Thirteen ingredients and forty-five minutes, in one soup pot.
The cowboy flavour here comes from spice and chile rather than the beans, corn and bacon it's often associated with. None of those is in this soup.
Why This Recipe Works
- Browning the beef with the onion builds a savoury base in the same pot.
- Draining the fat keeps a creamy soup from turning greasy.
- Blooming green chiles, paprika and cumin briefly gives the soup its smoky warmth.
- Yukon Gold potatoes turn tender without falling apart.
- A small cornstarch slurry with the half-and-half makes it creamy but still spoonable.
Ingredient Notes
- Mild green chiles
- Half a cup, diced. These are the small green pieces in the soup, and a big part of its cowboy-style character.
- Smoked paprika and ground cumin
- A teaspoon of each. Together with the chiles, they carry the smoky, warm flavour.
- Yukon Gold potatoes and carrots
- Three cups and a cup and a half, diced. They hold their shape in the simmer.
- Half-and-half with a cornstarch slurry
- A cup, with a tablespoon of cornstarch in two of cold water. Creamy, but still a soup rather than a stew.
How to Make It
Beef browned with onion to 160°F, fat drained
Brown ground beef with onion in a soup pot over medium-high until the beef reaches 160°F; drain excess fat.
Green chiles, paprika and cumin stirred in thirty seconds
Stir in green chiles, smoked paprika and cumin for 30 seconds.
Potatoes, carrots and broth simmered until tender
Add potatoes, carrots and broth. Simmer 15 to 18 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Half-and-half and slurry simmered until creamy
Stir in half-and-half and the cornstarch slurry and simmer gently 3 to 4 minutes until creamy but still spoonable.
Seasoned and finished with parsley
Season with salt and pepper and finish with parsley.
No beans, corn, bacon or cheese
Keep the soup free of beans, corn, bacon and cheese.
Cowboy Without the Usual Suspects
There are none of the beans, corn or bacon a cowboy recipe usually carries. Here THE COWBOY-STYLE FLAVOUR COMES FROM SMOKY PAPRIKA, CUMIN AND GREEN CHILE RATHER THAN BEANS, CORN OR BACON.
- Smoke1 tsp smoked paprika
- STIRRED IN FOR 30 SECONDS with the chiles and cumin after the beef is browned. Half of the cowboy identity, and the source of the orange tint in the creamy broth.
- Warmth1 tsp ground cumin
- Bloomed alongside the paprika. Earthy rather than hot.
- Green chile1/2 cup diced mild green chiles
- The small green pieces are MILD GREEN CHILES. Mild on purpose - the flavour is warm and green, not fiery.
- Savoury body1 1/2 lb ground beef, 1 medium onion, 3 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, 1 1/2 cups carrots, 4 cups beef broth
- The beef BROWNED WITH THE ONION UNTIL IT REACHES 160°F and the fat DRAINED - it should reach 160°F BEFORE BUILDING THE SOUP. Then the vegetables and broth SIMMERED 15 TO 18 MINUTES UNTIL TENDER.
- Creaminess - but still spoonable1 cup half-and-half, 1 tbsp cornstarch in 2 tbsp cold water
- SIMMERED GENTLY 3 TO 4 MINUTES UNTIL CREAMY BUT STILL SPOONABLE. A small slurry rather than a roux or cheese, which would take it toward the cheeseburger soup it is separated from.
SEASONED WITH 1 tsp SALT AND 1/2 tsp PEPPER and FINISHED WITH 2 tbsp PARSLEY. The final step is a boundary: KEEP THE SOUP FREE OF BEANS, CORN, BACON AND CHEESE. Creamy leftovers are REFRIGERATED PROMPTLY.
Success Tips
- Drain the beef fat well before adding the chiles and spices.
- Test a potato cube before adding the dairy — it should be tender through.
- Keep the simmer gentle once the half-and-half is in.
Serving Ideas
Six bowls of creamy orange-tinted soup with browned ground beef, diced potato and carrot, mild green chiles and a scatter of parsley and black pepper.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes it a cowboy soup?
Here, smoked paprika, cumin and mild green chiles. This version doesn't use the beans, corn or bacon that some cowboy recipes do.
Should I top it with cheese or bacon?
Not for this recipe. It is kept free of beans, corn, bacon and cheese.
Can I keep leftovers?
Refrigerate them promptly, since the soup is creamy. Reheat gently and loosen with a splash of broth if it thickens.
