This 7 Can Taco Soup is cozy, hearty, and packed with flavor—all with just pantry staples! It comes together with a mix of beans, corn, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, green chiles, and seasoning blends for a bold, zesty broth. Add in savory ground beef and smoky bacon for richness, then let your slow cooker do the work. Perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or an easy game-day dinner. Serve with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, and sour cream for the ultimate comfort meal.
7-can taco soup is a family favorite meal in my household, especially when the weather is chilly or rainy. This hearty bean and ground beef soup has the yummy flavor of tacos sans the prep work that comes with tacos. The seasoning, ground beef, and bacon all come together to create an uber-tasty recipe that everyone in the whole family will love.
This hearty taco soup recipe is easy to double or triple to accommodate larger families or more dinner guests. It freezes well, so you can easily reheat leftovers on busy days or whenever you crave taco soup.
If you’re craving other easy soup recipes during the week, consider making one of the following: Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Creamy Italian Sausage Soup, or Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup. You can’t go wrong with any of these delicious recipes!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Hearty: The chili beans, veg, and beef provide nutrients, fiber, and protein that help keep you full until the next meal.
- Savory: With ingredients like bacon, beans, and taco seasoning, you’ll find a yummy savory flavor in every bite.
- Full of Flavor: Taco and ranch seasoning provide a bold, delicious flavor in this soup.
- A Little Kick: The green chilies and enchilada sauce provide the perfect amount of heat in this 7-can taco soup dish.
- Easy: Most of the cook time for this dish is hands-off, making it an easy, beginner-friendly dish.
- Convenient: The prep time for this recipe is quick, as you’ll be tossing most of the ingredients directly into the slow cooker.
- Perfect for Large Families: Since this dish is easy to double or triple, it’s a great recipe for larger families.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Olive Oil: Used for browning the beef. Can substitute with avocado oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil.
- Ground Beef: 90/10 has the perfect balance of flavor and less grease. Swap with ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.
- Onion: A yellow onion adds natural sweetness and depth. White onion or red onion works too.
- Bacon: Adds smokiness and richness. Turkey bacon or pancetta are good alternatives, or omit for a lighter soup.
- Black Beans: Provide creamy texture. Can be replaced with kidney beans, navy beans, or more pinto beans.
- Pinto Beans: Mild and hearty, balancing the black beans. Swap with cannellini beans or chickpeas if preferred.
- Corn: Adds natural sweetness. Use canned, frozen (no need to thaw), or fresh cooked corn kernels.
- Tomatoes: Diced or crushed both work. Fire-roasted tomatoes add smoky depth. If using plain, add 1 teaspoon chili powder for extra flavor.
- Chicken Broth (or Water): Broth adds more flavor, but water works in a pinch. Use beef broth for extra flavor.
- Enchilada Sauce: Red for smoky/savory, green for tangy/spicy. Use mild or hot depending on spice preference. Salsa verde or taco sauce can be substituted.
- Green Chiles: Add a mild heat and brightness. If you like it spicy, use hot green chiles or diced jalapeños. Can omit for a milder soup.
- Ranch Dressing Seasoning: Adds a nice savoriness. If you are using homemade ranch seasoning or seasoning from a bulk container, use 3 Tablespoons.
- Taco Seasoning: Use a store-bought packet or homemade mix of chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and cayenne. You will need about 3 Tablespoons.
- Ground Cumin: Warm, earthy spice that’s essential here. If out, add extra taco seasoning to compensate.
- Granulated Garlic: Boosts garlicky flavor. Garlic powder works as a substitute.
- Smoked Paprika (Optional): Adds smoky depth. Use sweet paprika, hot paprika, or chipotle chili powder instead if desired.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make 7 Can Taco Soup
Quick Overview
- Heat olive oil.
- Brown ground beef.
- Add onion and bacon.
- Saute until beef is cooked through.
- Add all ingredients to the slow cooker.
- Cook on low or high.
Step by Step Instructions
Use a spatula to break up beef clumps when browning.
Don’t add beef and onions into the slow cooker until the beef is fully cooked.
Brown the Beef: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the beef and begin to break it up, and sauté it.
Add Onion & Bacon: Add the onion and bacon. Continue cooking until the onion has softened and the beef is cooked through.
Combine in the Slow Cooker: Add the beef mixture, black beans, pinto beans, corn, tomatoes, chicken broth, enchilada sauce, green chiles, cumin, garlic, and paprika.
Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, and tortilla strips (for crunch).
I love serving this 7 can taco soup over rice for a more filling meal. You can include other Mexican-inspired side dishes to create a more filling meal. Here are a few ideas:
Expert Tips
- Drain & Rinse Beans and Corn: This keeps the soup from being overly salty or starchy.
- Crisp the Bacon: Cooking it with the onion deepens flavor and adds richness to the broth.
- Brown Beef, Onions, and Bacon: Browning beforehand adds flavor (myard reaction)
- Use a Slow Cooker: This allows everything to slow-simmer and develop flavor, and is hands-off. No need to keep stirring or checking the soup.
Most Common Mistakes
- Overcrowding the Skillet: Cook the beef, onion, and bacon in a large pan so they brown properly instead of steaming.
- Forgetting to Season to Taste: The packets add flavor, but always taste at the end and adjust salt, pepper, or spice levels.
- Using Only One Bean Variety: The mix of beans adds texture—using just one can make the soup feel flat.
- Skipping the Browning Step: Browning the meat and bacon first develops a rich flavor that you won’t get if you add them raw.
Additions & Variations
- Try Ground Turkey or Chicken: You can make this 7-can taco soup leaner and healthier by turning into a turkey or chicken taco soup recipe. Simply replace the ground beef with turkey or chicken in a 1:1 ratio.
- Make It Creamy: Stir in 4 ounces of cream cheese or 1 cup heavy cream at the end for a richer broth.
- Extra Veggies: Add 1 diced bell pepper, 1 zucchini, or 1 cup shredded carrots for extra nutrition and texture.
- Southwest Kick: Stir in 1 chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce plus 1 Tablespoon adobo sauce for smoky heat.
- Instant Pot Version: Pressure cook on HIGH for 15-20 minutes, then quick release.
Toppings & Serving Ideas
- Garnish with Tortilla Strips: Add a sprinkle of tortilla chips on each bowl of taco soup to help create a crispy texture.
- Tex-Mex Style: Top with queso blanco, crushed Fritos, and jalapeños.
Recipe FAQs
If your taco soup is too thin, you can make a slurry with cornstarch and a small amount of broth. Add the slurry to the slow cooker and continue cooking until the soup broth has thickened.
You can enjoy this 7-can taco soup by itself or dress it up with tortilla strips and shredded cheese.
There are a few reasons why your taco soup came out thinner than you wanted. For one, the beans and corn may not have been fully drained. Or, if you add too much broth, it may cause the soup to be watery. If you’ve used fattier bacon or ground beef, there may be too much grease which can cause the soup to seem watery. In all cases, a cornstarch slurry will help create a thicker broth.
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Easy 7 Can Taco Soup with Ranch Dressing Mix
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound 90/10 ground beef
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 1 15.5-ounce can black beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 15.5-ounce can pinto beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can corn, drained & rinsed
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes
- 1 15.5-ounce can low sodium chicken broth or water
- 1 15-ounce can enchilada sauce, red or green*
- 1 4-ounce can green chiles
- 1 1-ounce packet ranch dressing seasoning
- 1 1-ounce packet taco seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin & granulated garlic
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, optional*
Instructions
- Brown the Beef: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the beef and begin to break it up, and sauté it.1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound 90/10 ground beef
- Add Onion & Bacon: Stir in the onion and bacon. Cook until the onion softens and the beef is cooked through.1 large onion, diced, 4 slices bacon, diced
- Combine in the Slow Cooker: Add the beef mixture, black beans, pinto beans, corn, tomatoes, chicken broth, enchilada sauce, green chiles, cumin, garlic, and paprika.1 15.5-ounce can black beans, drained & rinsed, 1 15.5-ounce can pinto beans, drained & rinsed, 1 15-ounce can corn, drained & rinsed, 1 14.5-ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes, 1 15.5-ounce can low sodium chicken broth or water, 1 15-ounce can enchilada sauce, red or green*, 1 4-ounce can green chiles, 1 1-ounce packet ranch dressing seasoning, 1 Tablespoon ground cumin & granulated garlic, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, optional*, 1 1-ounce packet taco seasoning
- Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
Notes
- Enchilada Sauce: Red for smoky/savory, green for tangy/spicy. Use mild or hot depending on spice preference. Salsa verde or taco sauce can be substituted.
- Smoked Paprika (Optional): Adds smoky depth. Use sweet paprika, hot paprika, or chipotle chili powder instead if desired.
- Drain & Rinse Beans and Corn: This keeps the soup from being overly salty or starchy.
- Adjust Heat: Use hot enchilada sauce, extra chiles, or a pinch of cayenne for more spice.
- Double the Recipe: This 7-can taco soup with ranch dressing mix is easy to double or triple for larger get-togethers. It’s also a great recipe to make ahead and freeze. To freeze the extra soup, put it in airtight baggies, ensuring you remove as much air as possible. It can stay in the freezer for up to six months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
