Beef Enchilada Soup (Print Version)
Hearty soup with ground beef, beans, corn, and spiced tomato broth. Ready in 45 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 pound lean ground beef
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 cup frozen or canned corn kernels, drained if canned
→ Canned Goods
06 - 1 can (15 ounce) black beans, drained and rinsed
07 - 1 can (15 ounce) diced tomatoes with juices
08 - 1 can (10 ounce) red enchilada sauce
09 - 4 cups beef broth
→ Spices & Seasonings
10 - 1 tablespoon chili powder
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
15 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
→ Optional Garnishes
16 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
17 - 1/2 cup sour cream
18 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
19 - Tortilla strips or chips
20 - Diced avocado
# Directions:
01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through (approximately 5 minutes). Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and diced bell pepper to the pot. Sauté for 4–5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.
03 - Stir in the chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant.
04 - Introduce the drained and rinsed black beans, corn, diced tomatoes (with their juices), red enchilada sauce, and beef broth to the pot. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
05 - Bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing the flavors to meld.
06 - Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or pepper as needed to achieve desired flavor balance.
07 - Ladle the hot soup into individual bowls. Garnish generously with shredded cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, fresh chopped cilantro, tortilla strips or chips, and diced avocado, if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- This soup is a weeknight lifesaver, delivering bold, complex flavors without spending hours in the kitchen.
- It's incredibly versatile, perfect for using up pantry staples and easily adaptable to what you have on hand.
02 -
- Properly browning the beef and draining the fat is a small step that makes a huge difference in the final flavor and richness of your broth.
- Toasting the dried spices for just a minute before adding liquids intensifies their flavors immensely, transforming them from dusty powders to fragrant powerhouses.
03 -
- Don't rush the initial sauté of your onions, garlic, and bell pepper; giving them time to soften properly builds essential sweetness and flavor.
- Always taste and adjust seasonings at the end of cooking; flavors can deepen and change, and a final tweak ensures perfect balance.