Hearty Cowboy Soup Recipe | Easy Beef Comfort Food Dinner
This hearty cowboy soup is a one-pot, beefy vegetable soup loaded with beans, tomatoes, potatoes, and warm spices. It’s simple, budget-friendly, and perfect for weeknights or meal prep.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Ground beef: 1 to 1.5 pounds (85%–90% lean)
- Yellow onion: 1 medium, diced
- Garlic: 3–4 cloves, minced
- Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes: 3 medium, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- Carrots: 2 medium, sliced
- Celery: 2 ribs, sliced
- Canned diced tomatoes: 1 (14.5-ounce) can
- Tomato sauce: 1 (8-ounce) can
- Beef broth: 4 cups (low-sodium preferred)
- Kidney beans: 1 (15-ounce) can, drained and rinsed
- Pinto or black beans: 1 (15-ounce) can, drained and rinsed
- Frozen corn: 1 cup
- Chili powder: 1–1.5 tablespoons
- Ground cumin: 1 teaspoon
- Smoked paprika: 1 teaspoon
- Dried oregano: 1 teaspoon
- Bay leaf: 1
- Worcestershire sauce: 1 tablespoon
- Kosher salt and black pepper: to taste
- Olive oil or neutral oil: 1 tablespoon, if needed
- Optional toppings: shredded cheddar or pepper jack, sour cream or Greek yogurt, sliced green onions or chopped cilantro, crushed tortilla chips or cornbread, hot sauce
Instructions
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the ground beef, and cook, breaking it up, until browned with some crispy edges, 6–8 minutes.
- Spoon off excess fat if needed, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.
- Add the diced onion with a pinch of salt and cook until translucent, 3–4 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano, and cook 30–60 seconds to bloom the spices.
- Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with their juices, Worcestershire sauce, and the bay leaf, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in the potatoes, carrots, celery, and beef broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer.
- Cover partially and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fork-tender, 18–22 minutes.
- Stir in the kidney beans, pinto or black beans, and frozen corn, and simmer 5–8 minutes more to heat through and thicken slightly.
- Remove the bay leaf, taste, and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and add desired toppings before serving.
Notes
For thicker soup, simmer uncovered at the end or mash a few potato cubes and beans. Add a squeeze of lime or a dash of vinegar to brighten before serving. Cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. To make in a slow cooker, brown beef and onions first, add everything except beans and corn, cook on Low 6–8 hours or High 3–4 hours, then add beans and corn for the last 30 minutes. Adjust heat with chili powder, cayenne, or hot sauce.