Description
Hearty cowboy soup brings robust flavors from Texas ranch traditions to your kitchen. Rustic ingredients and simple preparation deliver a comforting meal you’ll savor with each satisfying spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450 g) ground beef
- 1 can (15 oz/425 g) pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 can (15 oz/425 g) black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 can (15 oz/425 g) whole kernel corn (drained)
- 1 can (15 oz/425 g) diced tomatoes (with juice)
- 1 can (8 oz/227 g) tomato sauce
- 4 cups (1 liter) beef broth or water
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
- 1 packet (1 oz/28 g) taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon chili powder (optional, for heat)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
- Sour cream (optional)
- Chopped green onions (optional)
- Crushed tortilla chips (optional)
Instructions
- Sear and Sauté: In a large pot over medium heat, brown ground beef into fine crumbles. Add onions and garlic, cooking until they become translucent and aromatic.
- Build the Base: Pour in potatoes, crushed tomatoes, corn, pinto beans, black beans, and tomato sauce. Flood with beef broth, stirring to create a harmonious mixture.
- Season and Simmer: Sprinkle taco seasoning, chili powder, salt, and pepper throughout the soup. Bring to a robust boil, then reduce heat and cover. Allow ingredients to meld and tenderize for 25-30 minutes, occasionally stirring to prevent sticking.
- Taste and Adjust: Sample the soup’s flavor profile, fine-tuning seasonings as needed to achieve a balanced taste. Ensure all ingredients are tender and flavors have fully developed.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the hearty soup into bowls. Top with optional garnishes like shredded cheddar, sour cream, green onions, or crushed tortilla chips to add texture and visual appeal.
Notes
- Meat Mastery: Break ground beef into tiny, uniform pieces while searing to ensure even cooking and prevent large clumps that disrupt soup texture.
- Seasoning Strategy: Taste gradually when adding spices like taco seasoning and chili powder; start conservatively and incrementally increase to control flavor intensity without overwhelming the dish.
- Potato Precision: Cut potatoes into consistent, bite-sized cubes to guarantee uniform cooking and prevent some pieces from becoming mushy while others remain undercooked.
- Simmer Secrets: Maintain a low, gentle simmer instead of a rolling boil to allow ingredients to tender slowly, developing rich flavors and preventing potential ingredient breakdown or scorching.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg