Description
Mexican creamy taco soup blends hearty flavors with comforting textures for a perfect meal. Rich ingredients and simple preparation make this dish a quick weeknight favorite you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (454 g) ground beef (or ground turkey)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (10 oz/283 g) can Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chilies)
- 1 (15 oz/425 g) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz/425 g) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz/425 g) can corn, drained
- 1 packet (1 oz/28 g) taco seasoning (or 2 tbsps homemade)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional, for extra depth)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 3 cups (710 ml) low-sodium chicken broth (or beef broth)
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream (or half-and-half)
- 1 tbsp lime juice (optional, for brightness)
- 1 (8 oz/226 g) block cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or Mexican cheese blend)
- Sour cream
- Sliced avocado
- Shredded cheese
- Fresh cilantro
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Sliced jalapenos
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: Sauté ground beef and onions in a large pot until meat turns golden-brown, creating a robust flavor foundation.
- Seasoning Stage: Drain excess fat, then introduce garlic, taco seasoning, paprika, and cumin, allowing spices to intensify and release aromatic notes.
- Liquid and Vegetable Integration: Add Rotel tomatoes, black and kidney beans, corn, and chicken broth, creating a vibrant and hearty mixture that simmers for 10-15 minutes.
- Creamy Transformation: Reduce heat, incorporate cream cheese cubes, stirring until fully dissolved, then blend in heavy cream and shredded cheese to develop a silky, luxurious texture.
- Final Touch and Serving: Brighten the soup with a lime juice splash, then ladle into bowls and embellish with optional garnishes like sour cream, diced avocado, or crispy tortilla chip fragments.
Notes
- Prevent Meat Clumping: Break ground beef into small pieces while cooking to ensure even browning and prevent large, tough meat chunks that disrupt soup texture.
- Spice Blooming Technique: Sauté spices with meat for 30-60 seconds before adding liquids to intensify flavor profiles and release deeper aromatic compounds.
- Cream Cheese Integration: Cube cream cheese at room temperature and add gradually while stirring constantly to prevent lumps and achieve smooth, silky consistency.
- Low-Carb Adaptation: Replace beans with cauliflower or zucchini chunks, use low-carb tortilla chips, and swap corn for bell peppers to reduce carbohydrate content for keto dieters.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg