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High Protein Cowboy Soup

Hearty one-pot soup with ground beef, potatoes, beans, and vegetables ready in 30 minutes with 39g of protein per serving.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 449
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs ground beef
  • 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 medium potatoes)
  • 4 carrots peeled and sliced into rounds
  • 3 stalks celery diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juices fire-roasted works well
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) green beans drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) black-eyed peas drained and rinsed (or any bean on hand)
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn drained
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 4-6 cups beef broth use more for a thinner consistency
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste
  • optional toppings shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, or crushed tortilla chips

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven or stockpot (at least 6 quarts)
  • wooden spoon or spatula
  • knife and cutting board

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot (at least 6 quarts) over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the diced onion and celery. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
  3. Add the ground beef to the pot. Break it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks until no pink remains, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess grease if necessary, leaving a little for flavor.
  4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute to deepen the flavor. Then add the diced tomatoes with juice, potatoes, carrots, green beans, black-eyed peas, corn, Italian seasoning, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
  5. Pour in 4 cups of beef broth, stirring well and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add up to 2 more cups of broth if you prefer a thinner soup.
  6. Increase heat to high and bring the soup to a rolling boil.
  7. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 14 to 16 minutes until potatoes and carrots are fork-tender. Check at 14 minutes.
  8. Taste and adjust seasonings with additional salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as needed.
  9. Serve hot with your choice of toppings such as shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, or crushed tortilla chips.

Notes

Storage: Store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge before reheating. Reheating: Warm on stovetop over medium heat with a splash of broth, or microwave individual portions on medium power for 3-4 minutes. Substitutions: Use ground turkey or venison instead of beef. Replace potatoes with cauliflower florets for low-carb version (reduce simmer time to 10-12 minutes). Pinto beans or kidney beans work in place of black-eyed peas. Pro Tip: Cut all vegetables to uniform sizes for even cooking. Don't overcook—remove from heat as soon as potatoes are fork-tender to prevent mushiness. For thicker soup, mash a few potato pieces against the pot during final minutes of cooking.