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This hearty cowboy soup combines your favorite Tex-Mex ingredients like ground beef, beans, vegetables, and smoky seasonings. Bring the wild west to your kitchen with this budget-friendly and filling soup! It makes great leftovers and is full of healthy ingredients, making it the perfect weeknight meal.

Love hearty soups? Try ground turkey vegetable soup, sweet and spicy chili, or Italian meatball soup next.

a bowl of cowboy soup in a bowl with a spoon.
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Cowboy soup is a hearty combination of meat, vegetables, and savory broth that even the hungriest cowboys will enjoy. It features a meat and potatoes base with a touch of Tex Mex seasoning to match the flavors out west. It’s my cowboy caviar in soup form!

Making a big batch of this soup is my favorite way to pack wholesome and nutritious ingredients into one meal. Recipes like healthy chicken tortilla soup, sweet potato chili and this cowboy stew pack in the vegetables in a rich flavorful, broth.

It’s a dump and go recipe you can easily convert to the crock pot or make into a freezer meal, which I love to do with this crock pot steak chili.

Save this easy recipe for whenever you’re feeding hungry cowboys, kiddos, or friends! And serve it with gluten-free cornbread for the perfect weeknight meal.

Why You’ll Love this Cowboy Soup

  • Hearty and satisfying.
  • Makes a big batch!
  • Packed with protein (no stronger source of protein than beef!).
  • Quick and easy.
  • Perfect for leftovers and freezing.
  • Full of nutritious vegetables.
  • Rustic, smoky flavors of the wild west.

Ingredients You Need

Here are the simple ingredients for this cowboy soup recipe. Skip to the recipe card for exact measurements.

cowboy soup ingredients on a counter.
  • Ground beef: hamburger meat is where all the protein comes from. It’s my favorite cut of beef as we head back to school with busy schedules! Some of my weeknight staples include healthy sloppy joes and taco pasta.
  • Mirepoux: a combination of onion, celery, and carrots. You could buy frozen mirepoix to save time.
  • Potatoes: I used yukon gold, but I also like baby red potatoes.
  • Tomatoes: diced tomatoes with juice or fire roasted tomatoes work.
  • Corn: canned corn or fresh corn work.
  • Broth: Beef stock or bone broth are great options for more nutrients.
  • Spices: a mixture of smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and Italian seasoning create a smoky southwest flavor.
  • Beans: I love black eyed peas but you can use any bean you have on hand.

Recipe Variations

  • Leftover vegetables: This soup is a great way to use up veggies in the fridge before they go bad. You can try adding mushrooms, bell peppers, or even stir in spinach at the end.
  • Different beans: try black beans, kidney beans, or chili beans.
  • More spices: add taco seasoning, cajun seasoning, or more salt to taste.
  • More heat: stir in some hot sauce, sriracha, red pepper flakes, or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
  • Low carb: swap the potatoes for cauliflower florets.

How to Make Cowboy Soup

Here are the simple steps, with photos, to make this cowboy hamburger soup. Skip to the recipe card for the printable version.

onion and celery satueed in a stock pot.

Step 1. Saute Vegetables. Cook the veggies in olive oil in a Dutch oven.

ground beef in a soup pot with onion and celery.

Step 2. Brown the Beef. Break up the ground beef with the veggies until no pink remains.

cowboy soup ingredients in a dutch oven before mixing.

Step 3. Stir in Soup Ingredients. Add the remaining ingredients and spices and stir well to combine.

cowboy hamburger soup in a large soup pot.

Step 4. Simmer. Bring the cowboy soup to a boil over high heat then turn it down and simmer for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

Expert Tips

  1. Get creative with the vegetables and canned foods you have on hand.
  2. Don’t overcook the soup! It’s ready when the potatoes are fork-tender. Overcooking can result in mushy potatoes.
  3. Use frozen mirepoix to save time chopping celery, onion, and carrots.
  4. Cowboy soup gets more flavorful as it sits overnight so store it overnight and enjoy it as leftovers! Add more broth as needed if the veggies absorb some of the liquid.

Can I Make it In the Crockpot or Instant Pot?

Yes! You can make this cowboy soup in both a slow cooker and crock pot.

Crock Pot Cowboy Soup: Brown the meat on the stove and add it to the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 6-8 hours and enjoy!

Instant Pot Cowboy Soup: Saute the onion and celery on the saute setting then brown the meat. Add the remaining ingredients and pressure cook (manual) for 15 minutes with a quick release.

Make Ahead and Storage

Fridge: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Allow the soup to cool complete then transfer it to a freezer safe container or freezer bags. Label and date the bag then store flat in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Reheat: Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove or in the microwave until heated through.

This post is sponsored by The Ohio Beef Council. Visit www.OhioBeef.org, and follow the Ohio Beef Council on FacebookTwitter and Instagram for beef nutrition facts, cooking tips, recipes and to meet Ohio’s beef farming families.

ladling cowboy hamburger soup out of a stock pot.

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Tap stars to rate!
4.92 from 12 votes

Cowboy Soup

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
This hearty cowboy soup comes together in 30 minutes or less! Feed the hungriest crowd with ground beef and hearty vegetables simmered in a flavorful broth.

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Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 3 stalks celery diced
  • 4 cloves garlic mined
  • 2 lbs ground beef
  • 1 lb yukon gold potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces (4 medium potatoes)
  • 4 carrots peeled and sliced into rounds
  • 1 (14.5 -ounce) can green beans drained
  • 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black eyed peas drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15-ounce) can corn drained
  • 4-6 cups beef broth I used 6 cups
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste
  • Toppings as desired see notes

Instructions 

  • Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, add the onion and celery and cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
    2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion, 3 stalks celery, 4 cloves garlic
  • Add the ground beef and brown until no pink remains. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, spices, and 4 cups of beef broth until combined. Add up to 2 cups more broth to reach desired consistency.
    2 lbs ground beef
  • Turn the heat up to high and bring it to a boil. Once it’s boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 14-16 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as needed.
    1 lb yukon gold potatoes, 4 carrots, 1 (14.5 -ounce) can green beans, 3 Tablespoons tomato paste, 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, 1 (15-ounce) can black eyed peas, 1 (15-ounce) can corn, 4-6 cups beef broth, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons chili powder, Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste
  • Serve hot with desired toppings. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or covered in the microwave until heated through.
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!

Notes

Soup Toppings: parmesan cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, crushed tortilla chips, fritos, or sour cream.
Shortcut: purchase frozen mirepoix (mixture of onion, celery, and carrots) to save chopping time.
Beans: use any beans you have on hand like black beans or chili beans. You could even add a can of baked beans!
Crock Pot: Brown the meat on the stove and add it to the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients. Cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours and enjoy!
Instant Pot: Saute the onion and celery on the saute setting then brown the meat. Add the remaining ingredients and pressure cook (manual) for 15 minutes with a quick release.
Freezer: Allow the soup to cool complete then transfer it to a freezer safe container or freezer bags. Label and date the bag then store flat in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (560g) | Calories: 449kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 437mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 5537IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

MyFitnessPal Entry Cowboy Soup – What Molly Made
4.92 from 12 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Recipe Rating




26 Comments

  1. Mark Letcher says:

    5 stars
    We loved the soup. I used 6 cups of broth and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. I also added pickle’s jalapeños. Yum and WOW! Thank you-

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Okayyyy pickled jalapenos sounds AMAZING. Great add. Thanks!

  2. Dan says:

    5 stars
    This was so Delicious and Hardy. Will definitely be making this for many years to come! Thank you for sharing

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Wow! Pumped to be on the list for many years! Thanks, Dan.

  3. Pou says:

    5 stars
    My favorite soup out there! I used frozen tomatoes (they were from my garden, but I frozen them) instead of diced tomatoes, I used butternut squash instead of potatoes, and I used chicken broth (made from chicken bouillon) & this turned out amazing!

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Umm yum! Love these variations. Thanks for sharing!

  4. Elisa Hansen says:

    5 stars
    Made it for my work soup month and it was a major hit… I did space the salt but people added it if they wanted and it worked great!!!!!

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Thanks!

  5. Jean Edwards says:

    5 stars
    Simply delicious and so flavorful!

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Thanks so much Jean!

  6. Darlene says:

    5 stars
    I made this soup and it’s absolutely the BEST !
    I can’t wait to make it again !!! 😊

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      So glad to hear that!

  7. Beth says:

    Do the potatoes need to be peeled first?

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Hey Beth! Nope, you can leave the peel on them. Just make sure to wash them well! You can peel them if you prefer though.

  8. Jackie says:

    5 stars
    Yummy! I really liked how this turned out. all the ingredients go well together and make it a perfect warm stew. I will say however that I don’t think the time estimate is very close—says 30 minutes total, but it took me an hour. It was 25 minutes to prep alone. I’ll make this again, it makes a ton! I might try to freeze it and hopefully it freezes well.

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Thanks Jackie!! Prep time is definitely subjective based on how fast/slow you are at chopping. You could use a frozen mirepoix next time to save time if you want to!

  9. Lauren Herren says:

    5 stars
    This was out of this WORLD. I will be eating it every day for lunch this week and look forward to it!!

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Love that Lauren!! I think it’s even better as leftovers!

  10. Emily Geiser says:

    5 stars
    Made the soup for a lazy Sunday afternoon. My husband was recently diagnosed with Celiac disease, learning what we can cook. Couldn’t have been better! Family loved it. Thank you!!!!

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Thanks so much, Emily! I have tons of gluten-free recipes on my site and almost always share a gluten-free option:) Hope you find some more you love!

  11. Airis says:

    5 stars
    Came out great also added taco seasoning and diced green, red and yellow bell peppers for a little more flavor

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Diced green onions sounds delish!

  12. Nanette says:

    4 stars
    My husband loves soup me..not so much but this was more like chili so I loved it too! The only problem was the gold potatoes. Golds take a really long time to cook and I know that so I wish I had trusted my knowledge about them and substituted white potatoes. Other than that it was truly delicious!

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Hey there! Did you cut the potatoes into 1-inch pieces? You shouldn’t be boiling them whole or they will take a while. I had no problem getting these fork-tender in the alotted time for this soup or my other veggie soups.

  13. Gail says:

    Crockpot cooking times need an edit. Why cook on low less time then cooking on high?
    “ Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 6-8 hours and enjoy!”
    Looks like a great recipe.

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Hi Gail! You’re right, that was a typo:) It’s updated!