Cheesy Taco Soup – Iowa Girl Eats

Cheesy Taco Soup is a thick and hearty soup recipe loaded with taco-inspired ingredients. Filling, cozy and totally satisfying!

Like many families, we LOVE taco night at our house—but my kids are still at it land-more-filling-on-the-floor-than-in-your-mouth Stage of eating tacos.

Pro Tip: sweep the floor for the day after Dinner, when ground beef and rice have hardened and are easy to clean. Follow me for random parenting advice.

Anyway, problem solved with Cheese Taco Soup dishing up the irresistible flavor of a loaded beef taco in a cheesy, hearty, totally satisfying soup format!

Easy taco soup recipe

Easy Cheesy Taco Soup is almost like taco soup in that it’s super thick and creamy and flavored with homemade taco seasoning. Everyone’s favorite taco topper — shredded cheese, of course — is used to create a homemade cheese sauce that not only flavors the taco soup but also thickens it.

DROOL.

OH – and no hacking required!! Sure, you might want to dice an avocado or chop a handful of fresh cilantro to garnish your bowl of taco soup, but the soup recipe itself doesn’t require a knife or cutting board. I like this!

ingredients required

• ground beef. We love ground beef tacos, but you can use ground turkey or even ground chicken here if you want.
• Diced tomatoes and green chillies. AKA Rotel, y’all. Disclaimer: Rotel does not contain gluten-containing ingredients BUT it has not been certified gluten-free below 20 ppm by Conagra Foods. I’m not saying it isn’t, I’m just saying the company hasn’t taken any steps to verify this. Our local grocery chain Hy-Vee has their own GF version of Rotel that I use. However, if you don’t need to eat gluten-free, a can of Rotel is great.
• Black beans. I like Bush’s low sodium black beans.
• Butter. Forms the basis of our homemade cheese sauce
• Gluten-free flour mix. Thickens the cheese sauce. You can use all-purpose flour if you don’t have a gluten-free diet. I usually use Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour.
• Milk. I recommend 2% milkfat or more for a nice smooth cheese sauce and soup!
• Sharp cheddar cheese. I love using spicy cheddar cheese because you can really taste it in the soup. Be sure to grate your own cheese fresh rather than using pre-shredded ones.
• Spices: Homemade Taco Seasoning is made with a blend of everyday herbs, spices, and seasonings, including chili powder, cumin, paprika powder, onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, cayenne, salt, and pepper. A few teaspoons of cornstarch will also help thicken the taco soup.

What you can top your bowl with

Just like regular beef tacos, this soup is all about the toppings! It’s nice to set up a toppings bar, then pour the Cheesy Taco Soup into bowls and everyone add what they like best. Here’s what we love:

• tortilla chips
• Pickled jalapenos
• Chopped spring onions
• Sliced ​​black olives
• Pico de gallo or salsa
• Diced avocado
• Chopped coriander
• sour cream
• Green Tabasco sauce

I usually add a ton of shredded tortilla chips and a forkful of pickled jalapenos, then I head to the races.

How to Store Cheese Taco Soup

This soup reheats like a dream, making it ideal for meal prep. Make a large batch over the weekend, then scoop into individual storage containers to reheat in the microwave throughout the week.

If you find the soup is too thick after reheating (I’ve never experienced this personally!), stir in a splash of beef broth or chicken broth.

Can You Freeze Cheesy Taco Soup?

You bet! Allow leftovers to cool completely, then transfer to a ziplock freezer bag and freeze flat.

Place in the refrigerator to thaw completely, then reheat individual bowls in the microwave or reheat larger portions in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.

How to make cheesy taco soup

Step 1: Make the Homemade Taco Seasoning.

First things first – make the homemade taco seasoning that flavors our soup. This is a mix of cornstarch and the everyday spice cabinet and pantry clips mentioned above.

Combine the ingredients in a small bowl or bowl, then mix with a fork to combine and set aside.

Could you use a store-bought taco seasoning packet? Secure. I think this homemade version is just as easy and tastier too!

Step 2: Sear the ground beef.

Place the ground beef in a large stockpot or Dutch Oven over medium-high heat and season with salt and pepper. Sear the beef while it cooks, then drain to remove excess fat and grease and return to the pot.

Next, add a can of diced tomatoes and green chiles, a can of drained and rinsed black beans, the homemade taco seasoning, and milk, then stir and set aside.

Step 3: Make the Homemade Cheese Sauce.

In a small saucepan nearby, melt butter over medium-high heat, then add gluten-free flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Slowly pour in milk—again, I recommend 2% milkfat or more—while beating for a smooth sauce, then season with salt and pepper.

Switch to a spatula and cook, stirring, until milk has thickened, 3-4 minutes, being careful not to boil.

Once the milk mixture has thickened, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese in two batches, stirring until the cheese is completely melted and smooth before adding the next batch.

Voila!

Step 4: Combine and then simmer.

Add the thickened cheese sauce to the stockpot, then turn the heat to medium-high to bring the soup to a simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the Cheesy Taco Soup simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

With cheese-based soups, it’s very important not to let the heat get so high that the soup boils — keep it at a gentle simmer.

That’s all you wrote! Pour the thick and cheesy taco-flavored soup into bowls, top up, and devour. Remix your next taco night with this delicious, hot and hearty soup – enjoy!

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Photos by Ashley McLaughlin