Creamy tamale soup using canned beef tamales and black beans. This makes a hearty taco soup on the stove in 20 minutes. Save this recipe when you need a quick dinner on the table to warm you up! Don’t have canned tamales? You can use frozen tamales too!

Tamale Soup Recipe
This Tamale Soup is a simple hearty recipe, filled with beef tamales and black beans in a (little bit) spicy broth made with chicken broth and tomato paste.
Sometimes you just need a meal where you open up cans, dump them into a pot, simmer for 20 minutes and then you sit at the dinner table and eat it in about 2 minutes because you are that hungry. So that’s why I love this Tamale Soup!
Even though this recipe calls for canned tamales, you can also use frozen tamales if you have them in your freezer and not sure sure what to do with them! Defrost the tamales, remove the husks/paper and then proceed with the recipe!
Looking for more Mexican soup recipes? Also try my Chicken Tortilla Soup and Crockpot Taco Soup !

Ingredients for Tamale Soup
- Canned Beef Tamales in Chili Sauce , I use Hormel brand .
- Canned Black Beans , don’t drain them!
- Canned corn , or frozen corn works!
- Canned Diced Tomatoes , I use Ro*Tel tomatoes with diced green chiles to add some spice but if you don’t want it spicy at all use regular diced tomatoes.
- Tomato paste and chicken broth , stirred together makes a creamy soup broth.
- Taco Seasoning , for flavor and ease.

How to Make Tamale Soup on the Stove
First we need to prepare the tamales. When you open up the can of tamales, you will see they are still in their paper wrapper.

Remove each tamale from the can and remove the wrapper (throw them away).

And then cut each tamale into quarters.

Add the beef tamales, along with black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth and taco seasoning in a medium sized saucepan .

Stir to mix together, bring to a low boil and then simmer for 20 minutes, stirring fairly often.

Serve in bowls. Eat it as is, or add your favorite toppings (like shredded cheese, slices of avocado, cilantro, tortilla chips, etc) and enjoy!

Storing Leftovers and Freezing
Store leftover soup in the refrigerator in an airtight container, good for up to 4 days. You can also freeze this for meal prep! Allow to cool down and then freeze in freezer bags, good in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Pin for later:

Ingredients
- ▢ (2) 15 ounce cans beef tamales in chili sauce (I use Hormel)
- ▢ (1) 15 ounce can black beans (don’t drain them!)
- ▢ (1) 15 ounce can corn (drained)
- ▢ (1) 10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles (I use Ro*Tel) (don’t drain them), see note 1
- ▢ (1) 6 ounce can tomato paste
- ▢ 2 cups chicken broth
- ▢ 1 package taco seasoning
- ▢ topping ideas: shredded cheese, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro optional
Instructions
- Open the can of beef tamales and remove the paper wrapper on each tamale (throw away the wrappers). Cut each tamale up into quarters.
- In a small soup pot mix together cut up beef tamales, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth and taco seasoning.
- Bring to a low boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often.
- Ladle into bowls, serve and enjoy! Optional: Add shredded cheese, sliced avocado or fresh cilantro on top.
Notes
Creamy tamale soup using canned beef tamales and black beans. This makes a hearty taco soup on the stove in 20 minutes. Save this recipe when you need a quick dinner on the table to warm you up! Don’t have canned tamales? You can use frozen tamales too!

Tamale Soup Recipe
This Tamale Soup is a simple hearty recipe, filled with beef tamales and black beans in a (little bit) spicy broth made with chicken broth and tomato paste.
Sometimes you just need a meal where you open up cans, dump them into a pot, simmer for 20 minutes and then you sit at the dinner table and eat it in about 2 minutes because you are that hungry. So that’s why I love this Tamale Soup!
Even though this recipe calls for canned tamales, you can also use frozen tamales if you have them in your freezer and not sure sure what to do with them! Defrost the tamales, remove the husks/paper and then proceed with the recipe!
Looking for more Mexican soup recipes? Also try my Chicken Tortilla Soup and Crockpot Taco Soup !

Ingredients for Tamale Soup
- Canned Beef Tamales in Chili Sauce , I use Hormel brand .
- Canned Black Beans , don’t drain them!
- Canned corn , or frozen corn works!
- Canned Diced Tomatoes , I use Ro*Tel tomatoes with diced green chiles to add some spice but if you don’t want it spicy at all use regular diced tomatoes.
- Tomato paste and chicken broth , stirred together makes a creamy soup broth.
- Taco Seasoning , for flavor and ease.

How to Make Tamale Soup on the Stove
First we need to prepare the tamales. When you open up the can of tamales, you will see they are still in their paper wrapper.

Remove each tamale from the can and remove the wrapper (throw them away).

And then cut each tamale into quarters.

Add the beef tamales, along with black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth and taco seasoning in a medium sized saucepan .

Stir to mix together, bring to a low boil and then simmer for 20 minutes, stirring fairly often.

Serve in bowls. Eat it as is, or add your favorite toppings (like shredded cheese, slices of avocado, cilantro, tortilla chips, etc) and enjoy!

Storing Leftovers and Freezing
Store leftover soup in the refrigerator in an airtight container, good for up to 4 days. You can also freeze this for meal prep! Allow to cool down and then freeze in freezer bags, good in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Pin for later:

Ingredients
- ▢ (2) 15 ounce cans beef tamales in chili sauce (I use Hormel)
- ▢ (1) 15 ounce can black beans (don’t drain them!)
- ▢ (1) 15 ounce can corn (drained)
- ▢ (1) 10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles (I use Ro*Tel) (don’t drain them), see note 1
- ▢ (1) 6 ounce can tomato paste
- ▢ 2 cups chicken broth
- ▢ 1 package taco seasoning
- ▢ topping ideas: shredded cheese, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro optional
Instructions
- Open the can of beef tamales and remove the paper wrapper on each tamale (throw away the wrappers). Cut each tamale up into quarters.
- In a small soup pot mix together cut up beef tamales, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth and taco seasoning.
- Bring to a low boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often.
- Ladle into bowls, serve and enjoy! Optional: Add shredded cheese, sliced avocado or fresh cilantro on top.
Notes

Tamale Soup With Black Beans
Ingredients
- (2) 15 ounce cans beef tamales in chili sauce (I use Hormel)
- (1) 15 ounce can black beans (don’t drain them!)
- (1) 15 ounce can corn (drained)
- (1) 10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles (I use Ro*Tel) (don’t drain them), see note 1
- (1) 6 ounce can tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 package taco seasoning
- topping ideas: shredded cheese, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro optional
Instructions
- Open the can of beef tamales and remove the paper wrapper on each tamale (throw away the wrappers). Cut each tamale up into quarters.
- In a small soup pot mix together cut up beef tamales, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth and taco seasoning.
- Bring to a low boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often.
- Ladle into bowls, serve and enjoy! Optional: Add shredded cheese, sliced avocado or fresh cilantro on top.
Notes
Recipe Created by Pamela Reed for brooklynfarmgirl.com