Beef Enchilada Soup

Beef Enchilada Soup is a quick and easy weeknight meal that has all the flavors of traditional enchiladas. But, instead of taking hours to make, it’s ready in just 40 short minutes. 

Soup is Delicious!

I confess, I make soup all 12 months of the year and love it no matter what the temperature is. Is anyone else with me on this?

We all know that soup is especially comforting when it’s freezing cold outside. It has a way of warming you up from the inside out. But, I find that soup is still comforting even when it’s sunny and 85 degrees.

It just has so much delicious flavor and there’s endless ways to make soup.

Beef Enchilada Soup

I’m particularly excited about this beef enchilada soup. It’s incredibly easy to make AND it tastes just like an enchilada. That’s right folks, it tastes just like an enchilada, you heard it here.

Don’t get me wrong, I love enchiladas, but they can take a little bit of time to make. This soup, on the other hand, comes together really quickly, like 40-ish minutes, start to finish. That makes beef enchilada soup perfect for a weeknight dinner and the leftovers make a delicious lunch.

Spiciness and Toppings

This soup is relatively mild in spice. If your family prefers it spicier, you can add an extra chipotle pepper or more adobo sauce. You could also bump up the amount of chili powder.

The toppings I’ve listed are totally optional, but I highly recommend them. The Fritos give a nice crunch and add a little saltiness. As far as the cheese goes, we all know everything is better with cheese, but totally up to you.

If you’re REALLY crazy for toppings, go ahead and add a dollop of sour cream and/or some diced avocado. Both would be totally delish as well.

So….what’s for dinner at your house tonight? Maybe a big pot of this beef enchilada soup? I promise you won’t regret it.

Tips and Tricks

• This soup can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
• I highly recommend garnishing with shredded sharp cheddar cheese and Fritos, it really adds to the flavor. Sour cream would also be a tasty addition.
• I recommend simmering for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to develop, but the longer you simmer it the better the flavors will be.
• Any color bell pepper can be used, but my preference is red mainly for the sweeter flavor, but also for the pop of color.

Ingredients Needed to Make Beef Enchilada Soup

Full instructions can be found below in the printable recipe card

• Ground beef –  I recommend 85 or 90 percent lean, so that the soup doesn’t turn out too greasy.
• Red onion – If you don’t have red onion on hand, you can substitute yellow or white onions.
• Red bell pepper – This is my preference over green bell pepper for both the vibrant color as well as the sweeter flavor.
• Fresh garlic
• Olive oil – Vegetable oil can be substituted if you don’t have olive oil on hand.
• Canned tomato sauce –
• Chipotle in adobo – You can find this in the Mexican section of your grocery store.
• Adobo sauce (from the same can)
• Chili powder
• Cumin
• Dried oregano
• Salt
• Black pepper, divided
• Fresh cilantro – This brightens up the flavor of the chili. If you don’t care for cilantro, you can substitute fresh parsley which will also brighten up the flavor.
• Canned black beans
• Chicken stock
• Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
• Fritos (optional)

How to Make Beef Enchilada Soup

• Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat.
• Add ground beef to pot and break up with a spoon.
• Once beef is broken up, add onion, red pepper and garlic.
• Cook until beef is no longer pink and onions are soft.
• Add tomato sauce, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper.
• Stir until well combined.
• Stir in cilantro, beans and chicken stock.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to develop.
• Serve with cheese and Fritos for topping, if desired.

More Soups to Love

• Shrimp Coconut Curry Soup
• Osso Buco Soup
• Homemade Weeknight Chicken Noodle Soup
• Easy Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup
• Philly Cheese Steak Soup
• Beer Cheese Soup Recipe
• Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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Yield: 6-8 servings

Beef Enchilada Soup

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Beef enchilada soup is a quick and easy weeknight meal that has all the flavors of traditional enchiladas. But instead of taking hours to make, it's ready in just 40 short minutes. 

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 1 chipotle pepper from a can of chipotle in adobo, minced
• 2 tsp adobo sauce (from the same can)
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp pepper, divided
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
• 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups chicken stock
• shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
• Fritos (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat.
2. Add ground beef to pot and break up with a spoon.
3. Once beef is broken up, add onion, red pepper and garlic. 
4. Cook until beef is no longer pink and onions are soft.
5. Add tomato sauce, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. 
6. Stir until well combined.
7. Stir in cilantro, beans and chicken stock.
8. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to develop.
9. Serve with cheese and Fritos for topping, if desired.

Notes

Topping the soup with shredded cheese and Fritos is optional, but highly recommended.

Some more topping ideas would be sour cream and/or avocado.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 430Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 1603mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 7gSugar: 10gProtein: 31g

ENJOY!