Name: Mom's Award-Winning Vegetarian Taco Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 14-oz block firm tofu (400 g, or 1 lb ground meat); 1 1-oz packet taco seasoning (28 g); 1 15-oz can stewed or diced tomato (do not drain, 425 g); 1 15-oz can corn (do not drain, 425 g); 1 15-oz can pinto or black beans (do not drain, 425 g); 1 15-oz can kidney beans (do not drain, 425 g); 1 10-oz can Rotel tomatoes (do not drain, 283 g); 1 1-oz packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix (28 g)

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With dozens of 5-star reviews, my award-winning (meatless) taco soup is a quick dinner that is sure to please a crowd. It’s ready in just 20 minutes and is always a hit with both the vegetarians and meat-eaters alike!

A bowl of chili with beans, corn, shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips, served with a spoon on a green table next to a napkin and side dishes.

This recipe comes from my mom’s kitchen, and it took first place at the Alaskan State Fair (which tells you everything you need to know about how it lands with a crowd).

What makes it different from the taco soups crowding the first page of search results is what it doesn’t ask of you: no chopping onions or garlic, no draining cans, no babysitting a pot for hours.

The liquid from the beans and tomatoes does the work, creating a broth that’s already seasoned and just the right consistency without any adjustments!

Reader rating

★★★★★

“Always delicious! This was always my dad’s favorite soup and he requested it frequently! He passed away recently but this recipe is one I will long remember. Thank you so much!” —Kylie

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A bowl of chili topped with crushed tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream, with a spoon resting inside.

Here’s what you need

This is just an overview. Jump to the recipe card for all measurements and printable instructions!

Firm tofu: Provides the meaty, crumbled texture that makes this soup satisfying without meat. Firm holds up to browning and simmering; silken or soft would dissolve.
Taco seasoning: The backbone of the soup. Using a full packet gives the soup its characteristic warmth and spice without needing individual spices.
Ranch dressing mix: The ingredient that most readers question and then never skip again. It contributes a subtle tang and herby depth that prevents the soup from tasting flat (without making it taste like salad dressing).
Rotel tomatoes: Diced tomatoes with green chiles already included. They add mild heat and acidity without needing to prep fresh peppers.
Two types of beans: Black or pinto beans are softer and creamier; kidney beans hold their shape and add a meatier chew.
Corn: Canned corn kept in its liquid contributes a small amount of extra sweetness to the broth.
Stewed or diced tomatoes: These provide the bulk of the broth base. Stewed tomatoes are slightly softer and sweeter; diced keeps more texture. Either works!

No taco seasoning?

If you don’t have taco seasoning, chili seasoning will work, too. You can use store-bought or homemade chili seasoning.

Eight glass bowls on a green surface containing Rotel tomatoes, corn, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, pinto beans, ranch seasoning, tofu, and kidney beans, each labeled.

Pick Your Protein

My mom made this soup with ground turkey, our neighbors made it with ground beef, and I make it with crumbled tofu; all three work because the protein is really just a vehicle for the taco seasoning. Brown it, season it, add it to the pot. The method and the rest of the recipe don’t change at all!

Which Rotel to use

Rotel comes in a few varieties and the one you grab will change the heat level of the finished soup more than anything else in this recipe.

Mild has no real heat and is the right call for kids or heat-sensitive guests.
Original is what this recipe was developed with and produces a moderate kick that most adults find comfortable.
Hot uses habanero peppers and builds noticeably as you eat.

If you’re cooking for a mixed crowd, go Original and serve hot sauce on the side.

A ladle is scooping a hearty mixture of chili with ground meat, kidney beans, corn, and diced tomatoes in a thick, red sauce.

A bowl of chili topped with shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, and chopped herbs, with a spoon resting inside.

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Mom’s Award-Winning Vegetarian Taco Soup

4.82 from 50 ratings

By: Sarah Bond

Prep: 5

Cook: 15

Total: 20

Servings: servings

This vegetarian taco soup is thick, brothy and deeply spiced with tender beans, sweet corn and crumbled tofu. Vegan adaptable, naturally gluten free and ready in just 20 minutes!

Ingredients

▢ 1 14-oz block firm tofu, 400 g, or 1 lb ground meat
▢ 1 1-oz packet taco seasoning, 28 g
▢ 1 15-oz can stewed or diced tomato, do not drain, 425 g
▢ 1 15-oz can corn, do not drain, 425 g
▢ 1 15-oz can pinto or black beans, do not drain, 425 g
▢ 1 15-oz can kidney beans, do not drain, 425 g
▢ 1 10-oz can Rotel tomatoes, do not drain, 283 g
▢ 1 1-oz packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix, 28 g

Instructions

Cook Protein: In a large saute pan, crumble and cook 1 14-oz block firm tofu until browned then add 1 1-oz packet taco seasoning, stirring to coat.
Combine Cans: Without draining anything, in a large pot stir together 1 15-oz can stewed or diced tomato, 1 15-oz can corn, 1 15-oz can pinto or black beans, 1 15-oz can kidney beans, 1 10-oz can Rotel tomatoes, and 1 1-oz packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix.
Stir In Tofu: Stir in cooked tofu. Let simmer at medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soup is hot.
Serve: Top with shredded cheese, sour cream/plain Greek yogurt, and crushed tortilla chips.

Notes

Make taco soup in a slow cooker: Saute your protein just like in the stovetop recipe, but instead of combining everything in a large pot, throw it all into your crockpot. Cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Keeps in the refrigerator for up to one week in a sealed container. Flavor deepens on day two as the seasoning fully absorbs into the beans

Reheat on the stovetop over medium or in the microwave, stirring halfway through; add a small splash of water if it has thickened too much

Freezes well for up to three months in individual portions; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating

Nutrition

Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.

did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!

4.82 from 50 votes (28 ratings without comment)