This hearty taco-inspired soup combines seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, peppers, salsa, and taco seasoning with a rich blend of cream cheese, heavy cream, and cheddar. It comes together quickly in a pressure cooker and can be customized with extra vegetables or different types of ground meat.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced; any color works well
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 24 ounces beef broth
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes; crushed tomatoes or another variety can also be used
• 4 ounces salsa
• 2 packets store-bought taco seasoning
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, freshly grated if possible

Instructions

1. Brown the Beef and Vegetables: Set your pressure cooker to sauté over medium heat. Add the ground beef, diced onion, and bell pepper. Cook until the beef is completely browned and cooked through and the vegetables have softened.
2. Add the Soup Ingredients: Stir in the minced garlic, beef broth, diced tomatoes, salsa, and taco seasoning. Mix everything together so the ingredients are evenly distributed.
3. Pressure Cook: Secure the lid and set the cooker to high pressure for 2 minutes. When the cooking cycle is finished, allow the pressure to release naturally.
4. Add the Creamy Ingredients: Once the pressure has been fully released, gradually add the softened cream cheese, heavy cream, and cheddar cheese. Stir continuously until the cheeses have melted completely and the soup has become smooth and creamy.
5. Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and finish with your favorite taco toppings before serving.

Helpful Notes

Use Freshly Grated Cheese

For the best melting results, freshly grate the cheddar yourself. Packaged pre-shredded cheese is commonly coated with cellulose, a wood-pulp-derived ingredient that helps prevent the shreds from sticking together and absorbing moisture. However, this coating can also interfere with how smoothly the cheese melts.

Customize the Vegetables

The onions are worth keeping because they add important flavor, but you can freely increase the amount and variety of vegetables. Squash, zucchini, and even riced cauliflower can work particularly well in this soup.

Add Beans or Corn

Beans and corn are also good additions if you are not following a keto diet.

Change the Protein

Ground chicken or ground turkey can be used instead of ground beef if you prefer a different protein.