This Instant Pot Taco Soup is an easy and delicious 30-minute soup made with salsa, black beans, corn and other Tex Mex toppings.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Extra-lean ground beef – use another ground meat of your choice like ground turkey.
- Yellow onion – white or red onion would also work.
- Garlic – freshly minced garlic is best but jarred minced garlic will work in a pinch.
- Taco seasoning – use a store-bought version or make your own.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
- Jalapeno pepper – for less spice, use jarred jalapenos. For more spice, use a spicier chili pepper like a serrano or habanero pepper.
- Black beans – use any other variety of beans of your choice.
- Corn – fresh, canned or frozen corn would all work here.
- Salsa – your favourite jarred salsa is good or you can swap out for crushed tomatoes if you don’t want a lot of spice.
- Beef broth – beef stock or vegetable broth would also be good.
- Lime juice – freshly squeezed or bottled lime juice will both work.
Topping ideas
- Cheddar – cotija cheese or queso fresco would both be good in this recipe.
- Red onion – diced white onions can be used but will have a milder flavour.
- Cilantro – leave this off if you don’t like cilantro.
- Lime – add some fresh lime wedges or leave it off altogether.
- Sour cream – use low-fat sour cream for a healthier option.
- Tortilla chips – you can leave these off for a low-carb version.
How to make taco soup in the Instant Pot
- Sauté the ground beef.
- Add in the seasonings.
- Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Do a quick release of the pressure.
- Serve in large bowls.
- Add on your toppings and enjoy!
What to serve with taco soup
When you’re thinking of what to serve with a soup like this one, think of what you would typically serve with any Mexican dinner. Sides of tortilla chips and Mexican rice would be delicious – you can serve them on the side or even stir them right into the soup! You could also serve this taco soup with a side of Mexican street corn or even nachos.
Frequently Asked Questions
This taco soup is full of Tex Mex inspired flavours and ingredients! It’s made with ground beef, onion, garlic, taco seasoning, salt, pepper, jalapeno, black beans, corn, salsa, beef broth and lime juice. Don’t forget to add on your favourite toppings before serving like cheddar cheese, sour cream or tortilla chips!
This soup is pretty thick as is, but if you find that it’s not thick enough for you, make a cornstarch slurry and add it to the soup. The soup will also thicken when it’s refrigerated, so keep that in mind.
This taco soup has 42 grams of carbs per serving not including the toppings. If you want a lower-carb option, leave out the corn and use a low-sugar salsa.
Although some of the ingredients are similar, there are quite a few differences between taco soup and chili. Many chili recipes call for a Tex Mex seasoning like chili powder. The ingredients in chili can vary, but when beans are used, more often than not, it is pinto or kidney beans. In comparison, this Instant Pot taco soup recipe calls for taco seasoning, salsa, black beans and corn.
Storing and reheating
Cool the soup to room temperature before storing it in airtight containers. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Keep in mind that your taco soup will thicken in the fridge. To thin it out, add a little water or broth to the soup when reheating it on the stovetop, in the microwave or even in the Instant Pot on the simmer or sauté function. Stir it occasionally until it heats through.
Can you freeze taco soup?
Instant Pot taco soup will freeze well for up to 3 months. Transfer room temperature soup to airtight freezer-safe containers or Ziploc bags. To thaw the soup, place it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating it. Be sure to stir it occasionally and add a little broth if necessary.
If you want to freeze the soup in individual containers for a quick meal, it can be taken right from the freezer to the microwave. Reheat it on high power for about 8 minutes, stirring it after 3 or 4 minutes.
More Instant Pot soup recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls to store the leftovers.
- I get all my grass-fed ground beef from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months.
Instant Pot Taco Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra-lean ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt & pepper
- 1 jalapeno pepper, de-seeded and minced
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups corn
- 16 oz salsa or crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tbsp lime juice
Topping ideas
- cheddar
- red onion, diced
- cilantro
- lime
- sour cream
- tortilla chips
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to saute mode. Saute ground beef until browned, then add in onion, garlic, jalapenos, taco seasoning, and salt & pepper, sauteeing for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add in remaining ingredients in the order in which they are listed, except for toppings. Place lid on Instant Pot and make sure valve is set to seal.
- Press the pressure cook button and set to high, then cook for 5 minutes. Instant Pot will take about 5-10 minutes to come to pressure then pressure cook for 5 minutes.
- Do a quick release of the pressure on the Instant Pot by flicking the switch at the top with a spoon. Open the lid when pressure gauge has dropped and the lid opens easily.
- Serve in large bowls, add toppings, then serve and enjoy.
