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Paula Deen Taco Soup

Paula Deen taco soup is a bold, Southern Tex-Mex soup loaded with ground beef and all the cans, then simmered until thick and hearty. Finish with a generous mountain of shredded cheddar, sour cream, and tortilla chips for a loaded topping texture.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Southern Tex-Mex
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meat and vegetables
  • 2 lb ground beef
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 cup beef broth
Canned goods
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn drained
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
Seasonings
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch dressing mix
  • 1 packet (1 oz) Hidden Valley original Ranch
Toppings
  • shredded cheddar for generous topping
  • sour cream for generous topping
  • tortilla chips lots of topping
  • green onions optional topping

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Heat a very large pot over medium-high heat, then brown the ground beef with the diced onion until the beef is cooked through; drain the fat.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add the black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes, and diced tomatoes to the pot along with the taco seasoning, ranch dressing mix, and Hidden Valley original Ranch; stir to combine.
  2. Pour in the beef broth and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
  3. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld.
Season and serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve hot with shredded cheddar, sour cream, and lots of tortilla chips; add green onions if desired.

Notes

Pro tip: drain the beef fat after browning so the soup stays flavorful but not greasy. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; for best texture, reheat gently on the stove. Freezing is not recommended because the beans and dairy toppings can change texture after thawing. For a dairy-free swap, use a dairy-free sour cream and shredded cheese (or omit cheese) while keeping the ranch packet for the classic seasoning base.