I love that this soup is so versatile, and my grandkids love it. It’s really a family favorite around here. You can customize it to your own taste by adding or removing different ingredients. For example, if you like it spicy, you can add a few dashes of hot sauce. If you like it extra cheesy, you can add more Velveeta. And if you’re not a fan of beans, you can leave them out.
It is just as ideal for a chilly winter day as it is for a summer Taco Tuesday night drizzled over a big pile of chips and cheese.
Easy Entertaining For A Crowd
This taco soup is also great for entertaining. It’s ideal to make ahead of time and reheat, so it’s perfect for potlucks or game day gatherings. And Mexican food is always sure to please a crowd! It’s a delicious appetizer, an easy side dish for a Mexican Fiesta, or even a main course all on its own. This hearty soup is perfect for a Cinco de Mayo party, too!
Great Reasons To Make Taco Soup With Ranch Dressing
- Easy: This soup is sure to become a favorite, and you’ll be absolutely fine with that because it’s so easy to make! I usually serve it with a side of cornbread or tortilla chips. I love toppings, so I always add shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, and fresh cilantro. It has all the flavors of your favorite Mexican dishes in one delicious bowl.
- Quick: It only takes about 20 minutes to get this recipe into the slow cooker, so it’s perfect when you’re short on time or just don’t want to spend very long in the kitchen. Just brown the ground beef, saute the onions, and then dump everything in the slow cooker. Set it on low and let it do its thing for a few hours. When it’s time to eat, just stir in the Velveeta and let it melt for the cheesiest, creamiest, most flavorful ranch taco soup you’ve ever had!
If you love Mexican food and you’re always searching for fresh Mexican food ideas, be sure to check out these great recipes.
Salsas & Sauces: Fermented Green Salsa, Taco Bell Redsauce Copycat, Cherry Tomato Salsa, Taco Bell Bajah Sauce, Green Salsa Without Tomatillos, and Restrant Style Salsa.
Is ranch good in taco soup?
If adding ranch seasoning in taco soup seems a bit strange to you, you’re not alone. In fact, the first time I tried this recipe, I was skeptical. But I should have known that ranch seasoning makes everything taste better!
Ranch dressing mix is a combination of herbs and spices that makes taco soup taste so delicious. The herbs, like dill, chives, and parsley, compliment the taco seasoning, and other ingredients in the soup. The spices, like garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper, make the soup taste really flavorful and satisfying.
Ranch dressing mix also has buttermilk powder, which makes the soup creamier. The buttermilk powder also has a tangy flavor that helps to balance out the richness of the other ingredients in the soup.
So yes, ranch dressing mix is a great addition to taco soup because it adds flavor, texture, and a tangy finish! Trust me, don’t be worried. The ranch dressing is a solid addition, and your family will love this recipe.
Taco Soup with Ranch Dressing Ingredients
- Ground beef: Use lean ground beef for a healthier option. You can also use ground turkey or chicken. Look for ground beef that is 90% lean or higher.
- Ranch dressing mix: This is a key ingredient that gives the soup its flavor. You can buy ranch dressing mix at just about any grocery store. It is usually found in the spice aisle.
- Taco seasoning: You can use a homemade taco seasoning mix or a store-bought packet, like Hidden Valley Ranch.
- Beans: Use pinto beans and black beans for a hearty soup. You can also add kidney beans or chickpeas. Canned beans are a convenient option for this recipe.
- Rotel: Use canned Rotel for convenience. You can also use fresh tomatoes and green chiles if you prefer. Rotel is usually found in the canned vegetable aisle.
- Vegetables: Use chopped onions, green peppers, corn, and carrots for a colorful and flavorful soup. If you are using fresh vegetables, chop them before adding them to the soup. You can also use frozen veggies if you want to make this soup even quicker.
- Velveeta cheese: Use Velveeta Original Melting Cheese Dip & Sauce for an unbelievably creamy and cheesy soup. Velveeta cheese is usually found in the dairy aisle.
📝 Note: You can find the full recipe with ingredients and measurements in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Easy Taco Soup with Rach Dressing Recipe Step-By-Step
This is a pretty easy recipe, made even easier by using your crock pot. Here’s how you make it:
- Prepare your ingredients. Chop up your vegetables, drain canned vegetables as needed, and gather the remaining seasonings to make your soup. For now, you can leave the Velveeta, as you won’t need it for a few hours.
- Let’s begin by browning the ground beef. Use a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the beef until it’s no longer pink. Use a wood spoon or meat chopper (my favorite tool) to break up the beef as it cooks. Once it’s done, turn off the heat and set the pan so it is slitly higher on one side.
- Move the hamburger to the high side and allow the fat to separate. Next, carefully spoon off the excess grease from the pan into the sink. You can also use a paper towel to soak up any remaining grease.
- Now, place the skillet over the heat again and add the chopped onions. Saute for about 2 minutes. They should begin to soften.
- Transfer the browned beef and onions to a slow cooker.
- Now, you can just dump in the remaining ingredients (except for the Velveeta)! Add the pinto beans, black beans, Rotel tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chile peppers, beef broth, corn, bell peppers, ranch seasoning mix, and the packet of taco seasoning to the slow cooker.
- Stir everything well to combine. Place the lid on the Crock Pot and set it to low heat. Let the soup cook for 5 to 6 hours on low. If you’re in a hurry, you can turn it to high for about 4 hours.
- About 30 minutes before the cooking time is over, cut the Velveeta block into cubes and add it to the soup. Stir well to incorporate the cheese. It will start to melt and make the soup creamy.
- Place the lid back on the slow cooker and continue cooking for the last 30 minutes, allowing the cheese to melt fully.
- Once the soup is finished cooking, remove the lid and stir the soup well to fully blend all the ingredients. Serve hot!
Tips and Helpful Notes
- You can use ground turkey or ground chicken instead of ground beef if you prefer. If so, you may want to replace the beef broth with chicken broth. You can also add other vegetables to the soup, like carrots, corn, or zucchini.
- To make this more filling, adding an extra can of beans is fine, but you might want to add a bit more broth to compensate.
How to Make Easy Stovetop Taco Soup
Using the slow cooker is a great way to make soups the whole family will love because they’re so flavorful. However, you can also make this in a Dutch oven or big pot. Here’s how:
- Heat a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until it is no longer pink. Break up the ground beef with a spatula as it cooks. Drain off any excess fat from the pot. You can also use a paper towel to soak up any extra grease that’s still in the pan.
- Add the chopped onions and green bell pepper to the ground beef in the pot. Cook the vegetables until they are softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients, except for the Velveeta cheese. Stir to combine.
- Bring the soup to a boil over medium heat. Then, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the flavors have melded.
- In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the Velveeta cheese to the soup. Stir until the cheese is melted and incorporated.
Can I make this beef taco soup ahead of time?
Yes, you can make this soup ahead of time. Just cook the soup according to the recipe, then let it cool completely. Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply warm the soup in a saucepan over medium heat until heated through. You can also put it back in the crockpot on high heat for about 1 hour to heat it up, then reduce the heat to low or the ‘keep warm’ setting while you serve it.
How to Store Leftovers
In the fridge: Let the soup cool completely before storing it in the refrigerator. Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
In the freezer: Let the soup cool completely before freezing it. Store the soup in an airtight container or ziplock freezer bags in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before serving again.
How to reheat: To reheat taco soup, simply place it in a saucepan over medium heat and heat until warmed through. You can also reheat taco soup in the microwave. Be sure to stir the soup every 30 seconds to prevent it from burning.
Topping and Mix-In Ideas
Topping ideas abound for this yummy and easy taco soup recipe. You can literally top this soup with any of your favorite taco toppings. Here are a few ideas:
- For a spicy kick, add some jalapenos, or for an extra special flavor, make some sweet and spicy cowboy candy.
- Crunch up some corn chips or buy some tortilla strips and add them just before serving.
- Chop up green onion and tomato to sprinkle over a dollop of sour cream
- Sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese on top for extra cheesy goodness.
Make It A Meal
How about a Mexican Dinner Party? Start your meal with some Mexican Appetizers, and chips and salsa drizzled with nacho cheese. Next, serve a Mexican Rice Salad, Mexican Bean Salad, or fresh Mexican Coleslaw. For the main meal, serve this soup in a big bowl with toppings or fill warm tortilla and top with shredded cheese. Don’t forget to browse through my Mexican Dessert Ideas.
Did you enjoy making this recipe?
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Creamy Taco Soup with Ranch Dressing Recipe (Easy Crockpot)
Note: Be sure to read through the recipe’s post for tips and details about this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup diced onion, white or yellow
- 1/3 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1/3 cup orange bell pepper, diced
- 1/3 cup green pepper, diced
- 15 ounce pinto beans, can, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce black beans, can, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce corn , can, drained – white or yellow
- 1 pound ground beef, 80/20
- 10 ounce tomatoes and green chilies, (mild or medium, depending on spice preference)
- 8 ounce tomato sauce, can
- 4 ounce green chile peppers, can, diced
- 14.5 ounce beef broth, can
- 2 tablespoon homemade taco seasoning , or 2 packets of taco seasoning
- 2 tablespoons ranch dressing powder mix
- 16 ounce Velveeta cheese
Instructions
- Prepare your ingredients. Chop up your vegetables, drain canned vegetables as needed, and gather the remaining seasonings to make your soup. For now, you can leave the Velveeta, as you won’t need it for a few hours.1/2 cup diced onion, 15 ounce pinto beans, 15 ounce black beans, 15 ounce corn, 1/3 cup green pepper, 1/3 cup yellow bell pepper, 1/3 cup orange bell pepper
- Let’s begin by browning the ground beef. Use a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the beef until it’s no longer pink. Use a wood spoon or meat chopper (my favorite tool) to break up the beef as it cooks. Once it’s done, turn off the heat and set the pan so it is slitly higher on one side.1 pound ground beef
- Move the hamburger to the high side and allow the fat to separate. Next, carefully spoon off the excess grease from the pan into the sink. You can also use a paper towel to soak up any remaining grease.
- Now, place the skillet over the heat again and add the chopped onions. Saute for about 2 minutes. They should begin to soften.
- Transfer the browned beef and onions to a slow cooker.
- Now, you can just dump in the remaining ingredients (except for the Velveeta)! Add the pinto beans, black beans, Rotel tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chile peppers, beef broth, corn, bell peppers, ranch seasoning mix, and the packet of taco seasoning to the slow cooker.10 ounce tomatoes and green chilies, 8 ounce tomato sauce, 4 ounce green chile peppers, 14.5 ounce beef broth, 2 tablespoon homemade taco seasoning, 2 tablespoons ranch dressing powder mix
- Stir everything well to combine. Place the lid on the Crock Pot and set it to low heat. Let the soup cook for 5 to 6 hours on low. If you’re in a hurry, you can turn it to high for about 4 hours.
- About 30 minutes before the cooking time is over, cut the Velveeta block into cubes and add it to the soup. Stir well to incorporate the cheese. It will start to melt and make the soup creamy.16 ounce Velveeta cheese
- Place the lid back on the slow cooker and continue cooking for the last 30 minutes, allowing the cheese to melt fully.
- Once the soup is finished cooking, remove the lid and stir the soup well to fully blend all the ingredients. Serve hot!
Notes
- You can use ground turkey or ground chicken instead of ground beef if you prefer. If so, you may want to replace the beef broth with chicken broth. You can also add other vegetables to the soup, like carrots, corn, or zucchini.
- To make this more filling, adding an extra can of beans is fine, but you might want to add a bit more broth to compensate.