Keto taco soup may be the perfect soup recipe. It’s easy-to-make, supremely satisfying, and can be adapted to the Crock-Pot or Instant Pot easily. (Plus, you can make it freezer-friendly for a super quick keto meal.)
However, there’s one catch — We’ll have to skip the beans, corn, and tortilla chips that are often lurking in taco soup. With this keto taco soup recipe, they won’t be necessary anyway.
Is Taco Soup Good for Keto?
As long as you skip the beans, corn, and tortilla chips, you’re well on your way to a keto-friendly soup. The taco seasoning may also come with hidden carbs, so make sure it’s fit for keto as well (like this recipe).
To take the fat content and flavor beyond what you’d get from a standard taco soup, we also recommend using some heavy cream and high-fat ground beef instead of lower-fat ingredients.
Essentially, these are all the changes you’ll have to make for the perfect keto taco soup, whether you cook it in the slow cooker, on your stovetop, or in your instant pot.
Three Ways to Make Keto Taco Soup: Stovetop, Crock-Pot, or Instant Pot
With the recipe steps below, we stuck with the most accessible cooking method: the stovetop. However, it is easy to make this in your slow cooker or Instant Pot as well:
Keto Taco Soup in the Crock-Pot Slow Cooker
Simply brown the beef on the stovetop, then add it to the slow cooker with all of the other ingredients. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6 hours.
Instant Pot Keto-friendly Taco Soup
Using the saute function on your Instant Pot, brown the beef and cook the onions and garlic. Then, add and mix in the remaining ingredients.
Manually set the pressure on high for 10 minutes with natural release.
How Long Does Keto Taco Soup Last? Storage Options for the Fridge and Freezer
Your keto taco soup will last for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. (After a day or two in the fridge, I find the soup tastes even better!)
You can also freeze the taco soup (before adding any garnishes). Simply freeze each serving in an airtight container for up to six months. For optimal freshness, eat it within three months.
What Can I Serve With My Keto Taco Soup?
Besides adding the garnishes from the ingredients list below, here are some other keto-friendly options you can try with your soup:
- Keto Tortilla Chips
- Garlic and Herb Breadstick Bites
- A slice of Keto Bread with butter
- A low-carb side salad
- Keto Grilled Cheese
- Garlic Parmesan Keto Croutons (to add some bread-like texture to the soup)
Can I Make Keto Taco Soup With Chicken Instead of Beef?
Yes, you can. Feel free to use any meat you’d like.
Ground chicken or turkey will work best, but you can also use pulled rotisserie chicken or chicken thigh meat.
If you’re looking to switch it up even more with other flavors and textures, give these keto chicken soup recipes a try as well:
For more Mexican-inspired keto dishes, click here.
Yields 6 servings of Keto Taco Soup
The Preparation
For Soup:
- 16 ounce ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
- 10 ounce canned tomatoes with green chile
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (recipe here)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups beef broth
To Garnish:
- 1 medium avocado, cubed
- 4 tablespoons sour cream
- 4 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
The Execution
1. Gather and prep all ingredients. Dice the onion and bell pepper ahead of time.
2. In a pot over medium heat, add olive oil, onion, garlic, and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Cook until beef is browned and onion is translucent.
4. Once the beef is browned, add in the bell pepper, diced tomato with green chile, heavy cream, and taco seasoning.
5. Stir together well making sure to incorporate the seasoning through all of the ingredients.
6. Add in the beef broth and then bring soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until liquid has reduced and soup is thickened to your preference. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
7. Portion out servings and garnish with avocado, sour cream, and cilantro. A squeeze of lime juice is great, too!
This makes a total of 6 servings of Keto Taco Soup. Each serving comes out to be 470 calories, 37.1g fat, 6.7g net carbs, and 24.7g protein.
NUTRITION | CALORIES | FAT | CARBS | FIBER | NET CARBS | PROTEIN |
16 ounce ground beef | 1233 | 79 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 122 |
1 tablespoon olive oil | 119 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1/2 medium onion diced | 21 | 0.1 | 4.8 | 0.7 | 4.1 | 0.6 |
3 cloves garlic | 13 | 0.1 | 3 | 0.2 | 2.8 | 0.6 |
1 medium green bell pepper | 32 | 0.2 | 7.6 | 1.4 | 6.2 | 1 |
10 ounce tomatoes with green chile | 60 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 3 |
1 cup heavy cream | 809 | 86 | 6.5 | 0 | 6.5 | 6.8 |
2 tablespoons taco seasoning | 71.4 | 3 | 13.2 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 3 |
Salt and pepper to taste | 0.7 | 0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0 |
2 cups beef broth | 34 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0.2 | 5.5 |
1 medium avocado | 322 | 29 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 4 |
4 tablespoons sour cream | 104 | 10 | 2.4 | 0 | 2.4 | 1.3 |
4 tbsp. cilantro | 0.9 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0.1 |
Totals | 2820 | 222.5 | 66 | 26.1 | 39.9 | 147.9 |
Per Serving (/6) | 470.0 | 37.1 | 11.0 | 4.4 | 6.7 | 24.7 |
Creamy Keto Taco Soup
Ingredients
For Soup:
- 16 ounce ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 10 ounce canned tomatoes with green chile
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning recipe here
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups beef broth
To Garnish:
- 1 medium avocado cubed
- 4 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tbsp. cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Gather and prep all ingredients. Dice the onion and bell pepper ahead of time.
- In a pot over medium heat, add olive oil, onion, garlic, and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper.
- Once the beef is browned, add in the bell pepper, diced tomato with green chile, heavy cream, and taco seasoning.
- Stir together well making sure to incorporate the seasoning through all of the ingredients.
- Add in the beef broth and then bring soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until liquid has reduced and soup is thickened to your preference. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
- Portion out servings and garnish with avocado, sour cream, and cilantro. A squeeze of lime juice is great, too!