Hearty Taco Soup

Why This Hearty Taco Soup Works

As the ground beef browns in the pot, it firms up and leaves behind little browned bits on the bottom. Those bits mix with the onion and garlic as they soften, so the base of the soup already has a lot going on before any liquid goes in. By the time the onions turn clear and a little sweet, the beef is no longer greasy because the extra fat is drained off, so the soup tastes hearty instead of oily.

Once the beans, corn, tomatoes, chilies, broth, and taco seasoning go in, everything is pretty loose at first. During the simmer, the beans swell a bit and the starch from them starts to thicken the broth. The tomatoes break down and blend into the liquid, so it changes from a thin broth to more of a cozy, slightly thick soup. While it bubbles gently, the taco seasoning and cayenne spread through the whole pot, so every spoonful tastes the same. At the end, the cheese melts into the hot soup, and the cool sour cream on top gives a creamy feel without making the soup heavy in the pot.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the ground beef stay swimming in its fat instead of draining it leaves a greasy layer on top of the soup. As it cools in the bowl, the fat starts to thicken and coat the mouth, and the broth feels heavy instead of hearty.

Adding the beans and corn before the beef and onions are fully cooked keeps the onion slightly crunchy and the garlic sharp. The vegetables then sit in the pot longer than needed and start to get mushy while the onion is still not fully softened.

Cranking the heat too high after everything is in the pot can make the soup catch on the bottom. The thick bits of beans and tomatoes stick and scorch, and those burned spots break loose into the soup and give random bitter bites.

Skipping the simmer time and serving right after it comes to a boil leaves the broth thin and a bit separate. The beans and tomatoes don’t have time to soften into the liquid, so the soup eats like a bowl of separate pieces floating in seasoned water.