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Creamy Taco Soup

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A rich and creamy taco soup recipe made with ground beef, beef stock, onion, garlic, tomatoes, green chilies, cream cheese, heavy cream, and lots of herbs and spices. It is the perfect budget friendly soup recipe.

An overheat shot of a bowl of creamy taco soup, garnished with avocado, tomatoes, cheese, and cilantro.
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Ingredients in

An overhead shot on ingredients laid out to make soup - ground beef, garlic, cheese, cream cheese, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, cream, broth, and spices.

Ingredient Notes

  • Ground Beef: For this creamy taco soup recipe, I used ground beef, but you could also use ground chicken, ground turkey, ground sausage, or a combination of any of these. Be sure to check the discounted meat section and see what you might be able to grab at a discount. Get FREE ground beef for life.
  • Onion: For this budget friendly soup recipe, I like to use white onion, yellow onion, or sweet onion - whichever is on sale. But you could also use red onion or even shallot. Another option is to raid your spice pantry and use dried minced onion. I save a ton on my produce by ordering from Misfits Market.
  • Cream cheese: I like using full fat cream cheese in this recipe. You could also use mascarpone or even Boursin. I recommend cooking the cream cheese into the meat until it is nice and creamy and you do not see any lumps. Trying to mix it into the broth will result in lumpy broth. Try my Cream Cheese Chocolate Truffle Recipe.
  • Diced tomatoes and green chilis: You can get these combined in a can. My favorite brand is Rotel, but store brands were just fine.
  • Beef Stock: I like to use beef bone broth for the added nutritional benefit, but you can also use beef stock or beef broth.
  • Heavy cream: The heavy cream in this recipe add a silky richness to the broth of the soup. You can also use half and half, but the soup broth will not be as thick.
  • Garnishes: I like to garnish this creamy taco soup with fresh avocado slices, tomatoes, cheese, cilantro, and even some crispy tortilla strips from time to time. A dollop of sour cream on top is great as well.

How to make

A grid of 4 photos, showing the step by step process for making taco soup in a dutch oven.

Step By Step Instructions to Make Creamy Taco Soup

STEP 1: In a large Dutch oven, sauté the onions and the garlic in olive oil (get 10% off my favorite olive oil) over medium heat. Sauté until the onions are tender and the garlic is translucent. 

STEP 2: Add the ground beef, salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder. Sauté until the beef is browned, and drain the excess grease.

STEP 3: Add the cream cheese to the pan and using a wooden spatula, break it up and cook it into the ground beef. Keep cooking and mixing until the cream cheese is fully melted in and is smooth and creamy, with no visible chunks left.

STEP 4: Add the diced tomatoes and green chilis, with juices, and the beef stock. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the heavy cream and simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Taste, and add more salt and pepper, if desired. 

A bowl of creamy taco soup, garnished with avocado, tomatoes, cheese, and cilantro, with a bite being taken out of it.

Recipe Tips and Variations for Budget Friendly Soup

  • Storage and Leftovers: This is actually an excellent soup for meal prep. I like to make a double batch and portion one batch out into individual servings to use as meal prep throughout the week, and then save the second batch to freeze and eat later. I like to freeze it in Souper Cubes so that I already have the perfect portions for reheating.
  • Reheating: You can reheat this in the microwave, but it is best reheated on the stove.
  • Add Black Beans: Another budget friendly add in to this soup that will make it even heartier and give you some added fiber is black beans. Add them in when you add the beef stock.
  • Spices: If you do not have all the spices called for in the recipe, you can substitute Taco Seasoning. Get 10% off my favorite spices and seasoning blends.
  • Garnish Ideas: Fresh avocado, pico de Gallo, cilantro, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, jalapeños, crispy tortilla strips, croutons.
A overhead shot of bowl of creamy taco soup, garnished with avocado, tomatoes, cheese, and cilantro.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you freeze creamy soups?

Yes, this soup freezes and reheats perfectly without the broth breaking. To help bring it back to life, you may need to add a little extra broth and cream when reheating.

Can this be made in a slow cooker?

Yes it can! Simply heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic to and sauté until translucent and tender. Add the ground beef, salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder to the pan, and cook until the beef is browned. Drain excess grease. Transfer the sautéed onions, garlic, and beef mixture to the slow cooker. Add the softened cream cheese, diced tomatoes and green chilies, beef stock, and heavy cream and stir to combine. Cook on low heat 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

Can this be made in an Instant Pot?

Press the “Sauté” function on the Instant Pot and add the olive oil. Add the chopped onions and minced garlic, and sauté until the onions are tender and the garlic is translucent. Add the ground beef, salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder to the pot, and cook until the beef is browned. Drain excess grease. Press the “Cancel” button on the Instant Pot to stop the sauté function. Add the softened cream cheese, diced tomatoes and green chilies, beef stock, and heavy cream. Stir to combine. Close the lid and make sure the pressure valve is set to “Sealing”. Press the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button and set the cooking time for 10 minutes. After the cooking time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then quick-release any remaining pressure.

A bowl of creamy taco soup, garnished with avocado, tomatoes, cheese, and cilantro.

Other Soup Recipes You Might Enjoy

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An overheat shot of a bowl of creamy taco soup, garnished with avocado, tomatoes, cheese, and cilantro.

Creamy Taco Soup

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  • Author: Kyndra Holley
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 8 Servings 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Description

A rich and creamy taco soup recipe made with ground beef, beef stock, onion, garlic, tomatoes, green chilies, cream cheese, heavy cream, and lots of herbs and spices.

Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. In a large Dutch oven, sauté the onions and the garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Sauté until the onions are tender and the garlic is translucent.
  2. Add the ground beef, salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder. Sauté until the beef is browned, and drain the excess grease.
  3. Add the cream cheese to the pan and using a wooden spatula, break it up and cook it into the ground beef. Keep cooking and mixing until the cream cheese is fully melted in and is smooth and creamy, with no visible chunks left.
  4. Add the diced tomatoes and green chilis, with juices, beef stock, and black beans, if using. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the heavy cream and simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Taste, and add more salt and pepper, if desired.

Notes

  • Storage: Store leftover creamy taco soup in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze it for up to 6 months.
  • Reheating: I recommend reheating this creamy taco soup on the stovetop. Adding a little extra cream and stock to will help bring it back to life.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Soup Recipes
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Cup
  • Calories: 362
  • Fat: 26g
  • Carbohydrates: 5g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 18g

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