Loaded with beans, lean ground turkey, tomatoes, and corn, this Easy Taco Soup is hearty, satisfying, and on the table in about 20 minutes. Top each bowl with sour cream, shredded cheese, scallions, cilantro, avocado, or lime for a simple weeknight dinner the whole family will enjoy.
20-Minute Turkey Taco Soup
If you need a quick, flavorful dinner that also reheats well, this turkey taco soup is a perfect option. It blends the bright, familiar taco flavors with the heartiness of chili—beans, corn, tomatoes, and lean ground turkey—so you get a comforting bowl without hours of simmering.
This version uses 99% lean ground turkey and pantry staples like Rotel-style tomatoes with green chilies, corn, kidney beans, refried beans, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning. The soup comes together quickly and develops great depth from the spices and tomato base, so it tastes like it’s been cooking all afternoon even though it’s ready fast.
If you like taco flavors, try pairing this soup with other taco-style recipes like smash tacos, a ground turkey taco skillet, or a taco salad for meal rotation and variety.
Why You’ll Love This Turkey Taco Soup
- A blend of soup and chili. This recipe captures taco flavors while adding beans and tomato sauce for a chili-like, filling texture.
- Fast weeknight dinner. From start to finish it takes about 20 minutes, including prep and cooking time.
- Great leftovers and meal prep. The flavors continue to meld as it chills, so leftovers often taste even better the next day. It freezes well in portions for easy meals later.
What You’ll Need
Below is an overview of the main ingredients. Quantities are listed in the full recipe section.
- Ground turkey – 99% lean gives a lighter base and minimal grease.
- Vegetables – onion and bell pepper for flavor, plus Rotel-style diced tomatoes with green chiles and corn.
- Beans – drained kidney beans plus fat-free refried beans to thicken and add body. Black beans may be used instead of kidney beans.
- Taco seasoning – homemade or a low-sodium store packet to control salt and spice.
- Chicken broth – use low-sodium or less-sodium broth to manage sodium levels.
How to Make Taco Soup
The method is straightforward and fast. The full recipe with exact measurements follows this summary.
- Brown the turkey. Spray a large pot lightly with oil and brown the ground turkey over medium heat, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks.
- Add aromatics. Stir in chopped onion and bell pepper and cook for 2–3 minutes until slightly softened.
- Combine remaining ingredients and simmer. Add diced tomatoes with green chiles, corn, drained beans, tomato sauce, refried beans, taco seasoning, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 10–15 minutes so flavors meld.
- Serve and garnish. Ladle into bowls and add your preferred toppings.
Tips & Variations
- Drain excess grease. Using very lean turkey minimizes grease; if you use a fattier meat, drain before adding vegetables and liquids.
- Adjust heat. Swap in spicy tomatoes with chiles or add diced jalapeño to increase the heat.
- Longer simmer. While the recipe is designed for quick cooking, you can simmer longer for a richer flavor.
- Change the protein. Ground beef, pork, or chicken work well. For a vegetarian version, omit the turkey and increase the beans and vegetables.
Topping Ideas
Enhance each bowl with your favorite toppings:
- Low-fat sour cream
- Pickled or fresh jalapeños
- Shredded cheese (reduced-fat if preferred)
- Chopped scallions or diced onions
- Fresh cilantro
- Avocado slices or diced avocado
- Lime wedges for squeezing
Proper Storage
- Fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer. Cool completely, transfer to freezer-safe containers, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheat. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a little broth or water if it has thickened in the fridge.
Recipe: Turkey Taco Soup
Yield: 9 Servings | Serving Size: 1/4 cup
Prep: 5 mins • Cook: 15 mins • Total: 20 mins
Ingredients
- Olive oil spray (or 1 teaspoon olive oil)
- 1.3 lbs 99% lean ground turkey
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 15 oz canned or frozen corn, drained
- 15 oz no-salt-added kidney beans, drained
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 16 oz can fat-free refried beans
- 2 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning, or 1 packet low-sodium taco seasoning
- 2 1/2 cups less-sodium chicken broth
Instructions
- Lightly spray or coat a large pot with olive oil and brown the ground turkey over medium heat, breaking it apart with a spoon until cooked through.
- Add the chopped onion and bell pepper; cook 2–3 minutes until they begin to soften.
- Stir in diced tomatoes with green chilies, corn, drained kidney beans, tomato sauce, refried beans, taco seasoning, and chicken broth.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10–15 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Serve hot with desired toppings like low-fat sour cream, shredded cheese, scallions, diced onions, cilantro, avocado, or lime wedges.
- Freeze any leftovers in portioned containers for quick meals later.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 225 • Protein: 22 g • Carbohydrates: 31.5 g • Fat: 2 g • Fiber: 7.5 g • Sodium: varies depending on ingredients
More Soup Ideas
If you enjoy this taco-style soup, try other comforting soups like Italian wedding soup, minestrone, loaded baked potato soup, Instant Pot chicken noodle soup, or broccoli cheddar for variety in your weekly menu.