Load up a big bowl of this easy Whole30 creamy taco soup. Make eating a healthy and nutritious meal no fuss if you are prepping this soup for yourself or the whole family. It's made with real food ingredients and is dairy free, paleo, low carb, Whole30, and keto.
This taco soup recipe post is sponsored by the lovely folks at So Delicious.
Why is this creamy taco soup so tasty?
- It's low maintenance. You can make it on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot.
- Complex flavor... it's packed with heat but just the right amount.
- It's well balanced. Be sure to top off with creamy avocado slices and fresh herbs!
- Meal prep perfection. It tastes lovely reheated all week long.
- The soup is gluten free, dairy free, paleo, low carb, Whole30, and keto.
This recipe is actually an oldie, but I've revamped it quite a bit after going through all of your feedback.
The photos needed a bit of an update, too so there's that.
It's much better than it was before, and I absolutely cannot wait for you to try it again!
How is taco soup creamy without any dairy?
It's the stellar ingredient list I have lined up. What's inside?
- Onions
- Bell peppers
- Garlic
- Grass-fed ground beef
- Bone broth
- Coconut cream
- Fire roasted tomatoes
- Green chilies
- Spices
... and more!
The coconut cream is what gives it that nice creamy taste and texture.
You won't taste the coconut, I promise!
Is this a good soup for meal prep?
This soup would be the perfect addition to your Whole30 Meal Plan. Have you seen my meal plans yet?
Each one comes with a variety of different breakfasts, lunch, dinner and side dish recipes.
My favorite part about Whole30ing is batch cooking, and this taco soup is the perfect recipe to do that with! Making recipe after recipe can absolutely feel like a daunting task but lucky for you, things don't need to feel that way.
This soup only takes a little bit of time to prep and cooks off in your slow cooker or pressure cooker! Of course you can make it on the stovetop as well. I've got you covered!
However, if you don't own a pressure cooker OR a slow cooker, I do urge you to look into purchasing either of them (if not both). They have made meal preparation so, so much easier for me.
How to make Whole30 creamy taco soup
Turn your Instant Pot on and select the "Sauté" function. Melt the ghee in your Instant Pot. Add the onions, bell peppers, and a big pinch of salt. Sauté until soft and tender. This will take about 5-7 minutes.
Add the grass-fed ground beef and stir until is is cooked through and no longer pink. Stir in all of the spices well.
Add in diced tomatoes, broth, half of the coconut cream, and green chilies and stir until well combined.
Seal the Instant Pot lid and select the "Manual" function. Press the "-" button to change the cooking time to 10 minutes. Be sure it is set to "High Pressure."
Once the soup is done cooking, release the pressure from your Instant Pot by changing the dial to the "Venting" function. Once the pressure has all been released, open the lid carefully and stir in the other half of the coconut cream. Taste for additional salt and pepper and, add any or all of the toppings listed.
Recipe notes and substitutions
- I recommend using a 90/10 grass-fed ground beef.
- You can alternatively use ground chicken thighs or pork.
- This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- You can store it in the freezer in small batches for up to 3 months.
Will this keep in the freezer?
Absolutely. I'd freeze it in small batches. It will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. Simply thaw it out overnight in the refrigerator.
Is it spicy?
It is a little bit spicy. If you are making it for kids or someone who has an intolerance to heat, go light handed on the chili flakes and chili powder. You can always add more later if you feel it needs extra heat.
Can I double the recipe?
You sure can. Make sure you have a nice, big stock pot or a large Instant Pot though. This will make 6 generous size portions.
More Whole30 soup recipes like this:
Whole30 Cream of Broccoli Soup
Whole30 Creamy Taco Soup
Ingredients
Soup
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 3 large bell peppers (I like to use red, yellow & orange) julienned
- big pinch kosher salt
- 8 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 pounds grass-fed ground beef
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes fire roasted
- 24 ounces bone broth or low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup canned coconut milk split in two, see notes
- 8 onces diced green chilies
Toppings
- jalapenos
- green onions
- avocado
- cilantro
- lime
Instructions
Slow Cooker
- Melt the ghee in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and bell peppers, and a big pinch of salt. Sauté until soft and tender. This will take about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Add the grass-fed ground beef and stir until is is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Transfer the vegetables and meat to your slow cooker and turn it on.
- Add all of the spices and stir well.
- Add diced tomatoes, broth, half of the coconut cream, and green chilies and stir until well combined.
- Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours. Once it's ready, add any or all of the toppings listed. Taste for additional salt and pepper and, add any or all of the toppings listed.
Instant Pot
- Turn your Instant Pot on and select the "Sauté" function. Melt the ghee in your Instant Pot. Add the onions, bell peppers, and a big pinch of salt. Sauté until soft and tender. This will take about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Add the grass-fed ground beef and stir until is is cooked through and no longer pink. Add all of the spices and stir well.
- Add diced tomatoes, broth, half of the coconut cream, and green chilies and stir until well combined.
- Seal the Instant Pot lid and select the "Manual" function. Press the "-" button to change the cooking time to 10 minutes. Be sure it is set to "High Pressure."
- Once the soup is done cooking, release the pressure from your Instant Pot by changing the dial to the "Venting" function. Once the pressure has all been released, open the lid carefully and stir in the other half of the coconut cream. Taste for additional salt and pepper and, add any or all of the toppings listed.
Stove Top
- Melt the ghee in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions, bell peppers, and a big pinch of salt. Sauté until soft and tender. This will take about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Add the grass-fed ground beef and stir until is is cooked through and no longer pink. Drain the beef through a colander and re-add it to the pan. Add all of the spices and stir well.
- Add tomatoes, broth, coconut cream, and green chilies and stir until well combined.
- Bring the soup to a low boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let is simmer for about 20-25 minutes. Taste for additional salt and pepper and, add any or all of the toppings listed.
Notes
- I recommend using a 90/10 grass-fed ground beef.
- Grab full fat canned coconut milk from the Asian/ethnic section at the grocery store.
- You can alternatively use ground chicken thighs or pork.
- This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- You can store it in the freezer in small batches for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Hi! I’m Monica – recipe developer, matcha addict and lover of all things chocolate, kombucha and any & all puns. I am also the blogger, real food lover, & bonafide hustler behind the blog ‘The Movement Menu.’ I’m so excited to welcome you to my happy space, where my appreciation of creative recipes and healthy & mindful eats come together to inspire you to live a healthy, balanced life.
Amazing!! Easy, delicious and it really is creamy.
So I tried this. I’m not sure what went wrong. Maybe to much chili powder🤷🏻♀️ But no creaminess I did almond milk the second time, because the coconut milk was way way to coconut for a Mexican dish. I had to toss the first batch. Little disappointed in this recipe.
Looks good. Too bad my husband is deathly allergic to bell peppers. :/
Made this tonight to "spice" up taco Tuesday and it will go into regular rotation. Not to be one of those substitution people, but still. I didn't have any bell peppers and my kids don't like them anyway, so I diced a big sweet potato and sautéed that with the onions. I think that helped with the creaminess and balanced out the spiciness. We aren't doing whole 30, just don't like beans and this really hit the spot! Thanks!
YUM love the idea of using sweet potatoes!!!!!
This is going into my menu rotation. Delicious, and husband-approved! Next time will remember to drain the grease.
Seriously so delicious. Possibly one of my favorite dishes I’ve ever made! A little spicy (I’m a whip when it comes to spice) but I may try to omit the crushed red pepper next time. We loved it!
Great flavor, but I do have several comments. I made mine in the crock pot and it was not creamy at all (added 1/2 c coconut cream while cooking, 1/2 c near the end). It was VERY spicy (prob cut back to 1T chili powder). And, finally, the crock pot recipe doesn’t say to drain the meat mixture before adding it all together. I’ll def do that next time, as it was greasy. It has the potential to be one of my fav Whole30 recipes, and my house smells amazing! 🙂
I thought this was so good, and I am so glad I could make it in the instapot. I only put in 1/2 the red pepper flakes and it is still pretty spicy. I know others said it wasn’t a creamy soup...but I think it is creamy- just different. It was wonderful!
Why only half the coconut cream in the slow cooker instructions?
I like to stir in the other half later! 🙂
Simple, filling, and SO tasty! Perfect for a Whole30 or any normal day - we’ll definitely be making it again!
I made this soup and added 2 jalapeños. They weren’t very spicy. My family said it was the best soup they had ever eaten!!
Definitely want to cook this but can I use chicken thighs or breasts? I have a ton of chicken in the freezer and thought about subbing it in. Thanks!
Absolutely can!!! It's personal preference.
Delicious! I second the commenter who suggested adding lime, a really nice touch. I also added sliced black olives as a garnish, and that played well. Otherwise, wouldn't change a thing! Thank you.
My family loved this! Well, 4/6, and 5/6 ate it, which is about as well as we ever do. 😉 I will definitely make it again and I'm excited to check out your other recipes. I cut the red pepper to 1/4 tsp since my kids don't love spicy, and it was great. So much flavor!
Heck yeah, that makes me so happy... definitely check out some other soups, too! 🙂
This is the only recipe I use for taco soup in our house. It's fantastic!
That makes me so happy... you'll have to try other soups soon!
Did I miss a step, when do you add the other half of the coconut cream?
Hi, yes. No worries! "Once the pressure has all been released, open the lid carefully and stir in the other half of the coconut cream."
Loved this recipe! a little bit of spice but not too much. I pureed the peppers and onions and added it back to the meat without thinking to drain the grease but other than that love it!
What do you do with the extra 1/2 cup of coconut cream? I don’t see where you go back to that at.
You stir it in at the end 🙂
The soup was good but mine was not creamy. I tasted the coconut cream. I made sure I split the cream like the receipe said. I could taste it a little while simmering. Then at the end when I added the other 1/2 cup it was way to sweet & it was like a chilli. Do they make unsweetened coconut cream?
Hmm, can you tell me which coconut cream you used? It shouldn't be sweet... it tastes like coconut but it's not SWEET. I want to try and troubleshoot with you here.
I’ve been doing whole30 and trying out a bunch of new compliant recipes on my family. I made this tonight on a whim and my family said it was their favorite new recipe I’ve tried! Thanks for sharing 🙂
That is so darn awesome- thank you for sharing that with me. If you're in soup mode after your Whole30, you'll have to try my stuffed pepper soup and chicken and rice soup... two faves!
Love this recipe!! It's been a staple in my home for a while also. Is there any chance you have the old recipe? The seasoning combo was amazing!
Hi!!!! Aw, this makes me so sad. I had a lot of complaints about the seasoning, so I altered it a bit and have been getting feedback from the new recipe. I do not have it saved anywhere 🙁 Have you tried it recently??
Wow! I’m sorry you received so many complaints! I have tried the new recipe and it’s good. My family and I decided we definitely prefer the original recipe, so I thought I would ask just in case it was still available.
When do I use the other half of the coconut cream?
After you take the lid off the Instant Pot. It should be in instruction #5.
What about when to add the coconut cream when using a slow cooker?
Good question. I would stir it in at the end! 🙂
Delicious! Wasn’t too thick but definitely had creaminess from the coconut cream. Lots of vegetables and beef; a very well rounded, tasty dinner!
So tasty! The whole family (even the kiddos) enjoyed it! New staple in the dinner rotation
Hi! I can’t wait to make this! I’m trying to track what I eat... How many cups or ounces is one serving of this soup??
Hmm, I don't typically measure this kind of stuff out, but I am going to guess at least 1.5 cups.
We’ve been making this recipe for the last year and it’s a staple. I tried this new version and I also love it very much. Do you by chance know how much cinnamon you used to have added? We love the wintery feel! And can I ask what inspired your changes? I love them both very much.
HI! Ah, such a good question. A lot of people had complaints about the previous recipe. There was no cinnamon in it... that was in my chili recipe. I don't think so at least?? Probably no more than 1 teaspoon.
Easy and TASTY! I'm usually not into leftovers but I'm so glad this made a big batch so I can have it for days!
The garlic has been left out of the method, and I didn’t notice until the end! Just thought I’d let you know as I can’t see it mentioned in the comments
You're so sweet to do so. Fixing that now-- thank you!
Thanks for the recipe! Can I use butter instead of ghee? (I’m not on keto diet)
You can ABSOLUTELY use butter!
Hi! I am so excited to try this recipe!! One question. I have coconut milk on hand. Would that work instead of the coconut cream, or does it need to be cream? Thanks so much!
The cream is preferred so the soup thickens up a bit. You can put the canned coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight and the cream will rise to the top.
Thank you!!
I don't like the texture of ground meat. I would like to use shredded chicken in this recipe in the slow cooker. Should I make my shredded chicken first and then add to the soup? Or should I just put the raw chicken in and let it cook in with the rest of the ingredients? I ask mostly because it indicates that you should cook the meat before it's added.
Any thoughts?
Yeah, I would make the shredded chicken first! It should come out perfect.
We love this recipe! It's so flavorful! Made this for supper in the instant pot for when we came from the Christmas eve service.
Oh, I love that!!! Did you try the new version of the recipe? I made a few changes.
I have made this recipe countless times in last couple of years. I decided to make it for New Year's Eve and I kept telling my man... "I think this recipe has changed... I am really sure something is different." So... I decided to look in the comments. I am excited to try the new updated version- I thought the other one was fantastic... my tastebuds are excited to try this new one!
Woo hoo, that makes me so happy!!!! Can you let me know what you think of the new version?? 🙂
Just now remembering to leave a review. I am making it again tonight. We LOVED it and really enjoyed the smoky flavor!! Thank you so much! We are having company tonight that eats the Standard American Diet and I love showing others that you can eat clean and healthy and it still taste so amazing, better than they have ever had really 😀
This makes me seriously so happy to read. I am so glad you enjoyed the soup! I have many more 😉
I just made this and its weirdly sweet? Like oddly sweet tasting....i feel like coconut milk would have been better than the cream, maybe that made it taste sweet?
Uh oh... I've never heard this before. Did you use coconut whipped cream or a coconut cream with sugar added? Coconut cream is simply the cream that rises to the top of a can of full fat coconut milk. If you buy canned coconut cream, it's all that stuff. Can you tell me what brand you bought? I'd love to help troubleshoot.
It was better before you made the changes can you repost the old recipe
Anyway!
Super easy and good. My only suggestion would be if you don’t want it to taste a little bit like “Christmas” I’d forgoe the cinnamon.
Can you subsitute coconut milk with almond milk? I totally forgot it at the store.
You can, but it won't be as creamy as canned coconut milk has a lot more fat than almond milk. I'd blend it all together if using almond milk instead!
You are right on the canned coconut.. The best way to go. Thanks for the recipe.. We LOVE it!!... Our go-to whenever we do a Whole30!
That makes me so happy to hear. I am glad you like it!! You've gotta try some of my other soups, too! 🙂
This was delicious. Made in my IP and kids loved it, I loved it, and I ate all the leftovers!
That's so awesome. If you are into IP recipes, I just posted a chicken tortilla-less soup. I also have a keto cheeseburger soup that is fabulous!
Hello. I’m very excited to try making this soup. It looks so delicious. I’m using fresh tomatoes and fresh hatch chilies. I went everywhere looking for So Delicious Culinary Coconut Milk, but either they don’t carry the item, or stopped carrying the item. It’s not even available online because they are out. So I’m going to have to substitute with So Delicious Coconut Milk original sugar free. The soup looks so good I’m craving it! Just waiting for the bone broth to thaw.
That's amazing. You can use canned coconut milk instead. I hope you love it-- do let me know!
Thank you so much for this recipe!! My fiance and I absolutely love it! I made a double batch last week and we are making it again! It is one of our staples, so good and so good for you. I love that it is low cal too as I am trying to get in better shape. Thank you, thank you thank you!! 🙂
You're so welcome... you've gotta try my other soups, too. Delicious!
This was so good! I skipped the coconut milk, and added black beans and corn because I'm not doing a W30 right now (and grains and legumes don't bother me). Delicious!
Bell peppers: green, yellow, red, or orange?
Whatever you like!
Made this in the crockpot and loved it! I did purée the onions, bell peppers and tomato in a food processor after I sautéed them but before adding them to the crockpot and that made a wonderful broth base along with the coconut milk and broth (I used chicken). I am not following Whole30 and did not use ghee. I used a little EVOO to sauté the vegetables but followed everything else in the recipe.
Wow!! I’ve never commented on a recipe from the web, but Holy Cow! This was delicious!! This was my alternative to Taco Tuesday at our house while on Whole30 and I don’t feel like I “missed” anything! I did purée the peppers to make it more creamy based on comments above and it was perfect! I also opted for the low end of spices and it still had a great kick!! Thank you!!! Easy and yummy!
Hi there... thanks so much for your compliments and kind words. I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed the dish- yay! 🙂
What is the actual serving size? I know it says 6 servings. I'm hoping to make this next week to have for lunches. I want to be ahead of the game and have it prepackaged so I can just grab and go.
Hi Kristen. I'm not entirely sure exactly the measurements. I would just eyeball it and divide it amongst 6 containers, if you can! 🙂
I can’t wait to make this!! Do you use the liquid of the tomatoes or do you drain it?
I’m sorry, I didn’t see my comment was at the bottom already!! Whoops!
I use everything!
this looks delicious! Would it work to use canned full fat unsweetened coconut milk instead of culinary coconut milk?
100%. Absolutely.
I found your recipe while searching for things to try in my new Instant Pot. I bought my ingredients, threw everything in the pot and had a gorgeous bowl of soup ready in about an hour all-told. I really like the recipe. I did wonder why you didn't just tell people to use the saute function of the instant pot to cook the vegetables at the beginning.
I love the soup. I took a couple of pint jars over to my mother and when I got home she had already eaten one of them and loved it as well.
Thanks for the recipe! BTW, I'm not on the whole30 diet. I just liked the ingredients and gave it a try.
Hi there. Thanks so much for providing me with your feedback!!!! Good idea on using the saute function. I will update the instructions now to include that!
The best measure of your recipe is that the results were joyously consumed within 24 hours! Mostly by me!
HAHA, I love this!! Thank you for making me laugh out loud 🙂
Have you ever made this ahead of time and frozen it? I'm just wondering how it comes out of the freezer.
I haven't personally, but I had a reader who did it and said it was perfect for batch-cooking and freezing.
Can I cook it on high for 4 hours?
Absolutely!
I'm going to try this. What is the white cream drizzled on top of the chili in the photo?
That's more of the coconut milk/cream that is listed in the ingredients list.
I puréed the bell peppers and onions after I sautéed them, it made the soup creamer. I also used beef broth. It was overall very delish! The flavor was fantastic!
That's a great idea. I've added a note about that, thanks to your recommendation!
i did the same thing, i pureed about 2/3rds, and left some unblended for a little texture, then added in the beef. It was super good!
also added a splash of apple cider vinegar
YUM!!!!!!!!
This soup is yummy!!!.....my only corrective words would be that there is NOTHING creamy about this soup! It is like a chili soup!...
I agree, Janet! Great flavors but not at all creamy, went back to recipe to double check I did it correctly and I didn't miss anything as far as I can tell - going to try it again and see if I can make it look like hers, cause hers looks creamy and mine looks like chili 😀
Hi Katy. I'm so sorry yours didn't turn out creamy... you added the full fat coconut milk??
I'd recommend blending everything together at the end once it's done cooking 🙂
When you say blend everything together you mean all ingredients including the meat, onions, and pepers correct? Mine also looks like chili right now but it's still cooking. I was curious about the blending part?!
Hi there. To clarify-- I meant everything BUT those things, actually! How does it taste??
This was a great soup, very hearty however not so creamy. I didn’t mind though! It was delicious, I paired with tostones for a salty crunch and I still have some boxed up in the freezer. Will certainly make again.
Have you ever tried freezing this for leftovers another time?
I haven't, but I'm sure it would be wonderful!
I have a vacuum sealer with the container attachments. We froze two, had them a few weeks or so later, after thawing, and it was still delish!
And you
I do have a question. Am I missing something? It’s says use 1/2 the coconut cream, but I don’t see where the other 2/2 is used. Thank you. I’m making this soup again today!
I was puzzled by the same thing and wondered if that's why so many were saying there's wasn't very creamy. Do we add at the end?
Hi there. Yes, at the end... gosh I am editing the instructions now. I'm so embarrassed!
This was awesome!! My husband and I both loved this soup. We are gong to try adding some fresh lime juice to our bowls when we have leftovers.
I made jalapeño cheese cornbread muffins to go with it and substituted the coconut milk in place of buttermilk. My husband thought it was the best ever:)
Wow, that sounds INSANELY good. Can you send me some, please? 🙂 Also, can you do me a big favor? Since you tried the recipe and loved it, can you rate it for me? There is a 5-star system at the bottom of the recipe by the INFO, notes and ingredients/instructions. That helps me out a ton!!
I see this is a whole 30 recipe do you think using regular butter or beef broth instead of bone broth would total mess up the recipe?
Hi there, I don't think so. But I'd go with a low sodium and be weary... can you let me know how it turns out?
I am Whole30, but my husband is not, but we both loved this soup. An added bonus is that it is so easy and quick to prepare. This soup was flavorful and I did not find it to be too spicy. It will definitely be added to our regular meal rotation. Thanks for sharing!
You're so welcome! I prefer things a bit spicy, so I'm happy to hear we're in the same boat. Enjoy! 🙂
Great recipe, but a little spicy for me!! Wishing I could add sour cream to tone is down a bit lol
Delicious though!
Ah, how much spice did you end up using? I do like things spicy, so I should mention that in the recipe. I will edit it now to reflect that. Thanks for letting me know!!!!
I was just curious... how big is each serving?
I'm not sure exactly how big it is. I created the serving size based on how much protein consumption was adequate. Does that make sense?
I was in need of comport food tonight , and this for sure hit the spot. Loved it!!
That makes me so happy! Can you do me a huge favor and give the recipe a rating (1-5 stars)? You can do so towards the bottom of the recipe post. That helps me out a ton!
This recipe looks amazing! I'm trying it with chicken. I hope it turns out well.
Yummy. DO let me know how it is! 🙂
Hi, what is the white liquid drizzled on the top of the soup?
Hi there, I just drizzled some extra coconut milk/drizzle on top!
This was delicious! A little on the spicy side, but that is easy to adjust. Will certainly be making this again! Thank you for sharing!
I'm so happy to hear that. I need to probably adjust the spices a bit. Thanks for letting me know 🙂
I made this soup this afternoon for tonight on the stove top. The flavors are great but it's a little thin for my taste. Anything I can so to thicken it up?
Hi, absolutely! This is such a good question. What I would do is whisk together a few tablespoons of arrowroot flour with a splash or two of water and drizzle that into the soup. Give it a nice stir and let it sit for a bit to see how the consistency looks. Keep adding more arrowroot with water until it reaches a thickness you like 🙂
This had good flavor but was so greasy. The meat should be drained before adding the other ingredients. I appreciated the Instant Pot option!
Hi Jen! I totally forgot to add that to the instructions... it should absolutely be drained. I'm so sorry you went through that!
This is probably a really stupid question but I would be using beef bone broth right? Looks delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
That isn't a stupid question at all. You can use beef, chicken OR veggie 🙂
Love that you can make this in the instant pot!
Yum! My mouth is watering just looking at those jalapenos on top! I love spicy! Love that this is Whole30 approved!
Beautiful soup! Pinned and shared on my W30 page!
Thanks so much for doing that... it's a yummy one!
This looks absolutely delicious and so pretty! You can't go wrong with all of those beautiful flavors in this soup.
Thanks Emily!!!! You're so sweet 🙂
This sounds delicious and simple and all the ingredients are things I keep on hand. I am so on board for this. Thanks for the recipe!
You're absolutely welcome... please do let me know if you try it and what you think! 🙂