Crockpot Cowboy Soup gets its name because it keeps your belly full and satisfied, which is ideal for any cowboy looking for a nourishing meal. Between the beans, beef, and plenty of vegetables, you get a variety of flavors, textures, and plenty of nutrition. I love soups that taste amazing but are also good for you.
I keep this cowboy hamburger soup on rotation often. It's easy to brown the beef and throw all the ingredients into the crockpot and let it cook all day. The best part is that not only is cleanup after dinner a breeze, but cooking this soup all day makes my house smell so good.
I highly recommend these pinto beans and this baked beans with sausage for more recipes that utilize beans.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's great for meal prep: If you're looking for a filling meal to enjoy throughout the week that's no fuss to reheat, this hearty cowboy soup is the best solution.
- It's budget-friendly: I found that the ingredients for this soup are pretty inexpensive, so you don't have to worry about spending a lot of extra money to try it.
- It takes just 15 minutes to prepare: It takes only about 15 minutes of hands-on time to prepare the components, and then the crockpot does the rest.
Ingredients
These ingredients are essential for this cowboy soup recipe. The beef and beans are what give it a hearty flavor and texture, as well as plenty of protein to keep you full!
- Ground beef: I like lean ground beef for this; 80% lean works great. This will minimize the amount of grease that it produces.
- Beans: You can use any variety of canned beans that you like. I went with pinto and black beans. Ensure that you drain and rinse the beans before you add them to the pot.
- Tomato sauce: This adds richness and depth to the broth. I also enjoy the acidity that it brings, too. It doesn't make the final soup too thick either, so I prefer it over tomato paste.
- Broth: I like beef broth best because I love the flavor it adds to the beans and the ground beef. Feel free to try a low-sodium variety if you would like a less salty flavor.
- Spices: This recipe leans toward smoky spices, including chili powder, cumin, and paprika. It gives the cowboy soup some southwestern flavors.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Smoky BBQ: Try this cowboy crockpot soup with smoked sausage instead of ground beef, and add some barbecue sauce to give it BBQ flair.
- Italian: Swap the ground beef for ground Italian sausage and use some fresh basil to enhance the Italian vibes.
- Add beer: Use 1-2 cups of beer in place of the same amount of broth. Try a deep stout like Guinness to really complement the other ingredients.
- Vegetarian: Instead of making this cowboy soup with ground beef, swap it with a plant-based alternative like Impossible meat, and use a vegetable broth to make it vegetarian-friendly.
How to Make Cowboy Soup in the Crockpot
Below are the steps needed to prepare this crockpot cowboy soup recipe. Prepare your veggies and drain the beans before you get started.
Step 1: Brown the ground beef. Add your ground beef to a large skillet over medium heat and cook it until it's no longer pink. Then, drain any excess grease.
Step 2: Add the meat and veggies. Next, add the chopped veggies, aromatics, beans, tomato products, and beef into the bottom of the slow cooker.
Step 3: Pour in broth and seasonings. Pour in the broth and add the spices, and then give all the ingredients a good stir to combine them.
Step 4: Cook. Cover the pot and cook the soup for 6-8 hours on low heat or 3-4 hours on high heat. Garnish with parsley before serving and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Try a slow cooker liner: Make cleanup extra easy by using a disposable liner for your crockpot. This will let you skip washing it!
- Use a good-quality broth: A high-quality broth will have plenty of depth of flavor, rather than just taste salty. This will make your slow cooker cowboy soup even better.
- Check the potatoes for doneness: The potatoes will take the longest to cook, so I like to double-check them before serving to ensure they are fork-tender.
If you love a hearty, slow-cooked meal, you'll want to try this cowboy stew.
If you enjoy soup recipes like this, you should check out our Tuscan white bean soup. It's easy to make and hits the spot.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store leftovers of this cowboy soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You may freeze it all together or in separate containers for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: You may reheat the soup in a saucepan over low heat for 10-12 minutes or in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
- Make Ahead: Feel free to use this soup for meal prep and prepare it at the beginning of the week to enjoy as a quick dinner on a busy night or as a hearty lunch.
Serving Suggestions
- My favorite way to enjoy this soup is with tasty bread on the side to sop up any extra broth. Try this brown bread and these dinner rolls when you make crockpot cowboy soup.
- I love a good grilled cheese and soup combo. Prepare garlic grilled cheese or mushroom grilled cheese for a fun twist.
- Sometimes, I like to add spice to my broth-based soups. This Scotch Bonnet hot sauce adds depth and a lovely pepper flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Brown it first! Adding the raw beef will make it harder to break up and add extra grease to the soup. Once it's browned, drain the extra fat before transferring it to the crockpot.
You may blend some of the potatoes or make a cornstarch slurry to thicken it if you like. It's not meant to be a thick soup.
Overcooked beans will split and become mushy. Feel free to add them halfway through the cooking process if you want them to remain firm. I typically don't find this to be an issue, but if you make this recipe and have mushy beans, this is my suggestion.
More Delicious Crockpot Soup Recipes
Do you like crockpot soups? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Crockpot Cowboy Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 russet potato diced (skin on or peeled)
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 cups mixed frozen vegetables peas, carrots, green beans, corn
- 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes (with juices)
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- 5-6 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Brown the beef: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Prepare the slow cooker: Coat the inside of your slow cooker with a light layer of cooking spray or oil.
- Add aromatics: Place the chopped onion and minced garlic in the slow cooker.
- Add ingredients: Add the browned beef, diced potato, corn, mixed vegetables, pinto beans, black beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, seasonings and beef broth. Adjust the broth to cover the ingredients slightly. (About 6 cups)
- Mix: Mix everything until combined.
- Cook: Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until the potatoes and vegetables are tender.
- Garnish and serve: Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- If you want a slightly thicker soup, feel free to use your blender to puree some of the potatoes.
- Brown the beef before adding it to the slow cooker to ensure it cooks fully and evenly, and prevents the soup from becoming greasy.
- Use a slow cooker liner for extra easy cleanup!
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