Taco Soup Recipe (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker!) - Oh Sweet Basil (2024)

This Instant Pot Taco Soup recipe is an easy weeknight dinner, that’s full of all your favorite Mexican flavors. Serve with cheese, sour cream and avocado!

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Taco Soup Recipe (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker!) - Oh Sweet Basil (1)

The Best Taco Soup Recipe

Hi everyone! I’m Jennifer from Deliciously Sprinkled and I’m SOOO excited to share this delicious Instant Pot Taco Soup recipe with all of you today!

With the holiday’s in full swing, it seems like we are just so busy that I don’t have time to make dinner and I’m really sick of eating out all the time. So I decided I was going to start using my Instant Pot that I got for my birthday to hopefully help me make dinner quicker and easier.

Well you guys, I seriously LOVE my Instant Pot. After I got over the first initial intimidation of it, I learned that it’s really so simple to use and it’s so nice that I can have dinner ready in less than 30 minutes.

So if you’re like me and just got an Instant Pot and don’t know what to make in it, this easy taco soup is the perfect recipe to try first. My family loves this soup, my husband said he could eat this everyday!

Taco Soup Recipe (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker!) - Oh Sweet Basil (2)

Taco Soup Ingredients

This Instant Pot taco soup uses surprisingly few ingredients to achieve its rich flavor. For this easy soup recipe, you’ll need olive oil, ground beef, onion, canned corn, pinto beans, Rotel (a mixture of diced tomatoes and green chilies), diced tomatoes, ranch seasoning mix, taco seasoning, and beef broth.

Note that you’ll be using dry ranch seasoning and NOT ranch dressing. Ranch seasoning comes in small packets, and you can usually find them in the spice aisle.

How to Make Taco Soup in an Instant Pot

One of my favorite things about the Instant Pot is that you can saute meat and veggies right in the pot, so there’s no need to dirty a bunch of different pots and pans. You’ll first need to saute the ground beef and onions together until browned.

After you’ve browned the meat, just dump the corn, beans, rotel, diced tomatoes, ranch seasoning mix, taco seasoning, and beef broth into the pot. Stir and then set the Instant Pot to the soup setting for 20 minutes.

Once the soup is done, serve with your favorite toppings.

Our Favorite Taco Soup Toppings

You can top your taco soup with anything you’d put on a regular taco! Some of our favorite taco soup toppings include:

  • Shredded cheese
  • Sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
  • Fritos
  • Pickled jalapeños
  • Avocado
  • Diced tomato
  • Hot sauce
  • Chopped onion
  • …and more!

Taco Soup Recipe (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker!) - Oh Sweet Basil (3)

What to Serve with Taco Soup

This Instant Pot taco soup is incredibly hearty as is, but it’s nice to serve something alongside it. A few of our favorite sides to serve with this taco soup are:

  • Sweet Cornbread
  • Grilled Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad
  • Frito Salad
  • Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
  • Mexican Fried Rice

Can I Make Taco Soup in a Slow Cooker?

Absolutely! To make this easy taco soup in a slow cooker, you’ll need to brown the meat and onions in a skillet before transferring the mixture to a slow cooker. Dump in the rest of the ingredients, then let the taco soup cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.

Can I Make Taco Soup with Ground Turkey?

Yes, both ground turkey and ground chicken would work well in this taco soup recipe. You’d still want to use beef broth though, since it adds so much flavor to the soup!

Can I Freeze Taco Soup?

Definitely. Instant Pot taco soup freezes incredibly well. You’ll first need to let it cool to room temperature, and then you can store it in freezer-safe bags or jars. When you’re ready to enjoy the frozen soup, simply set it in the fridge to thaw overnight.

Taco Soup Recipe (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker!) - Oh Sweet Basil (4)

Tips for Making Instant Pot Taco Soup

When making taco soup in the Instant Pot, make sure to factor in the amount of time your machine needs to build up and release the pressure. We always forgot to do that when we first started cooking with an Instant Pot, so dinner was on the table late a few times!

This is a fairly flexible recipe, so you’re welcome to swap out some of the ingredients based on what you have on hand. You can use different kinds of beans, omit the corn, and so on to suit your preferences.

If you prefer your homemade taco soup on the spicy side, add in a dash of hot sauce (either to the whole pot of soup, or just into your bowl). A little goes a long way, so be careful!

Read more: Have you heard about our Instant Pot Cheat Sheet? It has all the details for cooking the basics in your Instant Pot.

You can find all of our beef recipes here.

Instant Pot Taco Soup

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4.10 from 54 votes

Servings: 4 -6

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Additional Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 50 minutes mins

Description

The BEST recipe for Instant Pot Taco Soup, this soup is full of all your favorite Mexican flavors and makes the perfect weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 2 pounds Ground Beef
  • 1 Medium Onion, chopped
  • 1 can Corn, 15.25 oz.
  • 1 can Pinto Beans, 16 oz., drained and rinsed
  • 1 can Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies, 10 oz.
  • 2 cans Diced Tomatoes, 14.5 oz.
  • 1 packet Dry Ranch Seasoning Mix
  • 2 packets Taco Seasoning
  • 2 1/2 cups Beef Broth

Instructions

FOR THE INSTANT POT:

  • Set the instant pot to "Saute" and add olive oil.

  • Once hot, add the ground beef and onions, cook until meat is browned.

  • Turn off instant pot and drain meat.

  • Put the meat back into the instant pot.

  • Add corn, beans, rotel, diced tomatoes, ranch seasoning and taco seasoning.

  • Add beef broth and stir.

  • Place the lid on and set the valve to "Sealed".

  • Press the "Soup" button and set timer for 20 minutes.

  • Once the soup is done, turn valve to "Quick Release".

  • Serve soup with shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream and Fritos.

FOR THE SLOW COOKER:

  • Heat a pan to medium heat and add olive oil. Once hot, add the meat and the onions. Cook until meat is browned. Drain.

  • Add meat and onions to the slow cooker. Add corn, beans, rotel, diced tomatoes, ranch seasoning and taco seasoning. Add beef broth and stir.

  • Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 4 hours.

  • Serve soup with shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream and Fritos.

Equipment

Notes

Left overs can be stored in the refrigerator, or even frozen.

Nutrition

Serving: 1BowlCalories: 831kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 47gFat: 55gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 3gCholesterol: 161mgSodium: 1582mgPotassium: 1538mgFiber: 6gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 678IUVitamin C: 37mgCalcium: 155mgIron: 8mg

Author: Sweet Basil

Course: 100 + BEST Easy Beef Recipes for Dinner

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FAQs

How long does it take to cook in Instant Pot vs CrockPot? ›

Generally, if your slow cooker meat, soup, or stew recipe calls for 8 hours on the low setting or about 4 hours on the high setting, it should be fully cooked in about 25 to 30 minutes in the Instant Pot. For chicken or turkey, use the 15-minute poultry button. While volume doesn't matter, density does.

Can I switch from slow cook to pressure cook? ›

As long as you keep a few basic rules in mind – like how much liquid to use and how to adjust the cooking time – turning your favorite all-day slow cooker recipe into a 30-minute pressure cooker special is straightforward and simple.

How long does soup mode take on an Instant Pot? ›

Instant Pot SOUP Setting (SOUP/BROTH BUTTON)
  1. Turn the Instant Pot on, it will say OFF to indicate the Stand-By mode. ...
  2. Normal mode - 30 minutes at High pressure - recommended for soups with meat.
  3. Less mode - 20 minutes at High pressure - recommended for soups without meat.
Dec 10, 2020

Which is better, a crockpot or a slow cooker? ›

If you're planning to cook your meals mostly when you're not home or overnight, then sticking to a Crockpot might be a better choice, since the heat distribution is more even and there is no need to stir at all.

Do pressure cookers cook faster than Crockpots? ›

But whereas slow cookers cook food as slowly as possible, pressure cookers are designed to speed up the cooking process, cutting down cook times by about 30% on average. If you want to cook delicious meals in a fraction of the time, a stovetop or electric pressure cooker is the way to go.

What is the equivalent of 8 hours on low in a slow cooker? ›

Cooking Conversions for Slow Cookers
Traditional Oven or Stovetop LowLow Slow Cooker Setting (about 200°F)High Slow Cooker Setting (about 300°F)
15-30 minutes4-6 hours1-1/2 to 2-1/2 hours
35-45 minutes6-8 hours3-4 hours
50 minutes- 3 hours8-10 hours4-6 hours
Dec 8, 2016

What temperature is low on a slow cooker? ›

Most slow cookers have two slow cooker temperature settings. The 'Low' cook setting reaches temperatures between 164-182°F (reaching a peak of around 205°F after 4 hours). Wondering what temperature is 'High' on a Crockpot slow cooker? The 'High' cook setting tops off at around 205°F after cooking for 4 hours.

Which is hotter on a crockpot, low or warm? ›

The low and high settings will peak at 215ºF. However, the low setting cycles on and off that temperature more frequently. Therefore, the high setting will cook the food in a shorter time than the low setting. On the warm setting, the Crock-Pot will be between 165 to 175ºF.

Which is more efficient slow cooker or pressure cooker? ›

When comparing appliances, you'll find that the pressure cooker beats even the most energy-efficient slow cooker in terms of using less power and adding less heat into your home. Pressure cookers consume much less power than a standard electric oven, which uses around 2,000 watts of electricity on medium heat.

Should I slow cook or pressure cook meat? ›

Traditionally cheaper cuts of meat always slow cook better. Slow cooking breaks down the connective collagen in meat, which turns into unctuous gelatine.

Does a pressure cooker give the same results as a slow cooker? ›

Even though both can produce similar results, there is a main difference between a slow cooker and a pressure cooker. A slow cooker will cook food longer at a lower temperature, whereas a pressure cooker uses hot steam to cook food much quicker.

Why soup in a pressure cooker cooks faster? ›

At that pressure, water boils at 121°C (250°F). That means food can cook at a much higher temperature than it ever could at atmospheric pressure—and since cooking reactions speed up at higher temperatures, your food cooks faster. It also doesn't dry out, since the water stays in liquid form.

Are Instant Pots worth it? ›

Is it worth buying an Instant Pot? Yes, we do think an Instant Pot is worth it, particularly for pressure cooking. There's a reason it's one of the most popular kitchen appliances out there.

Is a 5 quart slow cooker big enough? ›

Whether your household includes three or four people, or you're a couple who actually loves leftovers, a 5-quart slow cooker is an ideal size for you. The moderate size accommodates everything from soups and stews to and chilis and casseroles.

What is an alternative to a crockpot? ›

To mimic a slow cooker, you can use a dutch oven or covered casserole dish in a very low oven preheated to 200° Fahrenheit (United States) or 95° Celsius. Some new wall ovens and ranges include a preset “slow cook” function, then automatically switch to “keep warm” when the cooking time is over.

What is the difference between a slow cooker and a multi-cooker? ›

The core difference between the two products comes down to their versatility. A slow cooker is designed to do one thing, cook your food slowly (and deliciously). A multi-cooker, on the other hand, is carefully crafted to offer you more versatility with sauteing, steaming and pressure cooking options.

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