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Creamy Cheesy Ground Beef Taco Soup

Creamy cheesy ground beef taco soup with a thick, Velveeta-melted broth, tender beans, and sweet corn. The soup is simmered until rich and spoonable, then finished with cream cheese and heavy cream for an ultra-smooth texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef
  • 1.5 lb ground beef Drain excess fat after browning.
Vegetables
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
Beans, corn, and tomatoes
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
Seasoning and broth
  • 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch dressing mix
  • 4 cup beef broth
Cheese and dairy
  • 8 oz cream cheese, cubed Cube for easier melting.
  • 8 oz Velveeta or American cheese, cubed
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
Toppings
  • 1 Tortilla chips
  • 1 jalapeños
  • 1 cilantro

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Brown ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat, then drain fat. Keep cooking just until no pink remains, with visible browned crumbles.
Sauté aromatics
  1. Sauté onion for 3 minutes. Stir until the onion softens and turns translucent, then add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
Build the soup
  1. Add black beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, ranch dressing mix, and beef broth to the pot. Bring everything to a boil, with steady bubbling across the surface.
Simmer for flavor
  1. Simmer the soup for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to low. Look for a gentle, low bubble to keep the ingredients tender.
Melt the cheeses
  1. Add cream cheese and Velveeta in pieces and stir until completely melted. Scrape the bottom and sides so the broth becomes smooth and evenly cheesy.
Finish thick and creamy
  1. Stir in heavy cream, then simmer for 5 minutes until thick and cheesy. The soup should coat a spoon and look glossy.
Serve
  1. Ladle the taco soup into bowls and top with tortilla chips, jalapeños, and cilantro. Serve right away so the chips keep some crunch.

Notes

Pro tip: cube the cream cheese and Velveeta so they melt faster and stay lump-free. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove, stirring to restore thickness (add a splash of beef broth if needed). Freezing is not recommended because the creamy dairy can separate when thawed. For a dietary swap, use a reduced-fat cheese (or part-skim cream cheese) and reduce heavy cream slightly for a lighter version while keeping the cheesy texture.