Creamy Taco Soup

Here’s a warm and cozy twist on Taco Tuesday: a creamy beef taco soup. This super-simple, ultra-creamy taco soup has all of the flavors of a great taco, stirred together in a single pot. Almost entirely made from pantry ingredients, you can keep everything on hand and make this anytime you’re crunched for time. Packed with protein from both beef and beans, the soup has a silky-smooth base from Velveeta and sour cream.

If you prefer chicken, try this chicken taco soup recipe (or make it next Taco Tuesday).

Ingredients for Creamy Taco Soup

• Ground beef: What’s a taco-themed dinner without ground beef? Use whatever lean percentage you prefer.
• Onion: Chopped onion adds savory flavor.
• Pinto beans: Creamy canned pinto beans add extra protein and fiber. Black beans would be perfect too.
• Tomatoes: Stewed, canned tomatoes are a simple way to bring juicy tomato flavor to this taco soup.
• Diced tomatoes and chiles: Canned tomatoes spiked with spicy chiles, like Rotel, add mild but pleasant heat.
• Canned chili: Seasoned beef, tomatoes, and chiles layer in the flavors. Make sure to pick up the canned chili without beans.
• Velveeta cheese: Cubed processed cheese, like Velveeta, brings cheesy flavor with the smoothest texture.
• Garlic powder: Make it as garlicky as you like with garlic powder.
• Sour cream: Just like topping a taco, cool and rich sour cream complements and balances the rich beef and mildly spicy chiles.

Directions

Step 1: Make the soup—it’s that easy!

In a Dutch oven, cook the ground beef and the onion until the meat isn’t pink and the onion is soft. Drain off any fat. Add the beans, tomatoes, tomatoes and chiles, chili, cheese and garlic powder. Cook over low, stirring until cheese is melted. Stir in half of the sour cream, but be sure not to boil (it can curdle). Use the rest of the sour cream to top each bowl.

Homemade tortilla chips would be a great crispy side to dip into the soup. Or a light and bright avocado citrus salad. Warm tortillas or street corn salad would be delicious too.