This southwestern steak soup is hearty and simple to make. In this recipe, an affordable cut of beef, black beans, tomatoes, corn, and spices combine to make a flavorful soup that’s a little bit spicy and totally satisfying.
Aside from tasty southwest flavors this soup is chuck full of wholesome ingredients. You also get a big pot that will feed a crowd, or you can look forward to leftovers; it reheats well.
Beef soups are great because they can be made with affordable cuts and stretch a pound of meat. After you try this southwestern soup make this Cuban-style beef soup and a vegetable beef soup that’s sure to please.
What’s great about this recipe
- It’s an affordable way to get a hearty meal.
- It makes the most of pantry ingredients, so you end up with a wholesome dinner while saving time.
- It stretches a pound of meat to make 4-6 generous servings.
- The leftovers are great! Maybe even better than fresh because the flavors get a chance to meld in the fridge.
Ingredients
- Beef – We use top sirloin tip for this soup because it’s a flavorful, tender cut of meat without requiring a long cooking time. Sirloin and top round are also good options, try them in this beef stew recipe.
- Oil – Use a neutral (flavorless) oil with a high smoke point because the beef is browned at moderate-high heat. We use canola oil, use your favorite.
- Spices – Chili powder, cumin, crushed red pepper, and salt (if needed at the end) add flavor and spice to the soup.
- Vegetables – Onions and garlic work with the spices to add plenty of flavor. Use a yellow or white onion. Frozen corn adds color and texture to the southwestern soup.
- Pantry – From the pantry we need canned diced tomatoes, beef broth, and canned black beans. These convenience ingredients are great to have on hand for a variety of meals like this beef and bean chili. Use reduced sodium varieties of tomatoes, broth, and beans if you are sensitive to salt.
- Optional topping suggestions – Tortilla chips, sour cream, parsley, cilantro, green onions, shredded cheese, sliced black olives, hot sauce, sliced avocados, sliced jalapenos. (Optional ingredients not pictured)
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef. Arrange it in a single layer and cook for 3 minutes. Stir well, arrange it in one layer again. Cook for another 3 minutes. Then, continue cooking for 1-2 minutes until the liquid has cooked out and the beef is sizzling, stir constantly.
- Next, lower the heat to medium-low and add the onions. Cook them for 3 minutes, stir frequently.
- Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and crushed red pepper to the pot. Cook for 1-2 minutes stirring constantly.
- Add the diced tomatoes and beef broth. Stir well and raise the heat to high. Bring the broth to a simmer. Then, cover the pot, lower the heat to medium-low and cook the soup for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep it at a simmer. Raise or lower the heat as needed.
- Finally, add the black beans and corn. Stir well and raise the heat to high. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and cook the soup for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep it at a simmer. Raise or lower the heat as needed.
Taste the soup and add salt if needed. As a reference, we added ½ teaspoon to ours.
Serve the southwestern steak soup and garnish with tortilla chips, sour cream, and chopped parsley like we do or with your favorite toppings.
Frequently asked questions
Chuck roast is a great option because it’s so flavorful, but it requires a long cooking time. If you have extra time on your hands make this tasty stovetop pot roast featuring chuck roast. However, if you need dinner done fast, use a top sirloin tip, sirloin, or top round in your soup.
Yes. Browning the beef before building the soup adds a layer of flavor you just will not get simply by boiling the meat. Plus, browning meat creates a fond, which are browned bits left at the bottom of the pot after browning. Those bits take a soup from good to exceptional.
There are a few things you can do to give soup a homemade taste despite being made with canned ingredients. First, brown the meat (read why in the question above). Second, make a base, usually done by sautéing aromatics with the fond created by the meat. Third, simmer the broth with the base for at least 10-15 minutes before building the rest of the soup.
Storing and reheating instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To freeze the soup, cool it quickly and place in airtight freezer safe containers. Remember to leave an inch or two to allow for expansion. Freeze for 2-3 months.
Gently, reheat the soup in a covered saucepan over medium-low to low heat until heated through (at least 165°F), stir occasionally. Or reheat in the microwave. For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
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Southwestern Steak Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Oil use a neutral oil with a high smoke point – we use canola oil
- 1 pound Top Sirloin Tip cut into small cubes about ½-¾ inch (sirloin and top round are also good options)
- 1 Medium Onion finely diced
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 2 tablespoon Chili Powder
- ½ tablespoon Cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes optional – leave it out if you don’t like spicy food
- 2 (14 ounce) canned Diced Tomatoes (or one 28 ounce can)
- 4 cups Beef Broth
- 2 (15 ounce) cans Black Beans drained and rinsed
- 10 ounces Frozen Corn cooked just enough to defrost (about half the recommended cooking time listed on the package) and drained
- Salt to taste at the end if needed
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the beef. arrange it in a single layer and cook for 3 minutes.
- Stir well, arrange it in one layer again and cook another 3 minutes. Then, continue cooking for 1-2 minutes until the liquid has cooked out and the beef is sizzling, stir constantly.
- Next, lower the heat to medium-low and add the onions. Cook them for 3 minutes, stir frequently.
- Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and crushed red pepper to the pot. Cook for 1-2 minutes stirring constantly.
- Add the diced tomatoes and beef broth. Stir well and raise the heat to high. Bring the broth to a simmer (it will take about 5 minutes).
- Then, cover the pot, lower the heat to medium-low and cook the soup for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep it at a simmer. Raise or lower the heat as needed.
- Finally, add the black beans and corn. Stir well and raise the heat to high. Bring to a boil (will take about 2-3 minutes). Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and cook the soup for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep it at a simmer. Raise or lower the heat as needed.
- Taste the soup and add salt if needed. As a reference, we added ½ teaspoon to ours.
- Serve the southwestern steak soup and garnish with tortilla chips, sour cream, and chopped parsley like we do or with your favorite toppings.
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