So easy to create a mouthwatering dinner and with minimal hands on time! Set it and forget it, Slow Cooker Vegetarian Taco Soup! Rich, thick and hearty, packed with warming spices, beans and corn. It’s freezer friendly too! gluten free + easily vegan
Anything Mexican food, I’m all in! Those warming spices, rich-saucy flavors and anything I can put an avocado on, all the better. But toss it all in a slow cooker and walk away? You’ve got my attention!
Taco soup is an old favorite, but I didn’t learn until recently that this recipe I’ve been making forever is officially known as taco soup. I had several other names for it like Scott’s bean soup, and Mexican corn and bean sopa. This epiphany came from my Ma, who is a taco soup connoisseur. Little did I know.
A few weeks ago I was getting ready to make this recipe, so I thought I’d ask her about it because she recently said she was making taco soup. I asked her to text me her recipe. Sure enough, I’d been making taco soup all along but of course with my own little twists. The name stuck.
Slow Cooker Vegetarian Taco Soup comes together quick, and then, you can set it and forget it. A long slow cook ensures a rich and thick tomatoey base, concentrated flavors from the spices and tender, creamy beans.
How to Make Slow Cooker Taco Soup:
Simple ingredients make up the base of this soup. You’ll need some dry beans. I use three different varieties for color and texture, but you can also use a mix of two if you like.
- Sort and rinse the dry beans.
- In a crock pot, pour in the dry beans, garlic, onion, fire roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, corn (frozen, fresh or canned) broth, water, spices and jalapeños.
- Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
- *OPTIONAL* (but recommended): About 15 minutes prior to sharing, make a slurry of masa harina and a bit of water. Stir the slurry into the soup. This will thicken the soup a bit and give it a mildly sweet, corn flavor.
Spoon into bowls and generously pile on your favorite toppings like avocado, onions, cilantro, sour cream, or chili-lime pepita creama, and/or a bit of cheddar.
A Few Recipe Notes:
- When cooking beans in a slow cooker, I don’t soak the beans overnight. If you do soak overnight, the cooking time will be reduced, but I don’t know by how much.
- I use fresh jalapeño to add spice and flavor to this recipe. If you like, pickled jalapeño or canned chilis can be used.
- This recipe calls for Masa Harina but it’s completely optional. I keep it on hand as a pantry staple to thicken chili and add authentic flavor to my Mexican food recipes like in Tofu Tacos, Vegetarian Chili Tater Tot Hot Dish, Homemade Enchilada Sauce and Zucchini Corn Fritters.
- Make this easy Taco Soup vegan by leaving toppings such as sour cream and cheese off.
- Freezer friendly? Yes please!! Freeze in individual lunch portions or in a larger container for up to two weeks.
More Vegetarian (and Vegan) Mexican Food Recipes to Love:
- Roasted Cauliflower Tinga Tacos
- Mexican Roasted Veggie Bowls with Beer Beans – by Bojon Gourmet
- Creamy Corn, Zucchini and Poblano Tacos
- Plantain and Black Bean Tacos with Chimichuri Sauce – by Floating Kitchen
- Vegan Burrito Bowl with Cashew Chipotle Sauce – by Foolproof Living
Slow Cooker Vegetarian Taco Soup
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 C (300g) Dry Beans I use 1/2 C each: pinto, kidney and black
- 1 C (125g) Onion purple or yellow, medium dice, about one medium onion
- 2 C (250g) Corn Niblets fresh or frozen
- 1 Tbs Fresh Jalapeño minced, about 1/2 a large jalapeño. Adjust up or down to taste.
- 1 Tbs Fresh Garlic minced, about 3 large cloves
- 1, 15 oz (425g) Can of Tomato Sauce
- 1, 15 oz (411g) Can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes
- 2 Tbs Cumin ground
- 1 1/2 Tbs Chili Powder
- 3/4 tsp Smoky Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
- 3 C (675g) Vegetable Broth
- 1 C (225g) Water
- 1 1/2 Tbs Masa Harina (optional) mixed with + 1/4 C (56g) water
- For Serving / Garnish: Avocado, jalapeño, cilantro, sour cream, diced onion and/or shredded cheddar
Instructions
- Pick through the beans picking out any shriveled beans or small stones. Rinse the dry beans and place them in the cook-pot of a slow cooker. To the beans add the onion, corn, jalapeño, garlic, tomato sauce, tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, paprika, black pepper, salt, broth and water. Stir throughly.
- Set the slow cooker on high or low. Total Time: Low Setting = 7-8 hours | High Setting = 4-5 hours. The total cook time will depend on how fresh the dry beans are. The fresher the beans, the less time, the older (more dry), the longer the cook time. Keep an eye on the beans as they near the low end of the cook time and add more water if needed. The beans are done when they give under gentle bite pressure and are creamy on the inside.
- (OPTIONAL): About 15 minutes before serving, mix the Masa Harina with hot water and pour into the soup. Stir. The soup will begin to thicken during the last minutes of cooking.
- Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with any toppings you like: avocado, jalapeño, cilantro, sour cream, diced onions, or shredded cheddar.
- Store in the refrigerator in a lidded container for up to three days or freeze for up to two weeks.
Love this recipe! It is super hearty. It has the perfect blend of spices.
Thank you!
Hi Christina! Thank you so much for coming back and leaving a note! I’m so happy to hear you’re enjoying the soup! :D
We made your taco soup last night to serve for National Margarita Day – awesome recipe! We used whole milk greek yogurt instead of sour cream to garnish.
Hi Monica! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note – and hooray for National Margarita Day! I didn’t know (and how?!). SO happy to hear y’all enjoyed the recipe! And thank you for your tip on whole milk greek yogurt! Delicious!
Hi Traci,
Sounds very delicious and I want to give it a try, by the way you are mentioning, to cook in slow cooker
Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 7-8 hours. Isn’t it the other way round?
Thank you for your note, Aniko! Sorry about the confusion. It’s fixed!
I’m all in for Mexican flavors too, Traci! This taco soup looks fabulous :)
Isn’t it funny about naming recipes, Traci? Taco soup sounds delicious to me. Love how easy and flavorful this is! Lots of healthy ingredients and spicy flavor – perfect for this time of year and good for you too! Looking forward to trying this! Have a great weekend. Xo
Hi
Looks amazing, like all your recipes.
I am wondering about NOT soaking the beans though. For people with sensitive tummies, would this be an issue, or because its done in liquid for so long, should be ok??Just wondering about thoughts on this soaking vs not. or maybe I could soak and don’t put in crockpot for as long, but would be tricky I think getting them perfectly cooked.
Hi Leanne, thank you for your note and kind words! Not soaking could be an issue for some, but I’ve not experienced this in our household (and this could be because we eat a lot of beans?). The reading I’ve done seems to point to individual preference and/or dietary needs. I’m sure there’s more to this that I don’t know, so please do what best suits your family’s needs. I do typically soak when I’m cooking on stovetop (ie. faster) because it produces a more tender bean. But when cooking in the crock pot, I’ve not noticed a difference. If you do soak and cook in the crock pot *and are able keep an eye on them until done, please share with us about how long you cooked them for. Thank you! I hope this helps and you enjoy the recipe!
My first thought as I was clicking on this recipe was Mexican, I’m all in, and then I cracked up as I read your first line! You must be in serious need of warming, slow cooked comfort food like this with all of the snow you’ve been socked with. Hope you are doing ok and managing to enjoy the beauty of it all.
Love how easy this is! And that trick with the masa – must try! Have a fabulous weekend, Traci!
I am confused why you would cook for less time on low setting? It seems like the high and low times are swapped???
Hi Jen! You’re right! Oops! Thank you for catching that. It’s fixed!
I’m always looking for new slow cooker recipes Traci and this is one I will gladly add to my list! I’m all in when it comes to anything taco and so is Tom! Love the combination of beans you used and great idea to use the masa harina to thicken it up and give it that extra flavor. Can’t wait to try this one! Happy weekend! Mary Ann