Description
Creamy slow cooker nacho soup brings Tex-Mex comfort to your dinner table with bold spices and hearty toppings. Cheese, chorizo, and crisp tortilla chips make this recipe a crowd-pleasing meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Vegetables and Beans:
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (e.g., Rotel), undrained
- 1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained
- 1 jalapeno, sliced (optional, for added heat)
Seasonings and Liquids:
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional Toppings:
- Sour cream
- Additional shredded cheese
- Tortilla chips
- Sliced avocado or guacamole
- Diced tomatoes
- Sliced black olives
- Chopped green onions
- Fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare the meat base by browning ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it into fine crumbles. Incorporate diced onions and minced garlic, sautéing until the onions become translucent and fragrant. Carefully drain any accumulated fat to ensure a clean flavor profile.
- Transfer the seasoned meat mixture into a spacious slow cooker. Add black beans, diced tomatoes with green chilies, corn kernels, and chicken broth. Sprinkle in taco seasoning, ground cumin, and smoked paprika to build a robust flavor foundation. Include sliced jalapenos for an optional heat element.
- Secure the slow cooker lid and allow the mixture to simmer and meld together. Cook on low temperature for 6-7 hours or on high setting for 3-4 hours, ensuring ingredients develop a rich, deep taste.
- Thirty minutes before serving, introduce cream cheese cubes and shredded cheddar into the soup. Gently stir until the cheeses completely dissolve, creating a luxurious, creamy texture. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to enhance overall flavor complexity.
- Carefully ladle the steaming soup into serving bowls. Garnish with classic nacho toppings like chopped cilantro, crispy tortilla strips, sour cream, or additional cheese to elevate the dining experience. Serve immediately while piping hot.
Notes
- Drain beef thoroughly to prevent excess grease from making the soup too oily.
- Customize heat levels by adjusting jalapeno amount or using different chili varieties for personal spice preference.
- Use lean ground beef or swap with ground turkey for a lower-fat alternative that maintains rich flavor profile.
- Experiment with cheese blends like pepper jack or monterey jack to create more complex taste dimensions.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 75mg