Creamy Taco Soup With Rice
Creamy with a slight kick, this taco soup is filled with rice, beans, meat, and tomatoes! When you need to have dinner on the table in less than an hour, creamy taco soup is your best friend—it requires only about 20 minutes of prep & active cooking time, and 20 minutes of simmering!
Ingredients:
Here is what you need to make a big pot of creamy taco soup:
Ground beef – You’ll need one pound. Meal prep tip: cook the ground beef the day before or morning of when you’re making the soup!
Olive oil – You’ll need 2 tbsp.
Small yellow onion – I really liked how the soup turned out with the onion chopped finely.
Chopped green bell pepper – Likewise, the pepper should be chopped finely too (just not big chunks, unless you like that). Measure the pepper after it has been chopped.
2 garlic cloves – I highly recommend sticking with minced fresh garlic, rather than subbing garlic powder!
Tomato paste – This will add extra umami (savory flavor) to the soup, as well as help it to thicken.
Chili powder – Use homemade chili powder if possible – it is way better than store bought (although store bought will work too)
Ground cumin – Another essential ingredient of taco seasoning. I also grind my cumin seeds myself so I have the most potent, flavorful cumin.
Smoked paprika – Will add extra smokiness and flavor to the soup!
Ground coriander – If you can’t find ground coriander, you can buy seeds and grind them yourself. Yum! If you’re in a hurry you can omit this ingredient, but it really does add something!
Onion powder – You’ll just need a 1/2 tsp to add a little extra onion flavor.
Oregano – Our last spice, oregano, will finish off the taco seasoning blend for this soup!
Rotel tomatoes – The recipe calls for 2 cans. These will give the soup a bit of a kick (if you’re sensitive to spice). If you want no spiciness, use petite diced tomatoes instead.
White rice – The rice kind of disappears into the soup and adds thickness and texture!
Black beans – You can’t have taco soup without beans! Make sure to rinse and drain them before adding to the soup.
4 cups chicken or beef broth – I used chicken broth, but you can use either or.
Frozen roasted corn – Add at the very end of cooking! You can also sub canned corn if that’s all you have on hand.
Cream cheese – Add off the heat so it doesn’t curdle. A whole block will create the amazing creaminess of this soup!
Cilantro, lime, tortilla chips – for serving.
Serving & Storage
Serve your finished taco soup with cilantro, lime, cheese, and tortilla chips! This soup is so hearty all on its own without side dishes (especially if you have lots of tortilla chips).
The soup will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge if you have leftovers.
Do not freeze the soup once you have mixed in the cream cheese. If you know you’re going to want to freeze part of the soup, take out the portion for the freezer before adding the cream cheese.
If you take out a significant amount of soup, cut down on the amount of cream cheese you add to what is left.
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How to Make Creamy Taco Soup With Rice:
Step 1: Prep
First, start your prep work. Cut one block of cream cheese into cubes and set aside to soften.
Brown the ground beef, drain out fat, and transfer to a separate container. Set aside. Finely chop one yellow onion and one green bell pepper until you have 1/2 cup.
Step 2: Saute Veggies
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large dutch oven (I use a 7 qt). Add onions and peppers. Cook until softened, 4-5 minutes.
Step 3: Add More Aromatics
Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Then, add tomato paste and all spices. Stir well and cook for another minute.
Adding the spices here will ensure that they all bloom and intensify in flavor!
Step 4: Add Main Ingredients
Now, you can add browned ground beef back into the pot, along with the rotel tomatoes, rice, beans, and chicken broth. Bring everything to a boil here!
Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes to let all the flavors meld together.
Step 5: Add Finishing Ingredients
Add this point, add the frozen corn and give it a few minutes to thaw out in the soup.
Then, remove the pot from the heat. Add the softened cream cheese cubes and stir in until completely melted.
And that’s it—you’re ready to serve!
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I use sour cream instead of cream cheese?
Yes, absolutely! Stir in the sour cream off the heat just like you would with cream cheese. The flavor will just be slightly different.
Do I have to use black beans?
No, you can use any beans you prefer in your taco soup. Besides black beans, another great choice is pinto beans!
How do you thicken taco soup?
This taco soup recipe is thickened by the addition of cream cheese and rice. The rice bulks up the soup and absorbs some of the liquid. The cream cheese adds creaminess and thickens the remaining broth.
What can I add to taco soup?
If you want to get even fancier with your taco soup, you can add fresh green chilis, cayenne pepper for spice! Besides that, this recipe really has you covered as far as getting good solid flavors in the soup.
Can I make creamy taco soup in the crockpot?
Yes, you can make taco soup in the crockpot, but it does turn out better on the stovetop.
The crockpot will result in a more washed out flavor because the spices and aromatics don’t get a change to bloom in hot oil.
However, if you have to take this route, here’s what to do:
- Brown the ground beef with the onions and add to the crockpot. If you have extra time, saute the peppers and add all the spices/aromatics here as well before adding to the crockpot. This will result in the best flavor.
- Add all the rest of the ingredients to the crockpot except for the cream cheese and corn.
- Cook for 2 hours on high or 4 hours on low (or until you’re satisfied with the flavor).
- Add the corn 20 minutes before serving so it has a chance to thaw out.
More Easy Dinner Recipes:
- Sausauge Gnocchi Soup
- Sheet Pan Chicken With Tomatoes & Basil
- Crockpot Garlic Parm Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Tomato Corn Soup
- Creamy Ham & Bean Soup
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Creamy Taco Soup With Rice
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 2 cans rotel tomatoes
- 1 cup cooked white rice
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups chicken or beef broth
- 3/4 cup frozen roasted corn
- 8 oz cream cheese (1 block)
- Cilantro, lime, tortilla chips (for serving)
Instructions
- Cut one block of cream cheese into cubes and set aside to soften.
- Brown the ground beef, drain out fat, and transfer to a separate container. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large dutch oven (I use a 7 qt).
- Add onions and peppers. Cook until softened, 4-5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Then, add tomato paste and all spices. Stir well and cook for another minute.
- Add browned ground beef back into the pot.
- Add rotel tomatoes, rice, beans, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Add frozen corn and allow it to thaw for a minute or two.
- Off the heat, add the cream cheese cubes and stir in until completely melted.
- Serve and enjoy with cilantro, lime, and tortilla chips!
Notes
- If you can, make your own chile powder from dried chiles! It is much better than store bought.
- For someone sensitive to spice, this soup will be spicy. If you want no spice, feel free to sub the rotel tomatoes for regular diced tomatoes (petite diced would be best).
- If you only have canned corn, you can easily sub for frozen corn.
- I used chicken broth, but beef broth works too.
- If you can’t find ground coriander, buy the seeds and grind them yourself! You can also omit this ingredient if you’re really in a rush, but I don’t recommend that.
Nutrition
Conclusion
Creamy taco soup with rice for addened thickness is a delicious, hearty meal, especially on a cold night! Serve this soup the next time you need a quick but flavor-packed dinner on a weeknight. I hope your family enjoys this recipe!
