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Creamy Cheesy Ground Beef Taco Soup

Creamy cheesy ground beef taco soup made with a quick simmer, then melted cream cheese and Velveeta for a thick, spoon-coating taco broth. Loaded with black beans, corn, and Rotel, and finished with tortilla chips, jalapeños, and cilantro.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 660
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef and aromatics
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 1 onion
  • 3 garlic
Taco soup base
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn drained
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch dressing mix
  • 4 cup beef broth
Creamy cheese layer
  • 8 oz cream cheese cubed
  • 8 oz Velveeta or American cheese cubed
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
Toppings
  • 0.5 tortilla chips for serving
  • 0.25 jalapeños for serving
  • 0.25 cilantro for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef and aromatics
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large pot, then drain off the fat so the soup stays thick instead of greasy.
  2. Sauté the diced onion for 3 minutes, then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Build the taco soup
  1. Add the black beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, ranch dressing mix, and beef broth to the pot and stir to combine.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.
  3. Reduce heat to low before continuing so the dairy melts smoothly.
Melt and thicken
  1. Add the cubed cream cheese and cubed Velveeta in pieces, stirring until completely melted and the broth looks glossy.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for 5 minutes until thick and cheesy.
Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with tortilla chips, jalapeños, and cilantro right before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: melt the cream cheese and Velveeta over low heat so you get a smooth, creamy broth instead of grainy cheese. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop to avoid breaking the dairy. Freezing is not recommended because the creamy texture can thin after thawing. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and reduced-fat Velveeta/American-style cheese.