Description
This Pinto Beans, Green Chile, and Beef Soup is a cozy, hearty bowl of Southwestern comfort. Tender pinto beans, seasoned ground beef, and layers of green chile flavor simmer together into a rich, satisfying soup that’s perfect for busy weeknights or laid-back weekends. Toss everything in the slow cooker and let it do the work while you get on with your day.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 cups cooked pinto beans (or 2 cans, 15 oz each, drained and rinsed)
- 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies (such as Rotel)
- 1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Brown the beef: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef with the diced onion, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the beef is browned and the onions are soft, 6–8 minutes.
- Drain: Carefully drain off any excess fat from the skillet, if necessary.
- Transfer to slow cooker: Add the cooked beef and onions to the slow cooker crock.
- Add remaining ingredients: Stir in the pinto beans, diced tomatoes with green chilies, diced green chilies, beef broth, and chili powder until everything is well combined.
- Slow cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 4–6 hours or on HIGH for 2–3 hours, until the soup is hot throughout and the flavors have melded.
- Season: Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as needed. Add extra chili powder or a dash of hot sauce if you like more heat.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and chopped cilantro, if desired. Serve warm with cornbread or tortilla chips.
Notes
- Using cooked-from-scratch pinto beans will give the soup a creamier consistency than canned beans.
- Adjust the thickness by adding a splash of extra beef broth or water if the soup gets too thick as it cooks.
- This recipe is flexible—use what you have on hand, like black beans or kidney beans instead of pinto beans.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours (on LOW)
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Southwestern / Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 generous bowl (about 1 1/2 cups)
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
Keywords: pinto bean soup, green chile soup, beef and bean soup, slow cooker soup, crockpot soup, Tex-Mex soup