Creamy taco soup crock pot is what I make anytime I need dinner to cook itself while I do something else. It starts with ground beef, pinto and black beans, corn, and a can of tomatoes with green chiles, all simmered low and slow with taco seasoning and a packet of ranch dressing mix. Cubes of Velveeta melt in near the end of cooking, so the pot turns out thick and creamy instead of thin and brothy like most taco soups. I start it in the morning and don’t think about it again until supper, which makes it perfect for busy weeknights or feeding a crowd.
We had a youth group bonfire at our house one Fall, and I needed something hearty enough to feed a yard full of teenagers who were going to be standing around a fire pit half the night, so I made a couple of batches of this soup ahead of time, then once it was done cooking, I carried both crock pots out to the porch table and switched them over to warm so everyone could serve themselves right there by the fire. Nobody had to come inside to eat; they just filled up a foam cup, wandered back out to the fire, and came back for seconds when they wanted more, which honestly might be the easiest way I’ve ever fed a crowd.
Main Ingredients Needed For Creamy Taco Soup Crock Pot
Here’s a quick overview of the key ingredients for this recipe. For the full list of ingredients and exact measurements, jump to the recipe card.
- Ground beef: I use an 80/20 blend because the extra fat keeps the soup from tasting dry, but I’ve made this plenty of times with ground turkey instead. It just comes out with a little less fat and richness than the beef version.
- Onion and bell peppers: Any color bell pepper works here. I just like a mix of yellow, orange, and green because it makes the pot look pretty when you’re serving a crowd. Dice them about the same size as the onion so everything cooks evenly.
- Pinto beans and black beans: Drain and rinse both cans before they go in; that extra step keeps the soup from turning cloudy or too thick with starch.
- Corn: I use canned corn and drain it well before adding it to the pot.
- Tomatoes with green chiles: This is what gives the soup its little kick of heat without making it spicy enough to bother the kids.
- Tomato sauce: This thickens the base of the soup and gives it that classic taco flavor.
- Green chile peppers: These are separate from the tomatoes with green chiles and add another layer of that mild, smoky heat.
- Beef broth: I buy low-sodium broth when I can find it, since the seasoning packets and canned goods already bring plenty of salt to the pot.
- Taco seasoning: Store-bought or my homemade taco seasoning
- Ranch dressing mix: This is the ingredient that sets this taco soup apart from a plain one. Use a full packet or 2 tablespoons of the dry mix. I always use Hidden Valley, though any brand will work just as well. It adds a mild, tangy flavor that doesn’t taste like ranch dressing exactly. It just makes everything taste a little richer.
- Velveeta cheese: Cube it ahead of time so it’s ready to go, since it needs to go in near the end of cooking. This is what makes taco soup with Velveeta cheese so different from a broth-based version, thick and creamy in every spoonful.
How To Make Creamy Taco Soup Crock Pot
You will need a 6-quart or larger slow cooker for this recipe.
Tip: I’ve skipped draining the beans and corn before in a hurry, and it waters down the whole pot every time, so now I never skip that step.
Creamy Taco Soup Variations
This is basically an easy taco soup recipe with ranch dressing, just made extra rich with the Velveeta stirred in at the end, and some people even call it a cowboy taco soup since it’s got the same beans, beef, and corn either way. If you want a lighter version of this soup, ground turkey works just as well as the beef. I’ve made it plenty of times that way. It comes out with a little less fat than the beef version, but it still holds up fine with all that Velveeta and ranch seasoning carrying the flavor.
Make Ahead and Freezer Instructions for Taco Soup
You can make the full pot a day ahead, let it cool, then refrigerate it and reheat everything, Velveeta included, right before you serve it. It also freezes well for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container; just thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat it on the stovetop or in the slow cooker before serving. That’s actually how I handle it anytime I’m hosting a crowd, like that bonfire night; having the soup fully cooked and just holding it warm meant I wasn’t stuck in the kitchen when everyone showed up. If you’re feeding a bigger crowd, this recipe doubles well; just split it between two slow cookers instead of trying to fit it all into one. That’s exactly how I handled it for a yard full of teenagers at that bonfire.
Kitchen Essentials I Use In This Recipe
These are the pieces I use anytime I’ve got something going in the crock pot, including this soup.
My Favorite Slow Cooker Tools
Questions When Making Creamy Taco Soup Crock Pot
Yes, that’s exactly what sets this recipe apart from a plain taco soup. A packet of ranch dressing mix gets stirred in right alongside the taco seasoning, and it adds a mild, tangy flavor without tasting like ranch dressing on its own.
No, this recipe doesn’t need extra water. The beef broth, tomato sauce, and tomatoes with green chiles already provide plenty of liquid; adding water will just thin out the flavor.
The Velveeta is what thickens this soup and gives it that creamy texture, so make sure it’s fully melted and stirred in well before serving. If you want it even thicker, let it sit uncovered on warm for a few minutes before ladling it out.
Use the mild tomatoes with green chiles instead of medium, and leave out the extra can of diced green chiles if you’re serving picky eaters. The ranch dressing mix actually mellows the taco seasoning too, so this version runs milder than a lot of taco soups already.
Cornbread is my favorite side for this. I’ll usually have a pan going while the soup finishes up. A simple side salad or a basket of tortilla chips works well too if you want something lighter.
Creamy Taco Soup Crock Pot
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup white or yellow onion, diced
- 1/3 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1/3 cup orange bell pepper, diced
- 1/3 cup green bell pepper, diced
- 15 ounces pinto beans, canned, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces black beans, canned, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces corn, canned, white or yellow, drained
- 1 pound ground beef, 80/20 blend
- 10 ounces tomatoes with green chilies, mild or medium, canned
- 8 ounces tomato sauce, canned
- 4 ounces green chile peppers, canned, diced
- 14.5 ounces beef broth, canned
- 2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning, or 2 packets of taco seasoning
- 2 tablespoons ranch dressing powder mix
- 16 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
Instructions
- You will need a 6-quart or larger slow cooker for this recipe.
- Dice the onion and bell peppers.1/2 cup white or yellow onion, 1/3 cup yellow bell pepper, 1/3 cup orange bell pepper, 1/3 cup green bell pepper
- Drain and rinse the beans and corn.15 ounces pinto beans, 15 ounces black beans, 15 ounces corn
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until no longer pink, breaking it up with a spoon.1 pound ground beef
- Tilt the pan to spoon off excess grease, return to heat, add the diced onion, and sauté 2 minutes until it starts to soften.
- Transfer the beef and onion to the slow cooker.
- Add the pinto beans, black beans, corn, bell peppers, tomatoes with green chiles, tomato sauce, green chile peppers, beef broth, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix. Stir well.10 ounces tomatoes with green chilies, 8 ounces tomato sauce, 4 ounces green chile peppers, 14.5 ounces beef broth, 2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning, 2 tablespoons ranch dressing powder mix
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
- About 30 minutes before the end of cooking, cube and stir in the Velveeta. Let it melt completely.16 ounces Velveeta cheese
- Stir well, ladle into bowls, and serve.
Gina’s Notes and Tips
- Make Ahead: Make the full soup a day ahead, cool, refrigerate, and reheat fully (Velveeta included) before serving.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of broth if it’s too thick.
- Freezing: Freeze for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Substitutions: Ground turkey works in place of the ground beef and comes out with a little less fat.
- Slow Cooker Times — HIGH: 3 to 4 hours
- Slow Cooker Times — LOW: 5 to 6 hours
Tried this recipe?
Please consider Leaving a Review!Hospitality with This Creamy Taco Soup
Anytime I want an easy night with friends, creamy taco soup crock pot is the meal I turn to, and it’s perfect for setting up a Soup Buffet Night where everyone fills their own bowl and piles on toppings however they like it. I’ll usually make a couple of breads to go alongside it: some plain buttery sweet potato corn muffins and a spicier bacon jalapeño cornbread, set them out warm in a basket next to the soup, and put my cowboy candy in a little bowl so people can spoon it right over the top if they want the sweet heat. It’s such a low-key way to feed a crowd; everybody just serves themselves and finds a seat, and there’s real ministry in that, just making sure nobody has to ask twice for more or feels like they’re in the way. Honestly, some of my favorite conversations with friends have happened standing around that buffet table, plate in hand, in no hurry to go anywhere. Set it up once, let people linger by the buffet as long as they want, and that’s the whole evening done right.
It’s not a good idea to spoon hot grease from the pan in to the sink. The grease will solidify in your plumbing when cold water is run unless you can pour in enough boiling water to rinse it all into the sewer! Paper towel is a much better idea. Greasy paper towels can be put in the green bin for the city compost collection. Do not put them in your garden compost, the grease will attract rats.
Oh my goodness Lynda, you are absolutely right! THis one slipped through. I went in and changed it to spoon the grease into a tin can (my age is showing) or other disposable heat proof container. Most of my recipes have images of me using paper towel. Please let me know if you ever see mistakes like this on other recipes on my site. THANK YOU!
I added refried beans for the beans and 1 can of pinto. I also used Rotel, but I also used fire roasted garlic diced tomatoes. I added the whole pkg, of ranch and I used fire roasted corn. Added about one eighth cup of sugar.Also a little catsup
Vickie, I love the idea of adding refried beans! Your add ins sound so good! Thanks for sharing.