🥣 Creamy Cheesy Ground Beef Taco Soup
Yield: 6 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30–35 minutes
Total: about 50 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
For the soup
1 lb (450 g) ground beef, preferably 80/20 or 85/15
1 tbsp olive oil, only if your beef is very lean
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium tomato, diced
1 can (14–15 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
3 cups (720 ml) beef or chicken broth
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, softened
1½ cups (150 g) shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup (50 g) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 tbsp tomato paste
1½ tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp black pepper
¼–½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1 tbsp lime juice
For the topping
Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
Diced fresh tomatoes
A little shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack
Thinly sliced green onions
Freshly ground black pepper
Optional: sliced jalapeño
Optional: sour cream
Optional: tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
Full Step-by-Step Recipe
1. Brown the beef
Place a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the ground beef and break it apart with a wooden spoon.
Cook for approximately 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned.
If there is a large amount of grease, drain most of it, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot for flavor.
Tip: Don’t constantly stir the beef. Let it sit against the hot pan for a minute or two at a time. This creates the browned bits that give the soup a much better flavor.
2. Add the onion
Add the diced onion.
Cook for approximately 3–4 minutes, until softened.
Add the garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds.
Don’t let the garlic become dark brown or it can taste bitter.
3. Add the tomato paste and spices
Add:
Tomato paste
Chili powder
Cumin
Smoked paprika
Oregano
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Black pepper
Red pepper flakes, if using
Stir everything into the beef.
Cook for 1–2 minutes.
This step is important because cooking the spices briefly in the beef fat “blooms” them and produces a deeper flavor.
4. Add the tomatoes
Add the fresh diced tomato and canned diced tomatoes.
Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen the browned beef.
Cook for about 2–3 minutes.
5. Add the broth
Pour in the 3 cups of broth.
Bring the soup to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for approximately 10–15 minutes.
The soup should become slightly thicker and more flavorful.
6. Make it creamy
This is the important part for achieving the appearance in your photograph.
Reduce the heat to low.
Add the softened cream cheese in small pieces.
Whisk or stir continuously until the cream cheese has completely melted into the soup.
Then slowly add the heavy cream.
Stir well.
Important:
Do not rapidly boil the soup after adding the cream.
High heat can cause dairy to separate or become grainy.
7. Add the shredded cheese
Turn the heat to very low.
Add the cheddar and Monterey Jack a handful at a time, stirring after each addition.
Wait until the first handful melts before adding more.
This creates a smooth, cheesy broth.
Once all the cheese has melted, taste the soup.
Add additional:
Salt
Black pepper
Chili powder
Cumin
Lime juice
as needed.
8. Add lime juice
Stir in approximately 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice.
The acidity helps balance the richness of the cream and cheese.
If you prefer a more taco-like flavor, add another 1–2 teaspoons.
9. Garnish
Ladle the soup into bowls.
For the appearance shown in your picture, top with:
A spoonful of browned ground beef
Diced tomato
Chopped cilantro
Shredded cheese
A little freshly ground black pepper
A drizzle of cream, if desired
Serve immediately.
How to Make It Look Like the Photograph
The photograph appears to have a rich orange/cream-colored broth with visible oil droplets, browned beef, tomato pieces and green herbs.
For that appearance:
Use fire-roasted tomatoes
Use 85/15 ground beef
Don’t remove every bit of beef fat
Use smoked paprika
Use cheddar rather than only mozzarella
Don’t over-thicken the soup
Add fresh tomatoes near the end
Garnish generously with chopped cilantro
Add a small drizzle of cream immediately before serving
For a more orange color, increase the smoked paprika to 1½ tsp or add another 1 tsp tomato paste.
Make It Spicier
For a spicy version, add one or more:
1 diced jalapeño with the onion
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1–2 tsp hot sauce
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 small can diced green chiles
For mild soup, omit the cayenne and red pepper flakes.
Excellent Toppings
You can customize each bowl with:
Avocado
Cilantro
Green onion
Jalapeño
Sour cream
Shredded cheddar
Monterey Jack
Diced tomato
Lime wedges
Tortilla strips
Crushed tortilla chips
Pickled jalapeños
Thickness Adjustments
Too thick?
Add ¼ cup broth at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Too thin?
Simmer uncovered for another 5–10 minutes.
Or add another 1–2 oz cream cheese.
Want it extremely creamy?
Increase heavy cream to 1½ cups and cream cheese to 6 oz.
Want it more like traditional soup?
Use ½ cup cream instead of 1 cup and reduce the cheese to about 1 cup.
Dairy-Free Version
Replace:
Heavy cream → unsweetened coconut cream or dairy-free cooking cream
Cream cheese → dairy-free cream cheese
Cheddar → dairy-free cheddar-style cheese
Be aware that coconut cream can give the soup a slight coconut flavor.
Meat Substitutions
You can use:
Ground beef
Ground turkey
Ground chicken
Ground pork
Chopped leftover steak
For turkey or chicken, add 1 tbsp olive oil while browning because they’re considerably leaner.
🫘 Optional Bean Version
For a more substantial taco soup, add:
1 can black beans, drained
1 can kidney or pinto beans, drained
1 small can corn
Add them along with the tomatoes and broth.
This turns the recipe into a much heartier creamy taco soup.
Storage
Refrigerator
Cool the soup and refrigerate in a sealed container.
Best quality: 3–4 days.
Freezer
Because this recipe contains substantial amounts of cream cheese, cheese and cream, freezing can cause some separation.
If freezing, allow it to cool completely and store for approximately 2–3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat gently over low heat while stirring.
If the texture separates, whisk in a little warm broth or cream.
Reheating
Stovetop
Heat over low to medium-low, stirring frequently.
Don’t boil.
Microwave
Heat in 30–45 second intervals, stirring between intervals.
Approximate Nutrition
Per serving, assuming 6 servings and the recipe as written:
Nutrient Approx. amount
Calories 550–620 kcal
Protein 28–32 g
Total fat 43–48 g
Saturated fat 22–26 g
Carbohydrates 10–14 g
Fiber 2–3 g
Sugars 5–7 g
Sodium 900–1,200 mg
Calcium 300–400 mg
These are estimates, not laboratory measurements. The actual numbers vary considerably with the ground beef, broth, cream cheese, cheese and amount of salt used.
To reduce calories
Use:
90/10 ground beef
Half-and-half instead of heavy cream
Reduced-fat cream cheese
Less shredded cheese
To reduce carbohydrates
Skip tortilla chips and corn and use low-carb toppings such as avocado, cilantro, jalapeño and sour cream.
To increase protein
Use 1¼ lb ground beef or add black beans.
Allergen Information
This recipe contains dairy, including:
Heavy cream
Cream cheese
Cheddar
Monterey Jack
It is naturally nut-free as written, but check packaged ingredients such as broth, cream cheese and spice blends for manufacturing statements if you have a serious nut allergy.
It can also contain soy depending on the processed cheese and other packaged ingredients.
For gluten-free preparation, use certified gluten-free broth and seasonings and avoid regular tortilla products unless they’re labeled gluten-free.
Recipe Q&A
Can I use milk instead of heavy cream?
Yes, but the soup will be less rich. Whole milk works better than skim milk.
Can I use Velveeta or processed cheese?
Yes. It will produce an exceptionally smooth soup, although the flavor will be different from the cheddar/Jack version.
Why is my cheese clumping?
Usually the soup is too hot. Turn the heat down to low and add cheese gradually.
Why did my soup separate?
The dairy was probably exposed to excessive heat or the cheese was added too quickly. Keep the soup below a simmer after adding the dairy.
Can I make it in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the beef and onion first. Transfer them to the slow cooker with the tomatoes, broth and spices. Cook 3–4 hours on high or 6–7 hours on low. Add the cream cheese, cream and shredded cheese during the final 20–30 minutes.
Can I make it ahead?
Definitely. In fact, the flavor often improves after several hours in the refrigerator. Reheat gently.
Can I make it without cream cheese?
Yes. Increase the heavy cream slightly and use additional shredded cheese, although the soup won’t be quite as thick.
Is this keto-friendly?
It can be made relatively low-carb by omitting beans, corn, tortilla chips and high-carb toppings. Check your individual ingredients for carbohydrate content.
Can I use taco seasoning?
Yes. Substitute approximately 2 tablespoons taco seasoning for the chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, onion powder and garlic powder. Check the seasoning’s sodium level before adding additional salt.
What cheese melts best?
Monterey Jack, cheddar, Colby Jack and American cheese melt particularly well. A combination of cheddar + Monterey Jack gives a great balance of flavor and smoothness.
What should I serve with it?
Great choices are warm tortillas, cornbread, tortilla chips, avocado, a simple green salad, or lime wedges.
My recommended version for the photo
If your goal is “make mine look as close as possible to this picture,” I’d use:
1 lb 85/15 beef + 14 oz fire-roasted tomatoes + 3 cups beef broth + 1 cup heavy cream + 4 oz cream cheese + 1½ cups cheddar + ½ cup Monterey Jack + smoked paprika + cumin + fresh tomato + lots of cilantro.
