Is there anything better than dinner waiting on you when you get home?? I can’t think of too many things I love more than the dinner being ready for you after a long day. And nothing makes me feel more like an adult than getting dinner done early in the day and not having to worry about it later.

Taco soup is an easy crowd pleaser for us, and I love taco soup days because it is delicious, and you get that dinner is done satisfaction thanks to the slow cooker and a quick 15 minutes of prep!

My taco soup recipe has largely remained the same over the years, but I’ve made a few tweaks over time. As with regular tacos, nachos, or anything else involving taco seasoning, I stopped buying taco seasoning packets, and started making it myself a few years ago. It just seems to have a better flavor, and seems fresher. None of the spices are out of the ordinary, so it’s really easy to dump these all together and get a little more homemade flavor. The rest is dump and go, and could not be simpler!

First, brown a pound of ground beef. Truly, this is the most time consuming part. I drain the grease off, or take this opportunity to use a low fat content (like ground sirloin, 90/10 mix, or even 93/7).

While that is browning, in the slow cooker, mix one can of corn, one can of Rotel tomatoes and green chiles, one can of black beans, and one can of pinto beans. Very important- DO NOT drain the liquid. The liquid from the cans helps form the soup liquid.

Add the taco meat and seasoning (see below for the taco seasoning recipe). (Also, can you tell where I like to shop? Sam’s Club for the win!)

Stir all the ingredients and seasoning until well mixed, and then add one carton of chicken broth (or beef broth, whatever you prefer or have on hand).

Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8! The longer this all sits together, the more the flavors will mix together, so it’s a great one to throw in first thing in the morning and come home to at night!

We love to eat ours with cornbread or fritos mixed in, but serve with whatever your family likes! This is a great versatile recipe that individuals can cater to their taste. You could even have a taco soup “bar” with extras like shredded cheese, avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips, Saltines, fresh chopped onion, cilantro, you name it!