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Lighter Ground Beef Taco Soup with Crunchy Tortilla Chips

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A quick and easy taco soup made with lean ground beef, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a perfect spice blend, topped with crunchy tortilla chips. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s a crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner that’s lighter than traditional versions.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound (450g) lean ground beef (90/10 or 93/7)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
  • 3 cups (720ml) low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz / 411g) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (8 oz / 227g) tomato sauce
  • 1 cup (150g) frozen corn kernels
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Crunchy tortilla chips, for topping
  • Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
  • Lime wedges, for squeezing
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional)

Instructions

  1. Brown the ground beef (5-7 minutes): Place a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the lean ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until fully browned. Transfer to a plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of rendered fat.
  2. Sauté the aromatics (3-4 minutes): Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion and bell pepper to the pot. Cook until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic and jalapeño (if using) and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Bloom the spices (1 minute): Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper over the vegetables. Stir constantly for 1 minute.
  4. Add the liquids and tomatoes (2 minutes): Pour in beef broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to release browned bits. Add fire-roasted diced tomatoes (with juices) and tomato sauce. Stir to combine.
  5. Return the beef and add corn (1 minute): Add cooked ground beef and frozen corn to the pot. Stir to combine.
  6. Simmer (15-20 minutes): Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
  7. Taste and adjust (1 minute): Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as needed (more salt, cumin, or lime juice).
  8. Serve with crunchy tortilla chips (2 minutes): Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with a generous handful of crunchy tortilla chips. Add optional cheese, cilantro, lime squeeze, and sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Notes

Don’t add tortilla chips to the pot—they’ll get soggy. Always add them to individual bowls right before serving. For best flavor, let the soup rest for 10-15 minutes after cooking. Leftovers taste even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: taco soup, ground beef soup, easy soup, weeknight dinner, lighter soup, tortilla chip soup, 30-minute meal

Find it online: https://lucastable.com/lighter-ground-beef-taco-soup-with-crunchy-tortilla-chips/