If you love easy slow cooker meals, you might also want to try Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken or warm up with a bowl of Chicken Vegetable Soup.
On a cold weeknight when you just need dinner to take care of itself, this is the recipe you reach for. Crock Pot Taco Soup brings together ground beef, diced tomatoes with green chilies, a handful of pantry spices, and a generous block of cream cheese that melts right into the broth — giving you a rich, creamy, deeply savory soup with just the right kick. All the bold flavors of taco night, no assembly required.
The prep is genuinely quick — about 20 minutes on the stovetop to brown the beef, then everything goes into the slow cooker and you walk away. No beans means a thicker, meatier bowl, and the cream cheese makes it feel indulgent without being heavy. Pile on sour cream, shredded cheddar, cilantro, and avocado slices when you’re ready to serve, and dinner is done.
Every recipe on Real Balanced is tested before it’s published — read about how we develop and test our recipes.
Reader Love
Made it spicier by adding Rotel with serranos rather than green chilis! Super super yummy for my spicy soul 😇
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Creamy and rich without fuss. A full block of cream cheese melts into the broth during cooking, giving you a velvety, restaurant-worthy texture with zero extra effort.
- Only about 20 minutes of hands-on prep. Brown the beef, dump everything in, set it, and forget it — the slow cooker does the rest.
- Big taco flavor from pantry staples. Chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, and red pepper flakes layer together into a spice blend that tastes like it took a lot longer than it did.
- Feeds a crowd. This recipe makes 8 servings, so it’s perfect for a family dinner, meal prep, or a casual gathering.
- Flexible garnishes make every bowl feel custom. Load it up with sour cream, sharp cheddar, fresh cilantro, green onions, and avocado — or keep it simple straight from the pot.
- Made without beans. If you prefer a bean-free soup, this one delivers a meaty, satisfying bowl every time.
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make this recipe
👉 Easy ingredient swaps
- Ground beef: Ground turkey or ground chicken work well in the same quantity.
- Cream cheese: An equal amount of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt can be used, though the soup will be a bit thinner.
- Canned diced tomatoes with green chilies: If you prefer less heat, swap for plain no-salt-added diced tomatoes. For more heat, try a can with serranos instead of green chilies.
- Beef broth: Beef stock works just as well — one reader even used a full 4-cup carton and loved the result.
- Heavy whipping cream: A splash of whole milk or half-and-half can stand in if needed.
- Red pepper flakes: Simply leave them out if you want to dial back the spice level without losing any of the other flavors.
✨ Variations
- Spicier version: Swap the canned tomatoes with green chilies for a variety that includes serranos, and keep the red pepper flakes.
- Extra smoky: Add a pinch of smoked paprika in addition to the regular paprika for a deeper, smokier flavor.
- Taco-seasoning shortcut: If you’re out of individual spices, a packet of taco seasoning in place of the measured spices gets you to a similar flavor profile quickly.
- Loaded bowl: Serve over a small scoop of rice or with warm cornbread on the side to stretch the servings even further.
〰️ How to serve
- Top each bowl with a dollop of sour cream, a handful of shredded sharp cheddar, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro or green onions — the contrast with the hot, creamy soup is unbeatable.
- Lay a few avocado slices on top right before serving for a cool, buttery finish.
- Pair it with Honey Butter Skillet Cornbread to soak up every last drop of broth.
- Leftovers reheat beautifully — give the soup a good stir before warming on the stovetop or in the microwave, since the cream cheese can settle as it cools. One reader suggests freezing individual portions in soup bowls first, then transferring to bags for easy single-serve defrosting — a great tip for freezer-friendly meal prep.
💬 FAQs
Can I make this taco soup on the stovetop instead of in the slow cooker?
The recipe is written for the slow cooker, but you can absolutely adapt it for the stovetop. After browning the ground beef, add all the remaining ingredients to a large pot over medium-low heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cream cheese is fully melted and everything is heated through — about 20 to 30 minutes.
Do I need to cube the cream cheese before adding it to the slow cooker?
Cutting the cream cheese into cubes helps it melt more evenly into the soup during cooking. You don’t need to be precise — rough chunks work fine. Give the soup a good stir before serving to make sure everything is fully incorporated.
How spicy is this soup, and can I make it milder?
It has a pleasant warmth, but it’s not overwhelmingly hot. The easiest way to reduce the spice level is to simply leave out the red pepper flakes — the rest of the spice blend is more savory than fiery.
Can I freeze this taco soup?
Yes — the soup freezes well. One reader recommends freezing it in individual portions for easy single-serve thawing rather than defrosting the whole batch at once.
📚 More recipes to try
🍽 Recipe
Email Recipe
Enter your email below and we’ll send you this recipe!
Crock Pot Taco Soup
Ingredients
Taco Soup:
- 2 pounds ground beef
- ½ medium-sized white onion, chopped
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened, cubed
- 10 ounces canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 4 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Optional Garnishes (Not Included In Nutrition Info):
- Sour cream
- Finely chopped cilantro
- Finely chopped green onions
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Avocado slices
Instructions
- Brown Ground Beef On Stovetop: In a large skillet over medium heat on the stovetop, cook ground beef until browned. Drain excess grease.
- Add In Ingredients And Stir: To Crock Pot, add browned ground beef, chopped onions, cubed cream cheese, canned tomatoes with green chilies, and spices. Stir to combine ingredients. Add beef broth and heavy cream and stir again.
- Cook In Crock Pot: Set Crock Pot to cook on “high” for 4 hours or on “low” for 6-7 hours.
- Garnish And Serve: After cooking, stir the mixture before transferring soup to bowls and top with desired garnishes.
Leave a Reply