Santa Fe Beef and Cheddar Chowder
This Santa Fe Beef and Cheddar Chowder is a Southwestern twist on a rich and cheesy chowder. Serve it with corn muffins, tortilla strips or chips for crunch. It’s filled with festive Southwestern flavors and makes the perfect dinner after a busy day.
Santa Fe Beef and Cheddar Chowder
We really love a variety of cuisines and spicy dishes from all around the world. Here in the US, Mexican food and Mexican inspired cuisine is abundant and incredibly popular. As a family, we enjoy this style of cooking and make our own homestyle fiesta on a regular basis. I’m always looking for more ways to add these flavors to our menu.
Like you, we love a bowl of soup. Traditional taco soup, always hits the spots when topped with our favorite taco fixins’ whether it’s beef or chicken taco soup. Looking for a way to change things up a bit, I began experimenting with the flavors in this cheesy Southwestern chowder. Serve it hot with your favorite toppings and a side of crusty bread. It’s a bowl filled with comfort.
How to Make the BEST Santa Fe Beef and Cheddar Chowder
- Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Santa Fe Beef and Cheddar Chowder: Ground beef, Mexican corn, black beans, onion, red and green bell pepper, olive oil, Rotel tomatoes, taco seasoning, all purpose flour, salt, chicken stock, seasoned salt, lemon pepper, Velveeta cheese, milk, cilantro and green onions.
- Kitchen tools you’ll need: Dutch oven or large soup pot, measuring cups and spoons, sharp knife and chopping board, large spoon and ladle for serving.
- You can use any brand of easy melt cheese for this recipe. A private label store brand or Velveeta will work.
- You can adapt the thickness of the chower by adding more milk.
- You could substitute seasonings using ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano and chipotle or ancho chili powder in place of the taco seasoning, in desired amounts.
- Be careful not to boil the chowder after the cheese is added to prevent the broth from separating.
- This chowder has a very rich texture without using full fat cheese and milk. If desired, you can make it using full fat dairy. However, it’s not necessary for this soup to have a rich and satisfying taste.
- Store Santa Fe Beef and Cheddar Chowder chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in single servings in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium heat. You may need to add additional stock or milk to thin.
More Soup Recipes to Make
- Fully Loaded Smashed Potato Soup is comfort food in a bowl.
- French Onion Soup topped with a large toasted slice of bread and gooey cheese.
- Lentil Soup is rich and hearty and the flavorful broth is made for dipping crusty bread.
- Lasagna Soup is quick and easy for Italian night at home.
- Butternut Squash Soup is topped with a dollop of sour cream and roasted seasoned seeds.
- You may also like to try my creamy Tex-Mex Chicken Taco Soup using rotisserie chicken.
- Homestyle Hamburger Soup is a low cost soup that will feed the whole family.
- You may also enjoy my Parade article featuring 18 Best Crockpot Soups.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Santa Fe Beef And Cheddar Chowder
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 359kcal
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper diced
- 1 small green or poblano pepper diced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup plus one Tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 1.25 oz packet taco seasoning
- 1 tsp seasoned salt
- 1 tsp lemon pepper
- 1 32 oz carton chicken stock
- 1 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies ] [i.e. Rotel]
- 1 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 11 oz can Mexican corn drained
- 1 16 oz block 2% cheese, i.e. Velveeta cubed
- 1 cup 2 % milk
- 2 Tbsp cilantro chopped
- 2 green onions chopped
- assorted toppings for serving: tortilla strips or chips, chopped green onions, shredded cheese
Instructions
- In a large stove top pot or dutch oven, cook onion and peppers over medium-high heat for 2 minutes or until translucent.
- Add ground beef. Cook the ground beef until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat from the pot.
- To the pot add flour. Mix until beef is coated. Add taco seasoning, seasoned salt and lemon pepper. Mix well.
- Increase heat and gradually add chicken broth, tomatoes, black beans and corn. Bring to a boil then, decrease heat to medium-low. Taste and adjust the salt, if needed.
- Simmer covered on medium-low for 25-30 minutes.
- After 25 minutes, uncover. To the pot add cubed Velveeta and milk. Stir constantly over low heat, until the cheese is completely melted.
- Allow to bubble on low heat for another 10 minutes Add cilantro and 2 chopped green onions just before serving.
- Serve immediately with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- This chowder has a very rich texture without using full fat cheese and milk. If desired, this chowder can be prepared using full fat dairy.Â
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 1603mg | Potassium: 322mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 569IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg
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