Slow Cooker Taco Soup (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Healthy)

Slow Cooker Taco Soup! This vegan taco soup recipe is cozy comfort food. If you like tacos then you’ll love this taco-inspired soup! Made with two types of beans, chili peppers and corn.

this Recipe

If you are looking for an easy, comforting recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknights then you’ve gotta try this Slow Cooker Taco Soup.

I asked you a few weeks ago on Instagram what recipes you wanted to see more of and slow cooker recipes led the charge. 

Yes, me too. I want simple, effortless meals that I can assemble in the morning for easy eating at night. It’s probably why my Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup, Butter Chickpeas, Slow Cooker Chana Masala and Slow Cooker Tikka Masala are some of my most popular recipes.

I will always love cooking and also will always gravitate towards simpler options that everyone in my family loves and don’t require a ton of effort. This vegan taco soup checks all the boxes and I can’t wait for you to make it.

If you like my weeknight tortilla soup and are looking for a hands-off, slow-cooker option then this one is for you.

We eat a lot of beans in my house. It’s really for my toddler as I’m constantly trying to think of new ways to offer beans. To me, they are a nutrient powerhouse of yes, plant-based protein, but also iron and zinc– two nutrients that I am usually focusing on when it comes to his nutrition.

Some days he can’t get enough and happily gobbles up cup after cup of black beans and other days it’s all I can do to get him not to remove the beans as soon as he sees them on his plate. Toddlers, amirite?

This slow cooker taco soup was a peace offering for everyone. A brothy, sorta-kinda spicy soup that I knew my husband would love and a colorful presentation of beans and corn that my son may– or may not– eat. I served this alongside sheet pan quesadillas for a meal that I can happily say everyone enjoyed.

Key Ingredients for this Veggie Crock Pot Taco Soup: 

This taco soup made in the slow cooker relies heavily on pantry staples, and you’ll only need a few fresh ingredients, pantry staples and spices.  

• Onion
• Garlic cloves
• Chili powder
• Ground cumin
• Smoked paprika
• Tomato paste
• Green chiles
• Fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• Vegetable broth
• Pinto beans
• Black beans
• Frozen corn kernels
• Fresh lime juice
• Taco Toppings of choice: avocado, chopped cilantro, shredded cheese (vegan or regular), sour cream (dairy-free or regular), hot sauce or whatever you like most on your tacos!

Substitutions and Suggestions

Traditional taco soup contains ground beef, so if you want this soup to resemble that then I recommend browning plant-based meat of choice along with the onions and garlic, then adding to the base of the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. 

I almost considered adding this to the recipe, but thought better of it as it takes away from the whole ‘hands-off slow-cooker’ vibe. However, it does make for a richer, more typical taco soup. 

You can use any mixture of beans that you’d like, though pinto and black bean are my favorites. If you don’t have the individual spices, then you can use 2-3 tablespoons of a taco seasoning mix. 

Lastly, I call for fire-roasted tomatoes because they have a signature spicy flavor compared to regular diced tomatoes but either will work. If you prefer a more mild soup, then I’d recommend regular diced tomatoes. Chopped bell peppers can also be substituted for the canned green chiles. 

Instructions for this Crockpot Taco Soup Recipe

Now it’s time to top your vegan taco soup! 

The real beauty of this slow cooker taco soup? The toppings! Similar to my weeknight tortilla soup, I think I like taco soup so much because it’s free rein to add as many toppings as I like. For fellow texture-lovers, I adore the contrast of warm soup with shredded cheddar cheese, creamy avocado or sour cream, crunchy tortilla chips and loads of fresh chopped cilantro. 

If I have it, I’ll also add in fresh chopped scallions but know that almost any toppings work. If you like it on tacos, it should work in this soup. For a completely plant-based soup, dairy-free shredded cheese and dairy-free cream cheese are delicious on top. You could also drizzle on my vegan queso dip to keep it both cheesy and dairy-free.

Tips for Slow Cooking

My slow-cooker is also my Instant Pot, which means it has a sauté function for browning the onion and other aromatics first. I love this ability to layer so much flavor into a slow-cooked soup. 

However, if your appliance doesn’t offer this then you can brown the onion on the stove before adding to the slow-cooker or skipping it. The onions won’t be as tender, but it will still work.

Can I make this on the stove?

This soup can also be made on the stove! To cook on the stove, sauté the onion, garlic and spices as directed then add in the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 30 minutes over medium-low heat. Before serving, season to taste, then add in the lime juice right before serving and top as desired.

How to store leftover slow cooker taco soup

Like all soups, this one keeps getting better as it sits and it freezes well! To store, cool the soup then place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or in the freezer for 3 months.

Enjoy by thawing overnight in the fridge, then warming in a saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave until hot. 

More Slow Cooker Soup Recipes:

• Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup
• Slow Cooker Tomato Soup
• Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup
• Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
• Slow Cooker Enchilada Soup

If you make this vegan taco soup, make sure to come back to leave a comment and rate it. Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day. 

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

• Author: Alex Caspero
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: slow cooker, soup, dinner
• Method: Slow Cooker
• Cuisine: American, Mexican Inspired
• Diet: Vegan

Description

Slow Cooker Taco Soup! This vegan taco soup recipe is cozy comfort food. If you like tacos then you’ll love this taco-inspired soup! Made with two types of beans, chili peppers and corn. 

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Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

• Author: Alex Caspero
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: slow cooker, soup, dinner
• Method: Slow Cooker
• Cuisine: American, Mexican Inspired
• Diet: Vegan

• Author: Alex Caspero
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: slow cooker, soup, dinner
• Method: Slow Cooker
• Cuisine: American, Mexican Inspired
• Diet: Vegan

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
• 1 white or yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 (4 ounce) can green chiles (use fire roasted if you like more heat!)
• 1 (15 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Taco Toppings of choice: avocado, chopped cilantro, shredded cheese (vegan or regular), sour cream (dairy-free or regular), hot sauce or whatever you like most on your tacos!

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Instructions

1. If your slow cooker has a sauté option, turn on and add the oil. Add in the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds then add in the chili powder, ground cumin and smoked paprika and cook another 30 seconds. Turn off.
2. If your slow cooker doesn’t have a sauté option, sauté the onion until softened in a separate sauce pan, then add in the garlic and spices as directed above. You don’t have to do this step, but does help give the soup additional flavor. Add to the base of a slow cooker.
3. Add in green chiles, tomatoes with juices, vegetable broth, beans and corn. Cover and set the slow cooker for 4 hours on high.
4. When ready to eat, season to taste adding in salt/pepper as desired. Right before stirring, add in the lime juice and serve! Top as desired.

Notes

• This soup can also be made on the stove! Sauté the onion, garlic and spices as directed then add in the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 30 minutes over medium-low heat. Season to taste, then add in the lime juice right before serving and top as desired.
• I’ve really fallen in love with Violife dairy-free cheese– I’ve tried a LOT of dairy-free cheese options and this is one of the few that I actually enjoy. Not sponsored, but I’d recommend starting here if you’re not sure what brand to start with.
• This soup also tastes AMAZING with some ground vegan beef. I did this in one of the tests with ground Beyond and it was **chef’s kiss!**

did you make this?

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This soup was first posted in 2021 and updated in 2022. 

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