Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics and Base
- 15 ml olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño, finely diced, seeds removed for less heat
- 3 garlic, minced
- 450 g ground beef, 80/20 blend preferred
Spices
- 15 g chili powder
- 10 g ground cumin
- 5 g smoked paprika
- 2 g dried oregano
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper
Liquids and Bulk
- 946 ml beef broth
- 800 g crushed tomatoes, canned
- 425 g black beans, canned, rinsed and drained
- 425 g pinto beans, canned, rinsed and drained
- 150 g frozen corn kernels
Garnishes
- hard-shell tacos, crushed
- cheddar cheese, shredded
- sour cream
- fresh cilantro, chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 436 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbohydrates
- 48 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 14 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 1630 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 3 mg
- Potassium
- 1367 mg
- Calcium
- 193 mg
- Iron
- 8.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 104 mg
- Phosphorus
- 404 mg
- Zinc
- 4.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 109 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 23 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 13 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.21 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.22 mg
- Niacin
- 3.0 mg
- Folate
- 84 mcg
- Water
- 313 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and jalapeño, cooking until the vegetables are softened and fragrant.
Add the ground beef and minced garlic to the pot. Cook, breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through. Ensure the internal temperature reaches 74°C/165°F.
Drain excess fat if desired, leaving a small amount for flavor. Stir in the chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir constantly to coat the meat and toast the spices until highly fragrant.
Pour in the beef broth, crushed tomatoes, rinsed black beans, rinsed pinto beans, and frozen corn. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot to lift any browned bits.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Let the soup simmer, uncovered, allowing the flavors to meld and the broth to thicken slightly.
Remove from heat. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish heavily with crushed hard-shell tacos, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and fresh cilantro.
Chef's Notes
- For a richer mouthfeel, do not drain all the fat from the ground beef after browning. The spices bloom beautifully in the rendered fat, unlocking their fat-soluble flavor compounds.
- Customize the heat level by leaving the seeds and membranes in the jalapeño, or by adding a pinch of cayenne pepper with the dry spices.
- This soup tastes even better the next day. As it rests in the refrigerator, the spices continue to hydrate and meld with the beans and tomatoes, making it exceptional for leftovers.
- When using ground turkey or chicken as a substitute, be mindful that they lack the natural fat of beef. You may want to use chicken broth instead of beef broth to match the lighter flavor profile.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container without garnishes.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in individual portions. Do not freeze fresh dairy or avocado garnishes.
Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until simmering, or microwave in 1-minute bursts, stirring in between.
Troubleshooting
Soup is too thick and resembles a stew
Cause: Too much liquid evaporated during the simmer, or the beans absorbed more liquid than expected
Fix: Stir in an extra 120-240ml of hot broth or water until the desired soup consistency is reached
Prevention: Simmer with the lid partially on or use a lower heat setting
Soup lacks depth of flavor
Cause: Spices were old or not toasted long enough in the fat
Fix: Simmer for an additional 15 minutes, and add a pinch of salt and a squeeze of fresh lime juice to brighten the profile
Prevention: Ensure spices are fresh and toast them with the meat before adding liquids
Cultural Context
Taco soup is a beloved staple of American Tex-Mex home cooking, emerging in the mid-to-late 20th century as a convenient way to utilize pantry staples like canned beans and tomatoes. It captures the quintessential flavor profile of Americanized hard-shell tacos in a comforting, spoonable format, emphasizing accessibility and bold, familiar spices.
