Description
This Ultimate Creamy Taco Soup combines hearty ground beef, black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes with green chiles in a flavorful broth enriched with cream cheese for a rich, creamy texture. Enhanced with jalapeños and Anaheim peppers for a mild heat, and accented with lime zest and juice for brightness, this soup is perfect for a comforting meal. Customize with optional smoked paprika, heavy cream, or cooked rice for added depth and heartiness, and serve topped with your favorite garnishes like sour cream, shredded cheese, and avocado.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef (85/15)
- 3 packets taco seasoning (or to taste)
- 2 small yellow onions, diced
- 6 tsp garlic, minced
- 2 jalapeños, minced (seeds/membrane removed for mild heat)
- 2 Anaheim peppers, minced
- 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 2 (15 oz) cans corn, drained
- 8 cups chicken broth
- Zest of 2 limes
- Juice of 1 lime (add more to taste)
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano leaves
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
Optional Flavor Twists
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional for depth)
- 1 cup heavy cream (optional for extra richness)
- 2 cups cooked rice or small pasta (optional for heartier meal)
Toppings
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheese
- Chopped cilantro
- Sliced avocado
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Pickled jalapeños
Instructions
- Brown the beef and vegetables: In a large pot over medium heat, add the ground beef along with diced onions, minced garlic, jalapeños, and Anaheim peppers. Cook until the beef is fully browned and cooked through, stirring occasionally. Drain any excess fat to reduce greasiness.
- Add seasonings and vegetables: Stir in the taco seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, dried oregano, drained black beans, corn, diced tomatoes with green chiles, lime zest, and lime juice. Mix everything well to combine the flavors.
- Add broth and simmer: Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. This helps meld all the ingredients and develop the soup’s base flavor.
- Melt in the cream cheese: Reduce the heat to low and gradually stir in the softened cream cheese until it is completely melted and incorporated, creating a rich, creamy texture. Let the soup simmer gently for another 10 minutes to thicken and allow flavors to blend.
- Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as needed with extra salt, pepper, or lime juice. Serve hot with your choice of toppings such as sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, avocado, crushed tortilla chips, or pickled jalapeños for added texture and flavor.
Notes
- For mild heat, remove seeds and membranes from jalapeños before mincing.
- Add 1 tsp smoked paprika for a smoky depth of flavor.
- Stir in 1 cup heavy cream for an even richer soup.
- Mix in 2 cups cooked rice or small pasta to make the soup heartier and more filling.
- Use a good quality cream cheese for the creamiest texture.
- This soup can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
