Name: Creamy Beef Taco Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons avocado oil; 1 yellow onion (diced); 1 green bell pepper (diced); 3 cloves garlic (minced or pressed); 1 pound lean ground beef; 1 packet low-sodium taco seasoning; 2 cans tomatoes with chilies; 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed); 2 cups low-sodium broth (chicken or beef); 8 ounces Neufchatel cheese (reduced fat cream cheese, softened); Toppings (such as avocado, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, chips, etc.)

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This Creamy Beef Taco Soup is a cozy, creamy, zesty soup. It’s made a little lighter, without sacrificing any flavor – all in less than 30 minutes.

a bowl of creamy beef taco soup with lots of garnishes

This Creamy Beef Taco Soup is classic comfort food. It’s reminiscent of a chili, if a chili were creamy and cozy. It’s perfect to eat as is, or to even scoop up with tortilla chips.

I made this soup with busy weeknights in mind, where you need a tasty dinner on the table, sooner than later, and preferably with as few dishes to clean as possible.

For more creamy soups, check out this 3-Ingredient Potato Soup, Creamy Cashew Carrot Ginger Soup (plant based!), and this creamy Chicken and Kale White Bean Chili.

Ingredients

For a full ingredient list with quantities, please check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Beef: You need one pound of lean ground beef, such as 96/4 ground beef.
Onion: One yellow or white onion, diced.
Bell Pepper: Build more flavor with a diced green bell pepper.
Garlic: A must in any Southwestern-inspired fare!
Taco Seasoning: You can totally make your own, but if you’re short on time, grab a packet of low-sodium taco seasoning.
Canned Tomatoes with Green Chilies: Basically, Rotel – you need two cans.
Black Beans: Drain and rinse a can of black beans – this adds a delicious fiber and protein boost!
Broth: You can use chicken or beef broth.
Neufchatel Cream Cheese: I recommend the lighter Neufchatel cream cheese.

Step-by-Step Directions

For complete instructions, please check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Saute an onion, adding the garlic and bell pepper.
Add ground beef and brown.
Add taco seasoning.
When beef is fully cooked, add tomatoes, black beans and broth. Bring to a simmer.
Add cubes of cream cheese.
Stir continuously, until cream cheese melts into a smooth, creamy broth.

Expert Tips

If you’re using a lower fat beef, brown the beef first, then remove the browned beef and drain any excess fat before continuing with sauteing the vegetables.
For better browning, brown the beef first, no matter the fat percentage, then remove from the pan. I chose to sauté the vegetables first, then brown the beef right with it because it saves a little time and saves dirtying another dish. Like I said – made for busy weeknights. 🙂
Make sure the Neufchatel cream cheese is at room temperature and softened. If not, it won’t dissolve as easily. You can microwave it for 15-30 seconds if it needs a little extra help softening.

Substitutions & Variations

Any ground meat works – ground turkey, chicken, pork, deer, or even a combination of several. If your protein is super lean, like ground chicken breast, you may need to add a little extra oil when browning.
Add more veggies! Vegetables are always a great addition to any meal! You can add things like more bell pepper, grated carrots, diced mushrooms, diced zucchini, corn, and cauliflower rice.
Make it spicy. Add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, or 1-2 tablespoons of hot sauce.
Keep it mild. This soup is not spicy at all, but if you’re super sensitive to heat, be sure to use the mild tomatoes with chilies.
Beef broth can be used, but it’ll make the soup darker than it appears here made with chicken broth.
Gluten-Free – it already is naturally gluten-free! Just make sure if you’re using a taco seasoning packet that there are no gluten-containing additives.

Storage, Freezing, & Reheating

This soup stores/ freezes/ reheats okay. Because there is some dairy in this soup (the Neufchatel cream cheese), you may notice the slightest texture/ grittiness when reheating. That said, it’s subtle, and not enough of a difference to deter us (in fact, I have more of this soup in my fridge and freezer alike, right now!).

Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Freezing: Freeze in individual portions in an airtight, freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Date and label your containers so you don’t forget what it is/ how long it’s been in there!
Reheating: Reheat in a small pot on the stove, or microwave for 30 seconds at a time.

Supplies You’ll Need

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Large pot
Vegetable chopper (perfect to quickly chop the onion and bell pepper!)

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