sauté setting. While bowl insert is warming up, chop your one whole onion. I prefer to use sweet onions, but yellow or red will work as well. When bowl of your Instant Pot is hot, put in your ground beef and chopped onions.
Once your meat has cooked, you can choose whether to drain your grease or not. We have a calf or more processed each year so we do not have to purchase beef from the store. The fat content varies, but it is typically less than 80/20. I am usually lazy about it and don’t drain the excess grease since its not a ton. Also, I can easily scoop it off of the leftovers when it solidifies on top of the soup the next day.
Now, add in the chicken broth, taco seasoning, ranch dressing mix, 1-2 cans of beans (I drain them partially), Rotel Tomatoes (also drained partially), tomatoes, and corn. I prefer red kidney beans, or black beans in this soup, but pinto beans would work as well. I usually use only one can of beans, but you could use another to stretch the meal further if needed. If you wanted a little more spice, you wouldnt want to drain the Rotel tomatoes, or use their hot version. I don’t drain my corn.
Once all ingredients are mixed together, set your instant pot on High for 20 minutes. Put on your lid per instant pot instructions and let it cook. Once complete, you can let it naturally release pressure, or choose to manually release the pressure. Either way is fine.
When I fixed this meal last, I set it to cook, then left for my daughters cheer practice. Your Instant Pot will utilize the keep warm setting on its own once it is finished cooking. Once we got back home, about an hour and a half later, I opened the lid, gave it a stir, then served the taco soup with whatever toping that family member chose.
Such a stinkin’ easy recipe and great addition to any meal plan! For other dinner recipes, check out the Farmhouse 181 Main Dish section of our site!
Easy Taco Soupe Recipe with Rotel (Instant Pot)
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot/Electric Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
Taco Soup Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1 14.5 oz can Chicken Broth Beef Broth or stock works also, I used home canned chicken broth in 16oz mason jar
- 1 Packet Taco Seasoning equivalent to 3 Tbsp seasoning
- 1 Packet Ranch Dressing Mix Equivalent to 3 Tbsp mix
- 1 15.5 oz can Red Kidney Beans Partially Drained, pintos or black beans can sub as well
- 1 10 oz can Rotel Tomatoes Diced tomatoes with Green Chilies
- 1 14.5 oz can Diced Tomatoes Undrained
- 1 14.5 oz can Sweet Corn Undrained, I used home canned sweet corn in 16oz mason jar
Garnish/Add Ons Ingredients
- Sour Cream
- Shredded Cheese
- Tortilla Chips
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to Saute setting. Dice your onion while Instant Pot is warming.
- Set Instant Pot to Saute setting. Dice your onion while Instant Pot is warming.
- Add your ground beef and onions to the heated pot and cook until meat is browned. Drain your excess grease, if desired.
- Open all of your cans while your beef is browning.
- Add the Chicken Broth, Taco Seasoning, Ranch Dressing Mix, Canned Beans, Rotel Tomatoes, and Canned Corn to the instant Pot.
- Stir the ingredients to combine.
- Put your lid on the Instant Pot and close per manufacturers instructions.
- Set to pressure cook on high for 20 minutes.
- Once cooking is complete, release pressure manually, or wait for the pot to naturally release pressure. Either way is fine for this recipe.
- Stir, then ladle into serving bowls.
- Garnish with your favorite toppings, then Enjoy!
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