Cheesy Taco Soup

CHEESY TACO SOUP RECIPE

Cheesy taco soup is a cheesy, super easy to make, kid-friendly version of taco soup! This recipe uses ground turkey, two types of beans, corn, tomatoes, salsa, and the ingredient that makes it so smooth and cheesy is Velveeta.

I know some people have strong feelings about Velveeta cheese, and that's ok, but if it's not your thing you may want to skip this recipe because it's what makes this taco soup recipe different from all the others.

WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED TO MAKE EASY TACO SOUP?

Ground Turkey

Olive Oil

Salt, Garlic Powder, Chili Powder, & Cumin

Chicken Broth - The recipe has been tested with 33% reduced-sodium chicken broth. If you use full salt chicken broth then be sure to reduce the salt slightly, maybe 1/2 teaspoon - 3/4 teaspoon. 

Chili Beans - These are pinto beans in a seasoned chili sauce. You can use mild, medium, or hot heat. It will say on the can if it's mild or hot. Do not drain these beans. You want all that flavor from the chili sauce. 

Black Beans - You will drain and rinse these beans. 

Petite Diced Tomatoes

Canned Corn - I prefer the yellow & white canned corn but regular yellow corn works just fine too. 

Salsa

Velveeta Cheese

HOW TO MAKE THIS CHEESY TACO SOUP

1. Add olive oil, ground turkey, salt, garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin to a large soup pot (with a lid). Brown and crumble the ground turkey until it's cooked through. Just make sure it's no longer pink. 
2. Add the chicken broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, and salsa. Mix together and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, cover with the lid and simmer for 15 minutes. 
3. Add the cubed Velveeta cheese, cover with the lid for 5 minutes, and then stir it all together. Serve!

MY TIPS & HELPFUL HINTS

• There really are no substitutes for the Velveeta cheese. If you've never had it in a soup then try it, because I am fairly certain that you will be amazed at how creamy and smooth it makes this soup. All things in moderation and for each serving there is only 1 ounce of Velveeta cheese.
• If you are not a fan of ground turkey then feel free to use ground beef. You won't need the olive oil if you use ground beef. 
• There are plenty of ways to make this spicy! Add a can of diced green chilies. Use some cayenne red pepper with the other seasonings. Use a can of Rotel. You can also use a can of hot chili beans. 

YOU WILL LOVE THESE OTHER TACO INSPIRED DINNER RECIPES

7 Can Chicken Taco Soup - Yes, you literally dump 7 cans into a pot and let it simmer. Serve with all your favorite toppings like tortilla chips, sour cream, and shredded cheese. 

Cheesy Taco Spaghetti Casserole - Spaghetti noodles, cheese, and a delicious cheesy taco mixture bakes in one dish. This is one of my kids' favorite dinners. 

Taco Chili - Everything you love about ground beef tacos but in a hearty, thick, perfectly seasoned taco chili. My kids love to use chips as their spoons when they eat this. Serve with all your favorite toppings. 

The Best Taco Soup - Most taco soups are the same but this one is special because it uses stewed tomatoes (blended up so you don't get big chunks) as the base along with some broth. So flavorful and my favorite recipe for taco soup. 

Taco Biscuit Bake - Taco seasoned ground beef bakes with fluffy, buttery biscuits and cheese in one casserole dish. It's like biscuit tacos and it's so yummy. We love ours topped with lettuce, pico de gallo, and sour cream. 

Cornbread Taco Bake - A ground beef taco casserole topped with an easy cornbread topping.

Easy Cheesy Taco Soup

Cheesy Taco Soup is so easy to make in just one pot! Ground turkey, chili beans, black beans, tomatoes, corn, and salsa simmer in chicken broth. Add some Velveeta cheese for the smoothest cheesy taco soup ever.

4.75 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: cheesy taco soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 8 people (1 cup each)

Calories: 299kcal

Author: Jessica

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 can (14.5 oz) reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 can (15 oz) chili beans do not drain
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained & rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) petite diced tomatoes do not drain
• 1 can (15 oz) corn drained
• 1 cup salsa
• 8 ounces Velveeta cheese cubed

Instructions

• In a large soup pot (with a lid), over medium-high heat, add olive oil, ground turkey, salt, garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin. Cook and crumble until ground turkey is no longer pink. Drain excess liquid/grease.
• Add the chicken broth, chili beans, black beans, tomatoes, corn, and salsa into the soup pot. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover with the lid. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add the cubed Velveeta cheese and cover with the lid. Let simmer for 3-5 minutes or until the Velveeta is melted. Stir together to combine.
• Serve with your favorite taco soup toppings. We love tortilla chips, sour cream, and shredded cheese.

Notes

Chicken Broth - Recipe has been tested with reduced sodium chicken broth. If you use full salt chicken broth then just be sure to reduce the salt slightly (1/2 teaspoon). 

Velveeta Cheese - I know I will get people wanting to substitute this ingredient. Just try it once! It's so good in soup because it makes it perfectly cheesy and smooth. If you use shredded cheese, it may work, I just can't say what it will be like because it definitely won't melt as smooth. 

Chili Beans - These are pinto beans in a chili sauce. You can get them in 'mild', 'medium', or 'hot' heat. They will specifically say chili beans on the can and you will find them by the other canned beans in the store. 

Nutrition

Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 1389mg | Potassium: 852mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 592IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 207mg | Iron: 3mg