Cheesy Taco Soup
The beef and onion hit the Dutch oven first, and within a few minutes the kitchen smells like taco night. Once the broth, beans, corn, and tomatoes go in, the…
By Ava
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Reading time: 9 min
Tip: save now, make later.
The beef and onion hit the Dutch oven first, and within a few minutes the kitchen smells like taco night. Once the broth, beans, corn, and tomatoes go in, the pot looks like a hearty soup; the cream cheese is what turns that brothy base smooth and creamy. Cheesy Taco Soup brings those familiar taco-seasoning flavors into a one-pot dinner without asking you to build a separate sauce.
I like that the ingredients have time to simmer together before either cheese goes in. The cream cheese melts into the hot soup gradually, then sharp cheddar finishes it off after the pot comes off the heat. That order gives you a creamy bowl with tender beans and corn, rather than a pot where the cheese has had too much direct heat.
Kitchen Note
Take the pot off the heat before you add the cheddar. Stir it in a handful at a time, and give each addition a moment to melt before the next one goes in.
Save Cheesy Taco Soup for a cozy one-pot dinner with a creamy broth, seasoned beef, black beans, and corn.
Why the Cheese Goes In Only After the Soup Base Has Simmered
The tomato, chile, beans, and corn need their time in the broth before the dairy joins the pot. Simmering the soup uncovered for 15 minutes lets those ingredients heat through together and gives the beef broth a chance to take on the taco-seasoning flavor. If you add the cheese at the beginning, it sits through the boil and simmer instead of melting gently at the end.
There are two different jobs for the cheeses here. The cream cheese goes in over low heat and melts into the broth, while the cheddar is stirred in after the pot is removed from the burner. Keeping those additions separate makes the finish easier to control: first smooth and creamy, then cheesy without continuing to cook the cheddar over direct heat.
The soup is also built in a practical order. The beef and onion cook before the liquid ingredients, so you can break up the beef and drain excess fat if needed while the pot is still easy to manage. After that, the simmer takes care of the canned ingredients and broth together, leaving the final few minutes for the two cheeses.
What the Beef, Tomatoes, and Two Cheeses Bring to This Taco Soup
- Ground beef — The 85% lean beef gives the soup a beefy base while still bringing some fat to the pot. If there’s a visible pool of excess fat after browning, drain it before moving on; the soup doesn’t need that extra grease.
- Taco seasoning — A packet brings its spices together in one step and seasons the beef and broth evenly. Brands vary in saltiness and heat, so the finished soup can taste a little different depending on the packet you use.
- Diced tomatoes with green chiles — Keep the can undrained so its juices join the broth, and the green chiles bring their mild, savory warmth throughout the soup. The tomatoes are part of the soup’s liquid, not just a chunky addition.
- Black beans and corn — Drain and rinse the beans to remove the canning liquid, then drain the corn as well. The beans make the soup more substantial, while the corn adds sweet pops against the seasoned beef.
- Beef broth — Low-sodium broth leaves room for the taco seasoning and cheeses to contribute their own salt. A regular-sodium broth will make the finished soup taste saltier, so choose low-sodium if you want the seasoning to stay in balance.
- Cream cheese and sharp cheddar — Softened cream cheese cut into cubes melts more readily than a cold block. Freshly shredding sharp cheddar gives it a better chance of melting smoothly than pre-shredded cheese, which is often coated to keep the shreds separate.
Build the Soup in the Dutch Oven, Then Finish It Gently
Brown the Beef and Soften the Onion
Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the ground beef and diced onion. Break the beef into small crumbles as it cooks, stirring so the onion softens without catching on the bottom. This stage takes 6 to 8 minutes, and the beef should reach 160°F. Drain excess fat if needed before adding the seasoning.
Wake Up the Garlic and Taco Seasoning
Stir in the minced garlic and taco seasoning once the beef and onion are cooked. Let them cook together for 30 seconds, stirring so the garlic and spices coat the meat. Keep the pot moving during this short step; garlic can scorch if it sits against the hot bottom. You’ll smell the seasoning as it warms.
Simmer the Brothy Base
Add the undrained diced tomatoes with green chiles, rinsed black beans, drained corn, and beef broth. Bring the pot to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Look for gentle bubbles across the surface rather than a hard boil. Leaving the pot uncovered lets the soup simmer steadily without trapping all the steam.
Melt the Cream Cheese, Then the Cheddar
Turn the heat to low and stir in the softened cream cheese a few cubes at a time. Keep stirring until the cubes have fully melted and the soup looks smooth, which takes about 5 minutes. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat before adding the freshly shredded cheddar by the handful. Stir until each addition melts into the soup before adding more.
Three Useful Ways to Adapt Cheesy Taco Soup
Make It Gluten-Free
Use a gluten-free taco seasoning packet in place of the regular packet, and choose gluten-free beef broth and canned ingredients. This keeps the same seasoned, creamy soup while accommodating a gluten-free diet; the particular seasoning blend may shift the flavor slightly.
Give the Cheddar a Sharper Edge
Swap extra-sharp cheddar for the sharp cheddar to bring a more pronounced tang to the cheesy finish. Shred it fresh and stir it in off the heat just as you would the original cheese; the stronger flavor stands out more against the creamy broth.
Make the Broth More Bean-Forward
Mash some of the drained black beans before adding them to the pot, then stir them into the soup with the remaining beans. The mashed beans thicken the broth and make the texture heartier, though you’ll lose some of the whole-bean bites.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and keep them in a covered container for 3 to 4 days. The soup may thicken as it chills.
- Freezer: Freeze in airtight containers for up to 2 to 3 months for best quality. The dairy can look a little grainy or separated after thawing, even though the soup is still usable.
- Reheating: Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator, then warm it slowly on the stovetop, stirring often, or heat individual portions in the microwave. Bring leftovers to 165°F, and avoid boiling them hard, which can make the cheese texture less smooth.
Questions That Come Up While Making Cheesy Taco Soup
Cheesy Taco Soup
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the ground beef and onion.
- Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking up the beef, until the beef reaches 160°F and the onion is softened; drain excess fat if needed.
- Stir in the garlic and taco seasoning and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the diced tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, corn, and beef broth.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream cheese a few cubes at a time until fully melted and the soup is smooth, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cheddar a handful at a time until melted.