Queso Keto Taco Soup Recipe (Quick & Easy)

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This delicious keto soup recipe tastes more amazing than you can imagine. Queso Keto Taco Soup Recipe is rich, creamy, and packed with tons of bold taco flavor. It reminds me of my favorite queso dip in soup form. You are going to love this and keep it on regular rotation in your low-carb meal plan. I’ve also included instructions for the Instant Pot or Crockpot.

bowl of easy Queso Taco Soup in a bowl topped with cilantro and grated cheese

 

Queso Keto Taco Soup Recipe (Easy & Quick)

It is hard to believe that you can eat food that tastes exactly like queso dip and lose weight. I would have never believed it if I hadn’t been experiencing it myself. This Easy Taco Soup Recipe became a favorite of ours very quickly and has since become one of the most popular recipes I’ve posted. It’s super easy to whip up and tastes even better the second day if you happen to have any leftovers.

Tip: I’ve recently made a homemade taco seasoning you can substitute instead of the taco seasoning packet. You can find the recipe here.

Simple Ingredients for Queso Keto Taco Soup:

This recipe comes together so quickly with just a few simple ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry. While there isn’t any cheese in the ingredients, this low-carb taco soup recipe tastes so much like queso dip. I’m not sure if it is the cream cheese and taco seasoning together, but everyone loves this soup even if they aren’t eating keto.

  • ground beef – I prefer an 80/20 blend
  • onion – add to the ground beef mixture for added flavor
  • Rotel Tomatoes (or diced tomatoes with green chilis) – It’s simply a can of diced tomatoes with green chilis already added.
  • cream cheese – adds creaminess and fat
  • beef broth – the base of the soup you can also use homemade beef bone broth
  • heavy cream – also adds creaminess, fat, and flavor
  • seasonings – gives the bold taco flavor

Traditional taco soup recipes often add black beans, but since they are high in carbs, those that follow a keto diet avoid them.

Have you tried my Cheesy Mexican Taco Casserole yet?

 

ground beef and onions in a stock pot to brown

Start by browning the ground beef and onion in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. If you prefer, you can sub ground turkey instead for this keto-friendly taco soup.

Pro Tip: One way to save time when cooking dinner is to brown ground beef in advance and store it in the freezer. It makes sense to go ahead and brown more than one pound at a time, and it makes cooking meals like this low-carb taco soup even easier. I simply grab a pound out of the freezer, defrost, and throw in the rest of the ingredients. You can find this and other tips in 5 Simple Keto Meal Prep Ideas. If you have leftover taco meat you can skip this step.

ground beef mixed with cream cheese

The cream cheese mixes in easier if it is at room temperature or softened in the microwave first. Make sure that the cream cheese and ground beef are combined completely before adding additional ingredients.

low carb soup with the heavy whipping cream and cream cheese

Add the rest of the ingredients, then stir to combine and simmer so all the flavors can merge together.

What Taco Seasoning is Keto Friendly?

Most store-bought taco seasoning packets have added processed ingredients that many avoid while following the keto diet. My homemade keto taco seasoning doesn’t contain any fillers, and the carb count is lower than the store-bought version. My homemade taco seasoning recipe includes bold spices such as chili powder, cumin, paprika, onion powder, and more. It works perfectly in any recipe that calls for taco seasoning.

queso keto soup in a dutch oven being scooped out

Yum! This is the absolute perfect keto taco soup recipe. It’s so nice to have dinner ready quickly, especially on busy nights when I don’t want to cook.

Can I Make it in the Slow Cooker?

While some suggest throwing all the ingredients in the crockpot for Taco Soup, dairy products such as heavy cream and cream cheese can curdle if added before the last hour of cooking time. To ensure the best quality of this recipe, I would suggest adding the drained browned ground beef, diced onion, beef broth, diced tomatoes, and spices first. Allow it to slow cook for 2 hours on high or 4 hours on low. Finally, add the softened cream cheese and heavy cream during the last hour of cooking.

How to Make Taco Soup in the Instant Pot?

I would follow the general guidelines as mentioned above for cooking dairy in the slow cooker. First, brown the ground beef and onions on the saute setting and drain. Next, add beef broth, Rotel tomatoes, and spices. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then an NPR for 5 minutes. Remove lid, add softened cream cheese and heavy cream, and turn the pressure cooker back to the saute function and simmer for 5-10 minutes so all the flavors can merge.

two bowls of keto taco soup and the pot in the background

What Do I Serve with Queso Keto Taco Soup?

A simple leafy garden salad is the perfect accompaniment to this delicious taco soup recipe.

How to Freeze Easy Keto Taco Soup?

Soups with cream tend to separate, change the texture and become grainy when thawed. If you’d like to freeze this soup, withhold heavy whipping cream until the soup has completely thawed and rewarmed. Then, add the heavy cream and serve. This soup will keep 4-6 months in the freezer in a freezer-safe container.

bowl of easy taco soup with a bite on the spoon

Toppings ideas for this soup:

I enjoy Easy Keto Taco Soup with a mix of freshly shredded Monterrey Jack and Cheddar Cheese sprinkled on top. Other toppings options include:

How to Begin the Keto Lifestyle

If you are like many, you are curious about the keto diet. We have a great Guide to Getting Started with Keto that is perfect for helping you to learn more about the process and get off to a good start. You may want to know how much of each thing to eat every day. Use our post with the Best Keto Apps to Count Macros to help learn more about where to begin.

More Keto-Friendly Recipes

I know you will love this keto queso-style easy taco soup recipe. Alongside this recipe, you’ll find a ton of other delicious keto options found in our keto recipe index. You can check out all of our tried and true low-carb-friendly recipes there to begin your meal plans. Below you’ll find a few of our favorite recipes to get you started!

More Keto Mexican or Tex Mex Recipes

Keto Shopping Lists

One of my favorite tools to use when feeling lazy is simply using these grocery lists for our favorite stores. I know the items on these lists will be keto-friendly and ideal for throwing in my shopping cart to build meals and recipes around later.

Keto at Walmart
Keto Grocery Items at Sam’s Club
Keto Items at Costco
Keto Grocery Items at ALDI
Low Carb Grocery Items at Target 

Queso Taco Soup in a white bowl with a spoon
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Queso Keto Taco Soup Recipe (Quick & Easy)

Queso Keto Taco Soup reminds me of my favorite queso dip. It mouthwatering cheesy goodness with taco soup delicious is quick and easy. You are going to absolutely love this and keep it on regular rotation in your meal plan.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American, casual, Mexican
Keyword: Easy Taco Soup
Servings: 6
Calories: 254kcal
Author: Kasey Trenum

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Brown ground beef and onions together, then drain. 
  • In a large saucepan, add ground beef and softened cream cheese on low/medium heat. Stir together to mix well before adding any other ingredients 
  • Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer on low for 30 minutes.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Optional: Serve topped with freshly grated cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, and/or guacamole. 

Video

Notes

I divide this recipe into 6 equal-sized servings. The nutritional information listed is for one serving of Queso Keto Taco Soup. 

Can I Make it in the Slow Cooker?

While some suggest throwing all the ingredients in the crockpot for Taco Soup, dairy products such as heavy cream and cream cheese can curdle if added before the last hour of cooking time. To ensure the best quality of this recipe, I would suggest adding the drained browned ground beef, diced onion, beef broth, diced tomatoes, and spices first. Allow it to slow cook for 2 hours on high or 4 hours on low. Finally, add the softened cream cheese and heavy cream during the last hour of cooking.

How to Make Taco Soup in the Instant Pot?

I would follow the general guidelines mentioned above for cooking dairy in the slow cooker. First, brown the ground beef and onions on the saute setting and drain. Next, add beef broth, Rotel tomatoes, and spices. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then an NPR for 5 minutes. Remove lid, add softened cream cheese and heavy cream and turn pressure cooker back to the saute function and simmer for 5-10 minutes so all the flavors can merge.

Nutrition

Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 1099mg | Potassium: 409mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 855IU | Vitamin C: 3.3mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 2.3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @kaseytrenumblogger or tag #kaseytrenumblogger!


collage of easy taco soup with a pic pot on top and bowl on the bottom

 

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202 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Just made this for the first time tonight and it was a total hit! This one is definitely going into our kitchen cookbook. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe.

  2. 5 stars
    Made this 1/29/24 – YUM!!! I decided to make this using rotisserie chicken and chicken broth. It was excellent!! Super simple to make. I made some keto corn bread to go with it. I’ll definitely make this again!

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