30-Minute Taco Soup Dairy-Free Easy (VIDEO)

Sometimes soup isn’t kids’ favorite. But this one, they will like!

Taco soup is dairy-free and kid-approved. 

Next to chili, it’s a favorite at our house. 

Plus, I love how easy it is to make…literally a “dump it all in” recipe if you have leftover cooked meat already on hand. 

And if you don’t have leftover meat, I’ve literally made this with just lentils and no meat or beans before. 

It still got devoured by the fam. 

So if you’re looking for a meatless meal, this recipe still fits the bill.

BROTH

To start, it helps to have homemade broth on hand.

We always keep homemade broth stocked in the freezer. This makes the best soup!

Mostly, we make chicken broth. Although, we’ve made beef or turkey broth on occasion. And we aren’t picky about which we use for this soup.

If you prefer store-bought, Swanson broth may still be dairy-free. Be sure to check the labels for yourself, however. I haven’t used it in awhile. 

TACO SOUP MEAT

For the meat in this soup, we’ve used several different things at different times. 

Cooked ground burger, cooked ground venison, and cooked shredded chicken all work well. 

To make this soup in thirty minutes, I’m typically using leftover meat cooked the night before. 

Cook once, eat twice. This strategy saves so much time and energy. 

BEANS AND/OR LENTILS

We typically like a really hearty taco soup. 

So that means we do meat AND beans in one pot. 

Sometimes we add two different kinds of beans. 

Kidney, black, pinto, white…they all work in this soup. 

Just choose whatever you have on hand. 

This soup is definitely a “use what you have” kind of soup. 

One time, in a super big pinch, I made taco soup just using cooked lentils. 

No meat, no beans. It was definitely Meatless Monday and the family still devoured it. 

The great thing is, you can mix and match how you make this soup so the family will never get bored with it. 

TOMATOES

Typically, we make soup in the winter months. 

But if it’s summer and our garden is full of tomatoes, we will dice fresh tomatoes for this soup. 

Or use canned tomatoes. 

Or if you want to add some spice, you can use a can of Rotel tomatoes. Check labels to make sure it’s good for your allergies. 

CORN

As versatile as this soup is, our whole family agrees the corn is non-negotiable. 

Of course, if you’re allergic, it will be fine without it. 

But it gives it a nice sweet crunch, and we always make sure we add enough to the pot. 

I’ve used frozen corn. I’ve used canned corn kernels. I’ve used fresh corn cut off the cob. 

Again, use what you have. 

TACO SEASONING

I prefer to make our own homemade taco seasoning. 

But we’ve also bought and used packets of store bought seasoning. 

Use your regular taco seasoning, and use as much or as little as you’d like. 

The soup requires no other seasoning, which is so easy. 

Just season to taste. 

CHIPS FOR TOPPING

Topping this soup with dairy-free chips is optional, but I think it’s what keeps the kids coming back for more. 

We’ve used dairy-free tortilla chips. 

And we’ve even used corn chips. 

CHEESE FOR TOPPING

Also optional is dairy-free cheese for topping. 

For the most part, we leave this out. 

It’s probably not the wisest use of dairy-free cheese. 

But if you don’t have allergies and can sneak a little shredded cheddar on top, go for it. 

It’s tasty. Don’t hesitate to do the chips AND cheese.

Here’s the recipe with some measurements. Enjoy.

TACO SOUP RECIPE DAIRY-FREE

Serves 6

TACO SOUP INGREDIENTS

3 cups chicken broth
2 cans of beans (white, pinto, black, kidney)
1 pound cooked ground burger or shredded chicken
1 can diced tomatoes or Rotel tomatoes for more spice
1 cup frozen corn
2 tablespoons taco seasoning

TOPPINGS

tortilla chips or corn chips
dairy-free shredded cheese

HOW TO MAKE TACO SOUP

Cook ground burger or cooked chicken if using meat. 

Dump all ingredients in a large pot (except chips and cheese).

Heat through on medium heat.

The longer it simmers, the more the flavors combine. Leftovers are delicious!

Serve topped with dairy-free tortilla chips.

Dairy-free shredded cheese can also be added as a topping.

Store leftovers in refrigerator. 

Hope you enjoy simple, dairy-free taco soup as much as we do!