Taco Soup with Ranch Dressing

Name: Taco Soup with Ranch Dressing
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 lbs ground beef; 1 onion, diced; 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning; 1 packet (1 oz) ranch dressing mix; 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained; 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained; 1 can (15 oz) corn, undrained; 1 can (10 oz) Ro-Tel, undrained; 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained; 2 cups beef broth; Toppings: corn chips, shredded cheddar, sour cream, sliced jalapeño, cilantro

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Taco soup with ground beef, beans, and corn topped with tortilla chips

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Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 8 servings

Taco soup with ranch is the legendary dump-and-simmer: ground beef plus five cans plus two seasoning packets (taco and ranch — yes, ranch, trust the church cookbook on this) equals a pot that feeds eight in thirty-five minutes. The ranch packet is the sleeper ingredient, adding a tangy buttermilk depth that plain taco soup lacks — it's what people can't identify and can't stop eating. Top with corn chips, cheese, and sour cream, and watch it disappear at every tailgate and potluck you ever bring it to.

Ingredients

How to make taco soup with ranch dressing

Brown the beef with the onion in a large pot; drain.
Stir in both seasoning packets.
Add the beans, corn, Ro-Tel, tomatoes, and broth — liquids and all where noted.
Simmer uncovered 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
Serve loaded with corn chips, cheese, and sour cream.

Make it your own

Ingredient	Swap	Good to know
Ground beef	Ground turkey or shredded chicken	Rotisserie chicken version simmers just 15 minutes
Ranch packet	2 tbsp homemade: dried buttermilk, dill, garlic and onion powder	The from-scratch mirror
Corn chips	Tortilla chips or cornbread	Regional preference; all correct
Beef broth	One bottle of beer + 1 cup water	The tailgate edition

Storage & leftovers

Refrigerates 4 days and — the eternal chili rule — peaks on day two.

A top-three freezer soup: flat bags, 3 months, zero texture loss. Thaw overnight or straight into a pot on low.

A few helpful answers

Ranch dressing mix in soup — really?

Really. It reads as tangy depth, not “ranch,” and it's the difference between taco soup and watery chili. The recipe predates the internet; grandmothers knew.

Is this just chili?

Cousins, not twins — taco soup is brothier, corn-forward, and taco-seasoned rather than chili-powder-built. It also takes 35 minutes instead of 3 hours.

Can I do it in the crockpot?

Brown the beef, then everything on LOW 4–6 hours. It's nearly indestructible — the reason it staffs every potluck sign-up sheet.

How do I thicken or thin it?

Thicker: simmer longer uncovered or mash some beans. Thinner: more broth. It's soup; it forgives.

ESTIMATED NUTRITION · PER SERVING

430 calories · 32g protein · 38g carbohydrates · 17g fat · 1150mg sodium