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Taco Soup With Black Beans

Taco soup with black beans is a hearty Tex-Mex main dish simmered until thick and flavorful, with tender beans, corn, and tomatoes in a savory broth. Browned ground beef, taco seasoning, and ranch mix create a bold flavor profile, finished with lime and classic toppings.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Base soup
  • 1 lb ground beef or turkey Use ground beef or ground turkey.
  • 1 onion Dice into small pieces for quick sautéing.
  • 3 garlic Minced.
  • 2 can (15 oz) black beans Drained and rinsed.
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn Drained.
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes Includes tomatoes and green chilies.
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes Canned diced tomatoes.
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning 1 packet taco seasoning.
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch dressing mix 1 packet ranch dressing mix.
  • 4 cup beef or chicken broth Use beef or chicken broth.
  • 1 tsp cumin Ground cumin.
Toppings
  • 0.25 sour cream For serving, to taste.
  • 0.25 cup shredded cheddar For serving, to taste.
  • 0.5 tortilla chips For serving, to taste.
  • 0.5 lime wedges For serving; squeeze over.
  • 0.25 cilantro Chopped, for garnish.
  • 0.25 avocado Sliced or diced, for garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown and sauté
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat until cooked through, then drain excess fat. You should see no pink remaining and the meat should look lightly browned.
  2. Sauté the onion for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. The onion should turn translucent and the garlic should smell fragrant without browning.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add the black beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, ranch dressing mix, beef or chicken broth, and cumin to the pot and stir until evenly combined. The mixture should look like a thick, speckled Tex-Mex broth with beans and tomatoes throughout.
  2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. After simmering, the flavors should meld and the soup will look slightly thicker.
Finish and serve
  1. Season with salt and add a squeeze of lime juice. Taste for balance—there should be a noticeable lime brightness in the broth.
  2. Serve hot with lime wedges, sour cream, shredded cheddar, tortilla chips, cilantro, and avocado. The toppings should be fresh and colorful, with chips adding crunch right before eating.

Notes

Pro tip: For the thickest texture, simmer uncovered for the full 20 minutes so the broth reduces slightly. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days. Freeze the soup base (without sour cream, cheddar, chips, avocado) for up to 3 months; thaw and reheat, then add toppings fresh. For a lighter swap, use ground turkey and low-sodium broth if desired.