A mouthwatering one-pot dinner idea that is freezer-friendly and makes for easy batch cooking. This Instant Pot taco soup is fully loaded with the flavors, textures, and aromas of everyone’s favorite taco, but in the form of a hearty & comforting soup!
Table of Contents
- A Fully Loaded Soup
- Why You’ll Love Taco Soup, Instant Pot Style!
- Ingredients Needed
- Variations
- How to Make Taco Soup in Instant Pot
- Stovetop & Crockpot Methods
- Expert Tips
- Serve With All of the Best Taco Toppings!
- Recipe FAQs
- Storing, Freezing, & Reheating
- More Recipes You’ll Love
- Instant Pot Taco Soup Printable Recipe
A Fully Loaded Soup
Imagine a big hot bowl of soup that is loaded with all of the best flavors a good taco has to offer! That’s what this Instant Pot taco soup is. It’s a hearty, wholesome fully loaded taco that’s been turned into the most delicious soup. It’s made with ground beef, loads of beans, aromatics & veggies, taco seasoning, and lots of zesty tomato flavor from the salsa, Rotel, and diced tomatoes.
Making my favorite taco soup in the Instant Pot has made this recipe even easier. The pressure cooking imparts amazing flavor into everything and it’s a one-pot dump and set meal. It might remind you of homemade chili with some similar flavors and ingredients, but the taco seasoning and toppings are what give this instant pot taco soup recipe its flare.
When I make this and my chicken taco soup I always make more than I need. It’s a great freezer meal, so what I do is serve it for dinner, then portion the leftovers to keep in the fridge for the week or transfer them to the freezer for later on. It’s a quick reheat and I’ve got the perfect quick and easy comfort food on busy weeknights or cold-weather weekends.
Why You’ll Love Taco Soup, Instant Pot Style!
If you’re still new to the Instant Pot and need a few tips and tricks on how to use the Instant Pot, don’t worry, it’s much easier than you think! Once you get the hang of it, there is no turning back. You’ll wonder what you ever did without it!
- Using a pressure cooker for this recipe is fast, easy, and set-it-and-forget-it, once you brown the beef.
- It pressure cooks everything exactly the right amount leaving the texture tender yet with a bite.
- It’s a flavor-loaded soup your whole family will love and it’s all done in 35 minutes!
Ingredients Needed
Find the full printable recipe below with specific measurements below.
- Ground beef: Using lean ground beef (80-90%) will leave less grease in the pot and still provide plenty of flavor.
- Veggies: Chopped sweet onions and bell peppers are sauteed with the beef, giving them extra flavor and a tender consistency. Corn is also thrown in later!
- Tomatoes: Tomato sauce and diced tomatoes (both plain and with green chiles) are mixed with water to create the base of this taco soup. A bit of fresh salsa is also added for extra flavor!
- Seasonings: A simple blend of taco seasoning and kosher salt are all that’s needed to season this delicious soup. Use your favorite store bought packet or make your own taco seasoning at home using a mix of popular spices like cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder.
- Beans: These help bulk up the soup while adding extra protein and fiber. I like to use a mix of black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans or white beans.
Variations
What I love about this Instant Pot taco soup recipe is that it’s so easy to customize. Below are few different variations to try.
- Swap beef with ground turkey for a leaner alternative.
- Instead of cooking the meat, use shredded rotisserie chicken for an even easier alternative. This recipe would also work great with any leftover cooked taco meat you have stored in the freezer!
- Omit the meat all together to make vegetarian. You can add an extra can of beans or corn in the soup to give it a bulkier consistency.
- Use beef broth or chicken broth instead of water to add more flavor.
How to Make Taco Soup in Instant Pot
With a few simple steps, this recipe for taco soup in Instant Pot is ready in just 35 minutes!
- Sauté. Use the sauté setting to brown the ground beef along with the chopped onions and peppers. Once the meat is cooked, add in the seasonings and stir until combined.
- Pressure cook. Next stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover with the lid and then seal the valve. Turn off the sauté mode and then set to high pressure. Cook for 3 minutes on high pressure, then let natural release for 10 minutes after the timer goes off.
- Serve. Remove the lid and give the soup a big stir. Taste and add more seasonings if needed. Then ladle into bowls and serve with your favorite toppings!
Stovetop & Crockpot Methods
Crockpot: Brown the meat, onions and peppers in a separate skillet first, then dump the remaining ingredients in the slow cooker. Cover with the lid and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
Stove-top: In a large pot, cook the beef, onions and peppers until browned. Stir in the remaining ingredients and then simmer for 20 to 40 minutes.
Expert Tips
- If using anything but lean ground beef, you may find you need to drain excess grease from the pot before adding anything else to it.
- Wait until the meat has browned before adding the seasoning. If you add seasoning too early, it might start to stick to the bottom of the pot and begin to burn.
- Using a natural release for 10 minutes will allow the taco soup to continue cooking as it releases the pressure.
- Keep on the warm setting until everyone is ready to eat.
Serve With All of the Best Taco Toppings!
- Freshly grated cheese – Cheddar, Colby, or Monterrey Jack are great choices.
- Diced or sliced avocado
- Sour cream
- Tortilla strips
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime juice
Recipe FAQs
Not exactly! Both are delicious Mexican soup recipes, however tortilla soup is typically made with chicken instead of beef and has a thinner consistency than taco soup.
Both include similar ingredients such as onions, corn, beans and salsa, with a few key differentiators.
We love to serve ours with tortilla chips or warm Mexican cornbread for dipping. So delicious!
Yes! This recipe is made with meat, beans and veggies, all of which are gluten-free. The only thing to watch out for is the seasoning. Make sure the label on your packet of taco seasoning says that it’s gluten-free!
Storing, Freezing, & Reheating
- To store: This taco soup will keep fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
- To freeze: Once completely cooled, portion it out into zip-top freezer-friendly bags or containers and freeze for up to 6 months. It’s a great soup to have on hand to bring to family, friends, or neighbors when anyone needs a warm comforting soup.
- To reheat: Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the microwave if doing a single portion. If reheating more, you can also reheat on the stovetop over a low simmer.
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Instant Pot Taco Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound hamburger meat or ground turkey
- 1 medium sweet onion , chopped finely
- 1 red bell pepper , chopped
- 1-2 Tablespoons taco seasoning , more or less to taste
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 15 ounce can black beans , drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce can kindey beans , drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce can pinto or white beans , drained and rinsed (optional)
- 1 cup corn
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 10 ounce can Rotel
- 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup salsa , fresh is best
Optional toppings: cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, avocado
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté. Then brown hamburger, onion and peppers in the pot for about 5 minutes. Add in the seasonings and stir until combined.
- Add in the remaining ingredients and stir until combined.
- Place the lid on top and seal the valve. Cancel the sauté mode and then set the Instant Pot to high pressure. Cook for 3 minutes on high pressure. Then do a natural release for 10 minutes after the timer goes off.
- Remove the lid and stir until combined. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle soup into bowls. Top with sour cream and cheese. Serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: 30 Minute Meals, 30 Minute Meals, Beef, Beef, Cinco De Mayo, Dairy-Free, Dinner, Freezer-Friendly, Freezer-Friendly, Gluten-Free, Instant Pot, Instant Pot, Kid-Friendly, Meal Prep, Mexican, Nut-Free, One Pot, One Pot, Soups
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
This is so easy to throw together and everyone loves it every time.
This soup was not only delicious but so easy to make. It was full of flavor and recipe I will be enjoying time and time again!
So easy, fast and delicious! Tasted so good on a snowy day.
Made this and loved it! Had plenty leftover to freeze! When I thawed it tasted just like it did when I first made it! No one knew the difference! Adding this to my recipe book:)
I’m so happy to hear that! Freezer meals for the win :)
This sounds delicious! Just a question about one of the ingredients, what is Rotel?
It’s a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles :)
I’ve been looking for new ways to use my Instant Pot so this taco soup recipe is going to be my taco night go-to!
So cozy and comforting! I love that I can make this in my IP for easy cleanup!