One of my go to family dinners on busy week nights is Slow Cooker Taco Soup. It’s a family favorite that also happens to be a stress free fix and forget dinner. And you probably already have all the ingredients on hand.
This quick and easy taco soup recipe is as easy as dumping five cans and two packets in the slow cooker. You can brown the ground beef beforehand or throw it in raw. It will cook just fine in the soup. Just be sure to use 93/7 or 96/4 LEAN ground beef if you go this route so the meal doesn’t turn out greasy.
You can also use store bought taco seasoning and ranch dressing packets for convenience or you can opt to make your own taco seasoning and ranch dressing mix from scratch. Here are my own tried and true recipes:
I like to make these mixes in bulk and keep a container on hand at all times for other recipes too.
Also, if you own two slow cookers, consider making a double batch and freezing one. I actually own two large 6-quart slow cookers and a smaller 4-quart sized one. You can snag my favorite slow cooker here: Crock-Pot 6-Quart Stainless Programmable Slow Cooker with Dipper
I like to freeze the second batch in individual serving sized containers that can be thawed and served for quick lunches and dinners. These Rubbermaid Square 2-Cup Containers are my favorite because they hold just the right serving size AND they’re square so they stack and utilize space in the freezer effectively.
So there you have it. Make it a point to keep these ingredients in your pantry at all times and there’s never any reason to stress out over dinner!
How to Make Slow Cooker Taco Soup
Slow Cooker Taco Soup
- 2 lbs lean ground beef (browned or raw)
- 1 packet Taco Seasoning (or 2 Tbsp Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix)
- 1 packet Ranch Dressing Mix (or 2 Tbsp Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix)
- 1 15 oz can Black Beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 15 oz can Chili Beans (undrained)
- 1 15 oz can Corn (undrained)
- 1 10 oz can Tomatoes with Green Chilies (undrained)
- 1 15 oz can Tomato Sauce
- 2 cups water
- lettuce as garnish ((optional))
- tomatoes as garnish ((optional))
- shredded cheese as garnish ((optional))
- sour cream as garnish ((optional))
- tortilla chips as garnish ((optional))
- Place raw or browned ground beef in slow cooker.
-
Add next 7 ingredients from taco seasoning to water.
- If using raw ground beef, cook on high for 6 hours.
If using browned ground beef, cook on high for 4 hours. -
Check 30 minutes before serving and add more HOT water (if needed) to create desired consistency and continue to cook.
- Serve hot in bowls topped with optional garnishes.
Click here for recipe for Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix.
Click here for recipe for Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix.