Ingredients
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 (e.g., 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
These ingredients closely match other Pinto Bean, Green Chile, and Beef soup recipes that combine ground beef, onion, pinto beans, green chilies, tomatoes, chili powder, and broth. Using canned or pre-cooked pinto beans keeps the cook time convenient while still giving a creamy, hearty texture, and Rotel-style tomatoes with green chilies add both acidity and gentle heat in one can.
Step-by-step instructions
Start by browning the beef and onion. In a skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef and diced onion and cook, breaking up the beef with a spoon, until the meat is browned and the onions are soft and translucent. Drain off any excess fat to prevent the soup from becoming greasy, just as most slow cooker beef-and-bean recipes recommend.
Transfer the cooked beef and onions to the slow cooker. Add the cooked pinto beans, the can of diced tomatoes with green chilies, the extra diced green chilies, beef broth, and chili powder. Stir everything together well so the beans, meat, and vegetables are evenly distributed and the chili powder is dissolved into the broth. This layering mirrors other slow cooker pinto bean and beef soups where the browned beef mixture becomes the base and the beans, chilies, and broth build the body of the soup.
Cover the slow cooker 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 blended. In similar recipes, this slow simmer gives the pinto beans time to soften further and absorb the chili and chile flavors, while the broth thickens slightly as starch from the beans enriches the liquid.
Once the cooking time is up, taste the soup and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. Beef broth, canned tomatoes, and green chilies can vary in saltiness, so seasoning at the end ensures you do not oversalt earlier. If you want more heat, this is the moment to stir in a pinch of cayenne or a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with shredded cheese, a spoonful of sour cream, and chopped fresh cilantro if desired. The toppings echo those used on taco soups and green chile stews, adding richness, creaminess, and fresh herbal notes. Warm cornbread, tortillas, or tortilla chips on the side make it feel like a complete Southwestern-inspired meal.
What each ingredient contributes
Ground beef provides richness, protein, and savory depth, much like in taco soup and green chile beef stews. Browning it with onion develops flavorful browned bits and sweetness that carry through the entire soup.
Pinto beans are the hearty backbone, adding creaminess and body to the broth. Many Southwestern and Tex-Mex style soups use pinto beans for their soft, creamy flesh and ability to thicken the broth slightly as they simmer.
Diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel-style) and the additional can of green chilies deliver acidity, tomato brightness, and a mild to medium heat level. The double chile combination deepens the chili flavor without having to add many individual spices.
Beef broth creates a savory base and ties the beef and beans together. Using broth instead of water matches other hearty bean-and-beef soup recipes and gives the final dish a richer, more satisfying taste.
Chili powder adds a warm, earthy spice that leans toward chili and taco soup territory without turning this into a thick chili. Salt and pepper fine-tune the overall flavor, while toppings like cheese and sour cream add extra richness and balance the heat from the chilies and chili powder.