Super easy healthy taco soup recipe that's lower in sodium and has lots of fresh bell peppers, juicy tomatoes, and is full of protein!
Soup isn't just made for the fall weather, I love soup in the summer too! This is veggie heavy and slow cooker friendly like my Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Stew, and can be made into a crock pot taco soup so the house doesn't heat up. We love it with Sourdough Discard Cornbread or Honey Butter Cornbread (with greek yogurt in it!) for a nice little protein boost.
I noticed years ago that many taco soup recipes are very heavy in canned products and pre-made taco seasoning, which tastes delicious but isn't so great for many dietary restrictions. So, I made a healthier, lower sodium taco soup recipe using a lot of fresh vegetables and three low sodium cans of beans or Instant Pot Black Beans (no soak), which are full of fiber and protein.
Disclaimer: This is NOT a NO salt recipe. It tastes terrible with no salt! I could double the salt listed in this recipe and be happy. However, I believe I have found the balance of both worlds and made a decent tasting, healthier version of taco soup than many of the recipes out there. People who are used to tasting a lot of salt will definitely want to add more, and that is okay.
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Why This Recipe Works
- It has all the basic ingredients of a traditional taco soup, with a MUCH lower amount of sodium!
- Less canned ingredients, meaning less added salt.
- Easy homemade taco seasoning blend with no added sugar or salt.
- SUPER easy to make in a slow cooker and it's also freezer friendly!
🛒 Ingredients
- Bell Peppers - I like to use a variety of colors. We love to add a third green bell pepper for even MORE veggies.
- Spices - I use a variety of spices that are similar to what are in taco seasoning, minus the extra preservatives and sugar. Cumin, chili powder, garlic and onion powder all add to the flavor of the soup without adding salt that is not needed.
- Salt - a LITTLE is needed, because otherwise, the soup is just missing the happiness that is salt and just doesn't taste as nice. It seems a little contradictory to use all no sodium ingredients, just to add salt in the recipe, but doing it this way gives us more control of how much salt we want to add, instead of just adding it all from the canned ingredients.
- Onion - a sweet variety like yellow or white, because it's not taco soup without a little onion.
- Beans - I use a variety of beans for color and texture, but it's alright to use the same variety. These add a lot of protein and fiber to the soup. Low sodium is preferred for this recipe, but using regular is fine!
- Tomatoes - using no salt added canned tomatoes or fresh sliced grape tomatoes is best.
- Corn - I prefer to use fresh or frozen corn, to cut down on the salt used in canned ingredients.
See the recipe card below for full list of ingredients and quantities.
✏️ Substitutions
- Ground Beef - substitute ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Beans - we like the variety, but you could use 3 cans of the same kind of bean if you wish.
- Corn - can be substituted with either more beans or canned hominy.
- To make it spicier, add hot canned green chiles or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes.
🧑🍳 Instructions
These are similar instructions and ingredients to my White Chicken Chili with Corn, it's really easy to put this soup together.
Step 1. In a large heavy bottomed pot or skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until browned and broken into little pieces, about 5 minutes.
Step 2. Add onion, bell peppers, corn, beans, and tomatoes to the ground beef.
No need to drain the beans!
Step 3. Add in all the seasonings: chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and Ranch seasoning mix if desired.
Step 4. Bring mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat to simmer for 20 minutes so the spices can cook into the veggies.
Serve with sour cream, cilantro, cheese, or diced avocados on top.
📌 Top Tips
- Use all the toppings on top! Cilantro, tortilla strips, sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, ALL delicious.
- Ranch seasoning does have sodium in it, but it's definitely worth it to add a little.
- Add a third diced bell pepper for even MORE fresh veggies.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Yes!
1. Wait until taco soup is cooled completely.
2. Place in freezer bag or freezable container, leaving room for soup to slightly expand. I prefer to take a gallon freezer bag and place it inside a circular container so it freezes into a circle and I can just plop it into a pot to defrost.
3. To reheat, microwave or thaw on the stove at a low simmer, stirring occasionally.
You can add 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch or flour, but I prefer to mash or blend a can of beans up to thicken the soup if it needs it.
About 5 days in the fridge, and 3 months in the freezer.
Yes! Ground chicken or cubed chicken could be used in place of the beef.
Healthy Taco Soup in a Slow Cooker
Here's the simple directions for making taco soup in a crock pot.
- Brown the ground meat in a frying pan.
- Transfer the cooked ground beef into the crock pot with all the remaining ingredients. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or until vegetables are tender.
🥣 More Healthy Soup Recipes
📝 Printable Recipe
Healthy Taco Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 orange bell pepper diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 2 cups corn fresh or frozen
- 1 (15 oz) can low sodium pinto beans
- 1 (15 oz) can low sodium black beans
- 1 (15 oz) can low sodium kidney beans
- 4 cups diced tomatoes or 2 (15) oz cans
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt add more if desired for taste
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1-2 Tablespoons Ranch seasoning to taste
Toppings
- greek yogurt (or sour cream)
- grated cheddar cheese
- chopped green onions
Instructions
- In a large heavy bottomed pot, cook ground beef (or turkey) over medium heat until browned and broken into little pieces, about 5 minutes.
- Add onion, bell peppers, corn, beans, and tomatoes.
- Add in all the seasonings: chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and Ranch seasoning mix if desired. .
- Bring mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat to simmer for 20 minutes so the spices can cook into the veggies
Donna says
Is the serving size for 1 cup? I didn't see that info,
Thank you
Sara says
Serving size would be about 1.5 cups. You’re welcome!