Early Summer Bowl: Simply 5 ingredients. I prep this when I want dinner totally taken care of before the afternoon heat sets in.

This Early Summer Bowl is my super-simple, 5-ingredient slow cooker beef taco soup that I throw together first thing in the morning, before the afternoon heat settles in. It’s built around browned ground beef for that cozy, homemade flavor, but everything else comes from the pantry so I’m not stuck in a hot kitchen. The brick-red, glossy broth with little crumbles of beef and colorful bits of corn and tomatoes feels like a hearty taco night in a bowl, without a lot of fuss. It’s perfect for busy days, ball games, or when you just want dinner to take care of itself while you get on with your day.

Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top with whatever your family loves: a sprinkle of shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, a dollop of sour cream, or a few slices of avocado. Warm flour or corn tortillas on the side make it feel like a full taco-night spread, and a simple green salad or sliced cucumbers keeps it light for early summer. For kids, I like to serve it with extra chips for dipping and a little mound of cheese they can stir in themselves.

Servings: 6

1 1/2 pounds ground beef, 80–90% lean

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it into small crumbles as it browns, 6–8 minutes. Cook until no pink remains and the meat is nicely browned and slightly crisp in spots.

Drain off any excess grease from the browned beef to keep the soup from becoming too oily.

Transfer the drained, browned beef to the slow cooker. Sprinkle the taco seasoning evenly over the meat and stir to coat the crumbles well.

Add the drained corn and the undrained diced tomatoes with green chiles to the slow cooker. Pour in the beef broth and stir everything together until well combined. The mixture will look brothy and brick-red with colorful specks of corn and tomatoes.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the flavors have melded and the soup looks rich, glossy, and slightly thickened, with tender beef suspended throughout.

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed (you can add a pinch of salt if your broth is very low-sodium). Give the soup a final stir, then ladle into bowls and serve hot with your favorite toppings.

For milder palates or picky eaters, use mild diced tomatoes with green chiles or substitute one can of plain diced tomatoes for part of the Rotel-style tomatoes. If your kids are sensitive to texture, you can briefly mash some of the tomatoes with the back of a spoon before serving to make the broth a bit smoother. To add more veggies without changing the 5-ingredient base, stir in a handful of frozen mixed vegetables or black beans after cooking and let them warm through for 10–15 minutes on HIGH. If you like things spicier, add a pinch of crushed red pepper or a few dashes of hot sauce at the end. For a slightly thicker, almost chili-like bowl, reduce the broth to 2 1/2 cups. You can also swap ground turkey for the beef if you prefer a lighter option; just be sure to brown it thoroughly and season generously. Food safety tips: Always brown the ground beef completely until no pink remains and the juices run clear before adding it to the slow cooker—this ensures it reaches a safe temperature quickly. Drain excess fat so the soup doesn’t become greasy and to reduce splattering when reheating. Keep the slow cooker covered while cooking and avoid lifting the lid often, which can lower the temperature. Once cooked, do not leave the soup sitting on the counter for more than 2 hours; cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate in shallow containers. Reheat leftovers to a full simmer (165°F/74°C) before serving again.