If you love easy dinners that taste like they simmered all day, taco soup with ranch packet belongs in your weekly rotation. It’s hearty, comforting, and loaded with bold Southwestern flavor. Even better, it uses pantry staples and comes together fast on the stovetop.
This soup is great for busy nights, potlucks, or game day. Set out toppings and let everyone customize their bowl no fuss, big flavor, and almost no cleanup.
Taco Soup With Ranch Packet – A Cozy, Flavor-Packed Weeknight Favorite
Ingredients
Method
- Brown the meat. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil if needed, then the ground beef. Cook, breaking it up, until browned and no longer pink, about 5–7 minutes.
- Sauté the aromatics. Add the diced onion (and bell pepper or jalapeño if using). Cook 3–4 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
- Season the base. Sprinkle in the taco seasoning and ranch packet. Stir well to coat the meat and vegetables. Let it cook for 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
- Add the canned ingredients. Stir in black beans, pinto beans, corn, diced tomatoes with green chiles, and fire-roasted tomatoes.
- Pour in the broth. Add 3 cups to start. Stir, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. If you like a thinner soup, add up to 1 more cup of broth.
- Simmer and meld. Let the soup simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. This helps the flavors come together and slightly thickens the soup.
- Taste and adjust. Check seasoning. Add a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lime if needed. If you want more heat, stir in a little hot sauce or extra jalapeño.
- Serve with toppings. Ladle into bowls and top with cheese, a dollop of sour cream, green onions, cilantro, avocado, and crushed tortilla chips.
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe keeps things simple by leaning on a taco seasoning packet and a ranch dressing mix. Together, they create a savory, slightly tangy base that tastes like you cooked from scratch.
Canned beans, tomatoes, and corn add body and sweetness, while ground beef or turkey makes it satisfying. The result is a balanced soup that’s smoky, zesty, and a little creamy even without cream. It’s also easy to scale and tweak, so you can make it exactly how you like.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey or chicken)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 packet taco seasoning (about 1 ounce; mild or spicy)
- 1 packet dry ranch dressing mix (about 1 ounce)
- 1 can black beans (15 ounces), drained and rinsed
- 1 can pinto beans (15 ounces), drained and rinsed
- 1 can corn (15 ounces), drained (or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn)
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles (10 ounces; like Rotel)
- 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
- 3–4 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth (adjust for desired thickness)
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil (if using lean meat)
- Optional add-ins: 1 diced bell pepper, 1 minced jalapeño, 1 cup salsa
- Toppings: shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack, sour cream or Greek yogurt, sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, avocado, lime wedges, tortilla chips
Instructions
- Brown the meat. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add olive oil if needed, then the ground beef. Cook, breaking it up, until browned and no longer pink, about 5–7 minutes.
- Sauté the aromatics. Add the diced onion (and bell pepper or jalapeño if using). Cook 3–4 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
- Season the base. Sprinkle in the taco seasoning and ranch packet.
Stir well to coat the meat and vegetables. Let it cook for 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
- Add the canned ingredients. Stir in black beans, pinto beans, corn, diced tomatoes with green chiles, and fire-roasted tomatoes.
- Pour in the broth. Add 3 cups to start. Stir, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer.
If you like a thinner soup, add up to 1 more cup of broth.
- Simmer and meld. Let the soup simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. This helps the flavors come together and slightly thickens the soup.
- Taste and adjust. Check seasoning. Add a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lime if needed.
If you want more heat, stir in a little hot sauce or extra jalapeño.
- Serve with toppings. Ladle into bowls and top with cheese, a dollop of sour cream, green onions, cilantro, avocado, and crushed tortilla chips.
How to Store
- Refrigerator: Cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Portion into freezer-safe containers or bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Add a splash of broth or water if it thickened in the fridge.
- Meal prep tip: Store toppings separately so they stay fresh and crisp.
Health Benefits
Taco soup can be a wholesome, balanced meal when you build it right. Beans bring plant-based protein and fiber, which help with fullness and steady energy. Tomatoes and corn add vitamins A and C, along with antioxidants from the fire-roasted tomatoes and chiles.
If you use lean ground turkey or extra-lean beef, you’ll reduce saturated fat while keeping the protein high. Swapping sour cream for Greek yogurt and using low-sodium broth can make it even lighter and heart-friendly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the bloom. Don’t toss in the seasoning and immediately add liquid. Cook the spices with the meat for 30 seconds to bring out their flavor.
- Not draining and rinsing beans. Rinsing helps control salt and removes excess starch that can muddy the flavor.
- Over-salting. The taco and ranch packets have salt.
Use low-sodium broth and taste before adding extra salt.
- Undercooking the aromatics. Softening the onion adds sweetness and depth. Give it a couple minutes to do its job.
- Forgetting acidity. A squeeze of lime at the end brightens the soup and balances richness.
Variations You Can Try
- Chicken taco soup: Use shredded rotisserie chicken and chicken broth. Skip the browning step and start by sautéing the onion, then add chicken at the simmer.
- Vegetarian version: Skip the meat and add an extra can of beans or lentils.
Use vegetable broth. Consider a dash of smoked paprika for depth.
- Creamy taco soup: Stir in 4–6 ounces of softened cream cheese or 1/2 cup heavy cream during the last 5 minutes. Heat gently until smooth.
- Low-carb tweak: Replace corn and beans with diced zucchini, bell peppers, and cauliflower rice.
Use more broth to maintain volume.
- Slow cooker method: Brown the meat and onion first. Add everything to the slow cooker and cook on Low 6–8 hours or High 3–4 hours.
- Extra veggies: Stir in spinach or kale during the last 5 minutes for a fresh, green boost.
- Spice upgrade: Add chipotle in adobo for smoky heat, or a teaspoon of cumin and chili powder to amplify the taco flavor.
FAQ
Can I make this without ranch?
Yes. Replace the ranch packet with 1 teaspoon dried dill, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, and a pinch of black pepper and salt.
The flavor will be slightly different, but still delicious.
Is this soup spicy?
It’s typically mild to medium, depending on your taco seasoning and the tomatoes with green chiles. For less heat, use plain diced tomatoes and mild taco seasoning. For more heat, add jalapeño, hot sauce, or chipotle.
What can I use instead of ground beef?
Ground turkey, chicken, or plant-based crumbles work well.
If using very lean meat, add a bit of olive oil so it browns nicely and doesn’t stick.
How can I thicken the soup?
Let it simmer uncovered to reduce, or mash a few beans against the side of the pot to release starch. You can also stir in a small handful of crushed tortilla chips to thicken quickly.
Can I meal prep this?
Absolutely. The flavors improve after a day in the fridge.
Store the soup and toppings separately, and reheat portions as needed for quick lunches or dinners.
What toppings work best?
Shredded cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, avocado, cilantro, green onions, lime wedges, and tortilla chips are classics. Pickled jalapeños and hot sauce add a nice kick.
Can I add noodles or rice?
Yes. Stir in cooked rice just before serving, or add small pasta shapes during the last 10 minutes of simmering.
You may need extra broth to keep it soupy.
How do I keep it low-sodium?
Use low-sodium broth, no-salt-added beans and tomatoes, and consider a low-sodium taco seasoning. Taste before adding salt, since the ranch packet also brings sodium.
Wrapping Up
Taco soup with ranch packet is the kind of recipe you’ll make once and then memorize. It’s reliable, customizable, and perfect for feeding a crowd or stocking your freezer.
Keep the pantry staples on hand, and you’ve always got a fast, comforting dinner within reach. Set out a tray of toppings, let everyone build their bowl, and watch it disappear. Simple, satisfying, and weeknight-friendly what more could you want?
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