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Home ≫ Soup

Turkey Taco Soup

By Nikole Berg Sep 19, 2020 · Updated: Apr 22, 2025

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You'll love this delicious easy turkey taco soup recipe. It's simple to make and full of that Tex Mex flavor we all crave! This version is similar to chili but uses ground turkey instead of the ground beef and my homemade Easy Taco Seasoning mix. Perfect for lunch or dinner and ready in 30 minutes.

two bowls of taco soup with toppings in background

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Why you'll love it

It's quick and easy. What I love about this taco soup is how quickly it comes together--you just need 30 minutes and you'll have a piping hot lunch or dinner you and your family will love.

It's made with easy to find fresh and pantry staples. This soup recipe relies on plenty of canned pantry staples. I like to keep these on hand at all times because I use them in so many of my favorite dishes. I like to stock up on ground turkey and keep it in the freezer so I can get a last minute dinner on the table.

It's full of Tex Mex flavor. Since I grew up in Texas and right along the border, I'm always looking for ways to incorporate that familiar flavor in many of my dishes. This soup does just that! This version is mild, but feel free to add some fresh sliced jalepeños to kick the heat up a notch.

what's in taco soup

Homemade taco seasoning - but you can use packaged if you wish

Ground turkey - you can use ground beef instead

Beef broth - or chicken broth as a substitute

Tomato juice - nice tomato flavor, sub with tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes.

Black beans and pinto beans - sub kidney beans if desired

Diced tomatoes with green chili - also known as Rotel, any spice level

Onions and garlic - add bell peppers if desired, green or red

recipe ingredients labled

how to make taco soup

Heat a stock pot or dutch oven coated with oil or cooking spray over medium heat. Add turkey, onions, and garlic. Cook until turkey is completely browned and no longer pink.

cooking onion and turkey in a large pot

Add taco seasoning and mix into meat until thoroughly combined.

cooking ground turkey with taco seasoning

Add broth, tomato juice, Rotel, black beans, pinto beans, and corn. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

adding beans and corn and mixing soup

recipe notes and tips

Use ground beef instead of ground turkey if desired. You can also use chicken or vegetable broth instead of beef broth.

To use a crockpot/slow cooker: brown ground turkey with onions and garlic in a skillet. Add to crockpot along with the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

Try these toppings:

  • Crushed Tortilla Chips or Strips
  • Sliced Avocado
  • Sour Cream
  • Pico de Gallo
  • Pickled or fresh Jalepeños
  • Sliced Black Olives
  • Thinly Sliced Green Cabbage
  • Sliced Green Onions

Gluten free - check all ingredient labels. Avoid wheat flour tortillas as a topping.

Storage and reheating

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 or 5 days.

Freeze for 3 months for longer storage. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

To reheat: gently warm over medium heat in a sauce pan over medium heat.

Simmer in a slow cooker on high until heated through, about 2 hours.

Is turkey taco soup healthy?

Yes, it's full of protein and vegetables. Use low sodium broth to reduce salt content and don't overload the soup with cheese and fried tortillas.

close up view of taco soup with toppings

more soup recipes you'll want to try

Beef Chili Recipe

Creamy Potato Soup

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Guinness Beef Stew

If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a ★ rating  below. And since you made it this far, let’s connect on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!

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taco soup close up with toppings in a white bowl

Taco Soup

Recipe by Nikole Berg
This easy and simple Taco Soup is the perfect lunch or dinner. This version is made with turkey instead of ground beef. Nothing is better than a quick soup the whole family can enjoy.
4.83 from 23 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Soup
Cuisine American, Mexican/Tex-Mex
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 292 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 teaspoon oil mild flavored
  • 1 lb ground turkey ground beef or chicken
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped
  • 2-4 tablespoon Easy Taco Seasoning or 1 package store bought taco seasoning
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 2-3 cups tomato juice  such as Campbell's, less for chunkier, more for soupier
  • 1 can Rotel  diced tomatoes and green chilies, not drained
  • 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 can pinto beans rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups package frozen whole kernel corn  no need to thaw; or 15 oz can, drained

Toppings

  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • Sliced avocado, sour cream, tortilla strips
US Customary - Metric

Instructions
 

  • Add 1 teaspoon oil to a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add turkey, 1 cup chopped onion and 2 teaspoon chopped garlic and cook until meat is no longer pink.
  • Add 1 pkg taco seasoning and stir until completely combined.
  • Add 3 cups beef broth, 2-3 cups tomato juice, 1 can undrained Rotel, 1 can drained and rinsed black beans, 1 can drained and rinsed pinto beans, and 2 cups frozen corn to pot, stirring to combine.
  • Simmer for a minimum of 20 minutes, uncovered. If desired, cover pot and simmer for 40 minutes more.
  • Serve with toppings, if desired.

Notes

Use ground beef instead of ground turkey if desired. You can also use chicken or vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
I like low sodium taco seasoning mix if I don't use homemade. There is plenty of salt due to so many canned ingredients.
Use about 2 cups of tomato juice and check consistency. Add more as desired. I like a lot of liquid in my soup because I like a lot of toppings!
Simmer soup for up to an hour if desired.
To use a crockpot/slow cooker: brown ground turkey with onions and garlic in a skillet. Add to crockpot along with the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Try these toppings:
  • Crushed Tortilla Chips or Strips
  • Sliced Avocado
  • Sour Cream
  • Pico de Gallo
  • Pickled or fresh Jalepeños
  • Sliced Black Olives
  • Thinly Sliced Green Cabbage
  • Sliced Green Onions
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze for 3 months for longer storage. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 292kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 34gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 748mgPotassium: 1089mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 581IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 3mg
Keyword easy lunch soups, ground turkey recipes, ground turkey soup, turkey chili
Tried this recipe?Click here to leave a helpful tip!

 

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About Nikole Berg

Nikole is the creator and photographer behind The Travel Palate, a food and travel blog featuring quick and flavorful recipes and getaway guides. Nikole hopes to inspire your inner foodie whether you're in the kitchen or traveling on your next adventure.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anna

    February 13, 2025 at 1:02 pm

    Planning to make this for a large group of friends (15-18 people). Just wanted to check and see if the “4 servings” is accurate, or if the original recipe makes more than that. Trying to decide whether do triple or quadruple the recipe! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Nikole Berg

      February 13, 2025 at 2:12 pm

      Hi Anna! The recipe makes about 8 cups of soup. If you triple the recipe and have leftovers, it freezes well. Hope this helps, and thank you for making it! I hope it's a hit with your friends!

      Reply
  2. Janice Lester

    August 20, 2023 at 3:23 pm

    I made this soup because I was craving tacos and I make a big pot of soup every week and eat it for lunch during the week. I’m hooked on this now. I’ve made it about four weeks in a row. I crave it. I did do a few things different. I didn’t have tomato juice so I added an extra can of diced tomatoes, 4 cups of broth instead of three, and an extra taco seasoning packet. Everything I use is low sodium or no salt added. This is a great recipe. Thank you for sharing it!!!!!

    Reply
  3. Sandra Campbell

    July 04, 2023 at 8:47 am

    Made this for the very first time and we really enjoyed it. To my surprise it was delicious the grandkids asked for seconds.

    Reply
  4. Sandra Hudson

    June 25, 2023 at 6:57 pm

    5 stars
    Made this according to directions but added a packet of powdered ranch dressing in addition to taco seasoning. Absolutely delicious! Topped with sour cream and served with corn muffins. Love love love this recipe

    Reply
  5. Chanda

    June 13, 2023 at 5:43 pm

    5 stars
    I loved the recipe! I used crushed tomatoes instead of the tomato juice and I added an extra can of light kidney beans. I also increased the taco seasoning and added a little bit of beef soup base, it was delicious! Served it with shredded cheese, crispy peppery onions and sour cream. My family loved it! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  6. Kelsey G

    February 02, 2023 at 7:54 pm

    What do we do with the garlic cloves? I assume it gets added to the meat and onions...

    Reply
    • Nikole

      February 03, 2023 at 12:12 pm

      Yes ma'am add in with turkey, onions, and garlic! Thanks for noticing that omission!

      Reply
  7. Jules

    January 16, 2023 at 3:46 pm

    5 stars
    Loved it! 🙂

    Reply
  8. Candie Jensen

    December 27, 2022 at 8:15 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely DELICIOUS and quite easy! I made this for Winter Taco Tuesday night and it was a hit! I’ll be making this in the regular!

    Reply
  9. Elizabeth

    August 29, 2022 at 11:31 pm

    5 stars
    This was delicious!! My husband said, “Don’t lose this recipe!” And it was fast and easy.

    Reply
    • Nikole

      August 31, 2022 at 10:07 am

      That's awesome to hear, Elizabeth! Thank you for your feedback!

      Reply
  10. Jo Wright

    July 03, 2022 at 5:28 pm

    I made this recipe for my hubby who can't have a lot of salt so I rinsed the 2 cans of tri beans and used low sodium taco seasoning and no sodium beef broth. Topped it with sour cream cheese green onion and tortilla chips!

    Reply
  11. Denise

    January 02, 2022 at 10:12 am

    5 stars
    This was fantastic. I used pinto beans with jalapeños and it gave it a little extra zip.

    Reply
    • Becky Tonti

      December 13, 2022 at 11:20 am

      Hello! As I'm making this I realize I don't have tomato juice. Can I use just plain tomato sauce?

      Reply
      • Nikole

        December 13, 2022 at 12:39 pm

        Hi Becky- Yes, you can make your own tomato juice by mixing tomato sauce and water at a 1:1 ratio, so for two cups of tomato juice mix 1 cup tomato sauce and one cup water. Hope that helps!

        Reply
        • SHELLEY

          February 04, 2023 at 9:18 am

          Thank you!

          Reply
  12. Melissa

    December 28, 2020 at 4:44 pm

    5 stars
    Easy, fast, and healthy taco soup. I can put together in the morning and have for lunch. Freezes well. Yummy!!

    Reply
    • Nikole

      December 28, 2020 at 10:58 pm

      Awesome! Thanks so much for the review Melissa!

      Reply
4.83 from 23 votes (16 ratings without comment)

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Welcome! I'm Nikole, the blogger, photographer, and recipe developer dedicated to bringing you recipes that maximize flavor with minimal effort.

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