Crockpot Taco Soup

For a simple, hearty + delicious soup, this is a must-try! The crockpot becomes my favorite kitchen appliance as Summer turns to Fall and I’ve got soup on the brain. Plus, with my husband and I expecting our first baby in just a couple of months, my crockpot will definitely become my best friend in the kitchen.

Not only does the crockpot come in handy right now on days when I’m feeling exhausted and don’t have the time to whip up a nutritious dinner, but it’ll be great for the upcoming days when my newborn will be my priority. Many crockpot soups also freeze really well [including this one], so if you’re wanting some make-ahead freezer meals, this would be a great option! Just make a batch, let it cool and freeze it in appropriate sized containers. When you’re in a pinch later on down the road, it’s so nice to grab a pre-made homemade meal out of the freezer and defrost it for dinner or lunch the next day.

For those of you following a paleo diet, making this recipe paleo-friendly is super simple. Simply omit the beans and shredded cheese for topping and you’re good to go! The rest of the ingredients are naturally paleo and simply delicious. With a combination of assorted veggies, high-quality grass-fed beef and warming spicing, this soup is nothing short of delicious + nutritious. I love soups for so many reasons, but one reason in particular is because they can be loaded with assorted veggies. And we all know how much we need our veggies! This is a kiddo-friendly meal too, just be sure to keep the spice to a minimum for the little ones. If you like it spicy, you can always add a few dashes of hot sauce to your own bowl.

This recipe can also be made vegetarian by doubling the beans and omitting the meat. Simple and easy swaps make this soup super versatile! Feel free to try it whichever way suits you best. There’s no perfect way of eating for everyone and we all have different dietary preferences which I’m happy to support!

I happened to have some pre-cubed butternut squash in the freezer from a previous meal prep week where I had extra. While you don’t need to add the butternut squash or sweet potatoes into this recipe, I highly recommend it! After cooking for 6 hours the squash gave the soup a nice creamy texture with a tad of added sweetness to balance out the spice. Yum!

Check out the full recipe + directions below!

Crockpot Taco Soup

servings: about 10

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound ground grass-fed beef [organic turkey works well, too]
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 carrots, peeled + chopped into bite-size pieces
• 2 bell peppers, chopped [any color]
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cans Muir Glen diced fire roasted tomatoes
• 1-2 cups cubed butternut squash or sweet potato, optional but a great addition
• 3 cups water or low-sodium broth
• 1 can pinto, kidney or black beans, drained + rinsed
• 2 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp coriander
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper, optional for extra spice
• for serving: shredded cheddar cheese, cilantro, lime, avocado

DIRECTIONS

Add olive oil to skillet on medium heat. Add minced garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add ground beef and cook long enough to brown the meat, about 5 minutes. Add browned meat and garlic + all other ingredients and spices [excluding canned beans] to crockpot. Cook on high for 6 hours, stirring occasionally if possible. At the end of cooking add beans to soup and stir to combine. Adjust spices or salt as needed. To serve, top with any combination of shredded cheese, cilantro, lime and sliced avocado. Enjoy!

*paleo-friendly: omit beans.

*vegetarian: double the beans, omit the meat.

Crockpot Taco Soup

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

6 hours

Total time

6 hours 15 mins

 

Author: Angela Freed

Serves: about 10

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground grass-fed beef [organic turkey works well, too]
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 carrots, peeled + chopped into bite-size pieces
• 2 bell peppers, chopped [any color]
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cans Muir Glen diced fire roasted tomatoes
• 1-2 cups cubed butternut squash, optional
• 3 cups water or low-sodium broth
• 1 can pinto, kidney or black beans, drained + rinsed
• 2 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp coriander
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper, optional for extra spice
• for serving: shredded cheddar cheese, cilantro, lime, avocado

Instructions

1. Add olive oil to skillet on medium heat.
2. Add minced garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add ground beef and cook long enough to brown the meat, about 5 minutes.
4. Add browned meat and garlic + all other ingredients and spices [excluding canned beans] to crockpot.
5. Cook on high for 6 hours, stirring occasionally if possible.
6. At the end of cooking add beans to soup and stir to combine.
7. Adjust spices or salt as needed.
8. To serve, top with any combination of shredded cheese, cilantro, lime and sliced avocado. Enjoy!

3.5.3251

What did you think about this soup? Will you be making it again? Let me know in the comments below!