Kidney bean taco soup combines two kinds of canned beans with ground beef and corn in a lightly spiced tomato broth. The kidney beans hold their shape beside softer black beans. Beef and onion are cooked on the stove before the mixture enters the slow cooker.
Use canned kidney beans that are already fully cooked, drained, and rinsed. This method is not written for dry kidney beans. The batch makes approximately six soup portions and fits a four-to-five-quart slow cooker when permitted by its filling guidance.
On This Page
Why This Recipe Works
Browning the ground beef gives kidney bean taco soup an evenly crumbled meat base and a clear initial safety check. The onion softens in the skillet at the same time. Draining excessive fat keeps it from floating as a thick layer across the finished broth.
Both bean types and the corn are canned and cooked already. Their long gentle warming blends flavors rather than replacing a dry-bean cooking process. Keeping the tomato juices supplies part of the soup liquid, while the drained beans and corn avoid adding their canning liquid.
Ingredients for Kidney Bean Taco Soup
For kidney bean taco soup, use one fifteen-ounce can each of kidney beans, black beans, and corn. Drain all three, rinsing the beans. The ten-ounce can of diced tomatoes with green chilies is undrained. These different liquid instructions are deliberate.
Choose lean ground beef and low-sodium beef broth. One ounce taco seasoning is the measured quantity rather than an assumed packet size. Pepper is added at the start and extra salt only after tasting. The cheese, sour cream, and chips have optional serving amounts and stay out of the cooker.
Soup
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion (Finely chopped)
- 15 ounces canned black beans (Drained and rinsed)
- 15 ounces canned kidney beans (Drained and rinsed; not dry beans)
- 15 ounces canned corn (Drained)
- 10 ounces canned diced tomatoes with green chilies (Undrained)
- 1 ounce taco seasoning
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- to taste fine salt
Optional toppings
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
How to Make Kidney Bean Taco Soup
Cook ground beef and finely chopped onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking the meat into small pieces for about eight to ten minutes. Check that the beef reaches 160°F and drain extra rendered fat. Transfer the cooked mixture to the slow cooker.
Add kidney beans, black beans, corn, undrained tomatoes, taco seasoning, beef broth, and pepper. Stir to distribute the seasoning, then fit the lid. Cook kidney bean taco soup on low for four to six hours or high for two to three hours, following the appliance manual and keeping the lid closed between necessary checks.
Before serving, stir well and confirm that the soup is hot throughout and reaches 165°F. Taste before adding salt. Divide into six bowls, then offer measured cheddar, sour cream, and crushed chips separately. The base does not need a dairy topping to finish cooking.
How to Serve
Serve kidney bean taco soup hot, including both bean varieties and meat in each bowl. Add chips just before eating so they retain some crunch. The optional toppings can be divided among six people rather than added to the entire pot. A small fresh salad is enough alongside a bowl if you want another side.
Storage
Refrigerate kidney bean taco soup in shallow covered containers within two hours, or one hour above 90°F. Use within three to four days, or freeze the untopped base for up to three months for quality. Reheat cold portions on the stove or in a microwave to 165°F. Store sour cream and chips separately.
The FDA safe food handling guidance explains prompt refrigeration and temperature checks for perishable foods.
Tips and Variations
For kidney bean taco soup, do not put dry kidney beans directly into this slow cooker method. The ingredient is a can of fully cooked beans, and no dry-bean preparation is supplied. The same volume of dry beans would also expand into a very different batch size.
Keep the beef-browning step even when the slow cooker will run for several hours. If the soup becomes thicker during storage, loosen a reheated bowl with a little water. Avoid adding another full seasoning packet, since salt and spice also become more concentrated as liquid reduces.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can kidney bean taco soup use dry beans?
Not directly. Use canned fully cooked kidney beans and black beans as specified.
Do I brown the beef first?
Yes. Cook it with the onion, check 160°F, and drain excess fat before transfer.
Are tomatoes drained?
No. Keep their juices. Drain the corn, and drain and rinse both bean varieties.
Can I use ground turkey?
Yes, but cook ground poultry to 165°F in the skillet before adding it to the cooker.
When are toppings added?
Put cheese, sour cream, and chips into individual bowls at serving, keeping the main soup untopped for easier storage.
More Recipes to Try
- Easy Slow Cooker Taco Soup
- Long-Simmered Beef Taco Soup with Black Beans and Corn
- Taco Soup with Salsa and Ranch Seasoning
- Black Bean Corn Salsa with Lime
Slow Cooker Kidney Bean Taco Soup with Beef and Corn
Ingredients
Soup
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion Finely chopped
- 15 ounces canned black beans Drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces canned kidney beans Drained and rinsed; not dry beans
- 15 ounces canned corn Drained
- 10 ounces canned diced tomatoes with green chilies Undrained
- 1 ounce taco seasoning
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- to taste fine salt
Optional toppings
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
Instructions
- Brown crumbled ground beef with onion in a skillet for about 8–10 minutes. Confirm 160°F and drain excessive fat.
- Transfer to a suitable 4–5-quart slow cooker. Add drained rinsed kidney and black beans, drained corn, tomatoes with juices, taco seasoning, broth, and pepper.
- Cover and cook low 4–6 hours or high 2–3 hours according to the cooker manual.
- Stir before serving, check for 165°F throughout, and salt only after tasting.
- Portion into 6 bowls and offer the optional cheddar, sour cream, and chips separately.
