Hearty Cowboy Soup
This yummy Cowboy Soup is the most popular soup recipe on my website. A hearty, budget friendly, bowl of comfort food full of healthy veggies, creamy beans, warm broth, and lean ground beef. It’s perfect for getting dinner on the table after a long, busy day. And it’s ready in just 30 minutes!
Cowboy Stew Recipe
We all have those days when it’s 4:30, you’ve had a long day, and now you have to make dinner. What am I going to serve? What is quick and easy? What will my hungry family actually eat and not wrinkle their nose up at?
When I have those days, which are often, I pull out this recipe.
Easy-to-make, and a one pot recipe, it’s a dish I know I can count on to make feeding my family a stress-free time. Giving me more time, and energy, to spend with my family.
Full of classic Tex-Mex flavors, this soup is full of ground beef, flavors everyone loves, and lots of veggies. Which, let’s face it, everyone needs more of these days.
It really is the perfect bowl of comfort food on those chilly fall and winter evenings or for those fall game-day events!
Serve it with crushed tortilla chips, a dollop of sour cream, or a wedge of cast iron cornbread.
Ingredients Needed
Ground Beef – This soup is great with ground chuck. Substitute ground turkey or ground sausage if you like.
Mixed Vegetables – Green beans, corn, carrots, lima beans, etc. (I like the frozen veggies mix as they don’t have potato in them like the canned version).
Corn – Use the whole kernel corn, either canned or frozen. If canned, drain first.
Ranch Beans – This is the secret ingredient! Don’t just use pinto beans, find Ranch Beans as they have specific spices in the sauce. Do not drain them before adding to the recipe.
Spices – Because you don’t want to mess up the flavor, you only need a few spices. Chili powder and cumin along with salt and pepper.
Beef Broth – Use the low sodium, fat-free version for best results. You can also use chicken broth in a pinch!
Pantry Staples – Onion, garlic, potatoes, diced tomatoes, Rotel tomatoes or diced tomatoes and green chilies.
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How to Make Cowboy Soup
First: In a large pot or dutch oven (I use a 9.5 quart pot) cook the ground beef and onions over medium-high heat. When no longer pink, drain the excess grease if desired.
Second: Add the garlic and seasonings to the cooked ground meat. Stir to mix. Add the beans, corn, mixed vegetables, and diced tomatoes. Stir to combine.
Third: Add the Ro-tel, diced potatoes, and the broth. Stir to combine. Add 2 cups water if the broth doesn’t quite reach the top of the other ingredients.
Fourth: Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes reach desired tenderness. Remove from heat and serve. Enjoy!
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.
How long does it last?
Leftover cowboy soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container. Great for making in advance!
I love the leftovers on the next day after the flavors get stronger.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, you can! This makes a large batch so freeze any leftovers in single serve portions. Freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat as you like.
Can I make it in the crock pot?
This soup with ground beef is perfect for the slow cooker. Just make sure you have one that is large enough or you will have to cut the recipe in half.
Brown the ground beef then add it and the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 2-3 hours. Crockpot Cowboy Soup is even easier for a busy week!
Why is it called Cowboy Soup?
Mostly because the star ingredient is ranch beans. Also, this hearty stew is popular in Texas among all the hungry cowboys on cattle drives!
What are Ranch style beans?
They are basically pinto beans simmered in a very flavorful chili sauce. These are the star of the show and have a unique and delicious Tex-Mex flavor.
If you don’t have these or can’t find them, substitute chili beans, kidney beans, or seasoned black beans.
More Cowboy Recipes to Try:
Tips for No Leftovers
- I use ground chuck mostly. For leaner meat, add 1-2 tablespoons oil when cooking the beef and onions.
- Don’t want beef? Substitute ground turkey, ground chicken, or pork sausage.
- Dice the Russet potatoes in cubes no larger than 1 inch square or they won’t cook in time.
- Add the spices after cooking the meat and before adding the liquid so they have contact with the bottom of the pan and get a little toasty and fragrant. This also helps distribute them evenly in the soup and not clump up.
- If you don’t have Ro-tel you can just add a can of diced green chiles and diced tomatoes to the soup.
- I like to use the frozen variety of mixed veggies because it doesn’t contain potato. The canned version has potatoes and they won’t be the same as the fresh ones you are adding.
- Prep everything ahead of time and just mix in your slow cooker for an easy meal.
- I love to top mine with a dash of hot sauce and some shredded cheese!
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
This easy and hearty cowboy soup recipe with ground beef is budget friendly, feeds a crowd, and is ready in 30 minutes! Great for warming up on a cold winter day!
Cowboy Soup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 cups chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 30 ounces ranch beans
- 12 ounces frozen mixed vegetables or 1 -15 ounce can, drained
- 30.5 ounces whole kernel corn drained
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes drained
- 10 ounces Rotel
- 4 russet potatoes peeled, diced
- 4 cups beef broth
Instructions
- In a large pot pot or dutch oven (mine is 9.5 qt), over medium high heat, brown the ground beef. Drain if desired.
- Add the chopped onion, garlic, and spices. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes to start to make the onion tender.
- Add the ranch beans, corn, mixed vegetables, and diced tomatoes. Stir to mix.
- Add the diced potatoes, Ro-tel, and beef broth. Stir to mix.
- Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked to desired tenderness.
- Remove from heat and serve! Enjoy!
Notes
- I use ground chuck for this recipe. If you want a leaner meat, you might need to add 1-2 tablespoons oil when cooking the beef and onions.
- Dice the potatoes in cubes no larger than 1 inch square or they won’t be soft in the cooking time. Dice them uniform so they cook evenly.
- Add the spices after cooking the meat and before adding the liquid so they have contact with the bottom of the pan and get a little toasty and fragrant. This also helps distribute them evenly in the soup and not clump up.
- If you don’t have Ro-tel you can just add a can of diced green chiles to the soup.
- I like to use the frozen variety of mixed veggies because it doesn’t contain potato. The canned version has potatoes and they won’t be the same as the fresh ones you are adding.
- prep everything ahead of time and just mix in your slow cooker for an easy meal.
- I love to top mine with a dash of hot sauce and some shredded cheese!
Nutrition
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This is super helpful and tasted really amazing! Thanks a lot for this delicious cowboy soup recipe, fam really loves it and will surely have this again! Well done!
Such a delicious and easy recipe! Thanks for sharing!
This is delicious. Served it to company and had to share the recipes. 5āļøās from this family.š
The cowboy soup recipe looked real yummy. I would have enjoyed it if I could have printed the recipe.
I sure hope you will try it. There is a print button in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
This soup is stick to your ribs delicious and I love that we had enough leftover for another meal.