Description
Taco Soup delivers taco-night flavor in under 30 minutes—one pot, pantry staples, and zero fuss. You’ll sauté aromatics, brown the meat, bloom the spices, then pressure cook for a bright, gently spicy broth packed with beans, corn, tomatoes, and tender crumbles of turkey or beef. It’s cozy like chili but lighter, flexible with swaps, and great for meal prep.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground turkey or lean ground beef
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp black pepper
1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed & drained
1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, rinsed & drained
1 cup frozen corn
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (with juices)
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1–2 tsp hot sauce (optional)
1 lime, juiced
Toppings: diced avocado, chopped cilantro, sliced scallions, crushed tortilla chips, plain yogurt or sour cream, shredded cheese
Instructions
Prep & group: Dice onion; mince garlic; mix spices in a small bowl.
Sauté base: Set Instant Pot to Sauté. Add oil and onion; cook 2–3 min until glossy. Stir in garlic for 30 sec.
Brown protein: Add turkey/beef; crumble and cook 3–4 min until mostly browned.
Bloom spices: Stir in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, pepper; cook 30–45 sec until fragrant.
Add bulk: Stir in green chiles, beans, corn, diced tomatoes (with juices), tomato sauce, and stock. Scrape up browned bits.
Pressure cook: Cancel Sauté. Seal lid; Pressure Cook (High) 7 min.
Release & brighten: Natural release 5 min, then quick release. Stir in lime juice; taste and adjust salt/lime.
Serve: Ladle into bowls; add toppings.
Notes
Use low-sodium stock so you can season perfectly at the end.
Stovetop: simmer 20–25 min. Slow cooker: 6–8 hrs on Low (brown meat first).
Swaps: ground chicken or plant-based crumbles; any beans; lemon for lime.
For extra body without cream, blend 1 cup of soup and stir back in.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: soup recipes
- Method: Instant Pot, Pressure Cook, One-Pot
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex, American