Long simmered taco soup is a brothy beef-and-bean soup with corn and tomatoes with green chiles. It uses one seasoning packet and a long gentle finish rather than a cream cheese base or a thick salsa-and-ranch sauce. The written quantity makes six generous bowls.
Allow about an hour for the final covered simmer in addition to browning and the short seasoning stage. This is not a fifteen-minute soup. Four cups water and two cups broth give a light, plentiful liquid around the beef and beans rather than a spoon-standing chili.
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Why This Recipe Works
Browning the beef first develops flavor and lets excess fat be removed before liquid goes into the pot. Long simmered taco soup then cooks gently so the beans stay mostly intact. A hard rolling boil for the entire hour would break the beans and evaporate liquid unnecessarily.
The seasoning first mixes with the meat and one cup of broth. Adding the remaining liquids afterward carries those flavors through the whole pot. Tomatoes contribute their juice, while drained corn and beans avoid adding unpredictable canning liquid.
Ingredients for Long Simmered Taco Soup
Use one pound ground beef and a one-ounce packet taco seasoning. Packet salt and heat vary, so choose one whose flavor suits the household. The tomatoes are one ten-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained; this is different from a large plain tomato can plus a separate full can of peppers.
For long simmered taco soup, drain one fifteen-ounce can corn and rinse and drain one fifteen-ounce can black beans. Measure two cups beef broth and four cups water separately. These quantities deliberately make a brothy soup, so do not mistake the four cups water for liquid that should all be boiled away.
Soup
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 oz taco seasoning (one packet)
- 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles (undrained)
- 1 15-ounce can corn (drained)
- 1 15-ounce can black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 2 cups beef broth (divided)
- 4 cups water
How to Make Long Simmered Taco Soup
Use a heavy pot large enough to hold the soup with stirring room above it. Cook the ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking it into small pieces. Continue until fully cooked to 160°F, then drain excess rendered fat as needed without pouring it down the sink.
Stir in the seasoning and one cup of broth. Simmer about ten minutes, stirring occasionally so the seasoned meat does not catch on the base. Add the remaining broth, water, undrained tomatoes, drained corn, and black beans. Bring long simmered taco soup to a gentle boil, then lower the heat.
Cover and simmer for about sixty minutes, stirring from the bottom occasionally. Keep the heat low enough for small steady bubbles. Check that the pot is not reducing too quickly and keep the lid on between stirs. Taste at the end before adding any optional table seasoning; concentrated packet seasoning and broth may already provide enough salt.
How to Serve
Ladle long simmered taco soup from the bottom of the pot so every bowl gets beef, beans, corn, and broth. Six generous servings work as a main course with bread or a simple salad. The soup is intentionally dairy-free in its written ingredient list, though individual ingredient labels still matter.
If offering shredded cheese, sour cream, or tortilla chips, serve them separately as optional table accompaniments. They are not needed to complete the soup or to thicken its broth. Keep cold toppings refrigerated until the meal begins.
Storage
Divide long simmered taco soup into shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours. Keep at 40°F or colder and use within three to four days. Do not leave a large hot covered pot out all evening to cool slowly.
Freeze cooled portions for up to three months for quality, leaving expansion space in suitable containers. Thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat leftovers to at least 165°F and bring soup to a rolling boil, stirring to distribute heat before serving.
The FDA safe food handling guidance explains prompt refrigeration and temperature checks for perishable foods.
Tips and Variations
For long simmered taco soup, a lid helps preserve the intended broth volume during the hour-long finish. If the liquid disappears quickly, lower the burner and check that the lid fits. The goal is a gentle simmer, not reduction into a thick meat sauce.
Choose the seasoning packet before cooking rather than adding several different blends at the end. Corn and beans are already cooked canned ingredients; the long finish blends flavors rather than serving as their initial cooking stage. Raw dry beans are not a direct replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is long simmered taco soup thick like chili?
No. Two cups broth and four cups water make a deliberately brothy soup.
Which tomato can is specified?
Use one 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles, including its juices.
Should I drain the beans and corn?
Yes. Rinse and drain the beans and drain the corn before adding them.
Can I replace canned beans with dry beans?
Not directly. Dry beans require a separate appropriate preparation and cooking process.
How long is the final simmer?
About 60 minutes covered at a gentle simmer, after browning the beef and cooking it briefly with seasoning.
More Recipes to Try
- Taco Soup with Salsa and Ranch Seasoning
- Charred Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Pistachios and Fresh Herbs
- Quinoa Chickpea Salad
Long-Simmered Beef Taco Soup with Black Beans and Corn
Ingredients
Soup
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 oz taco seasoning one packet
- 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles undrained
- 1 15-ounce can corn drained
- 1 15-ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
- 2 cups beef broth divided
- 4 cups water
Instructions
- Brown 1 pound ground beef in a large heavy pot, breaking it into small crumbles, until cooked through to 160°F. Drain excess fat.
- Add the 1-ounce seasoning packet and 1 cup beef broth. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
- Pour in the other cup broth and 4 cups water. Add the undrained 10-ounce can tomatoes with green chiles, drained corn, and rinsed drained black beans.
- Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the burner, cover, and simmer 60 minutes. Stir periodically and keep the bubbling gentle. Taste and divide meat, vegetables, and broth between 6 bowls.
