Bozeman has been slow to head towards winter which makes it difficult to dive into fall cooking. The weather is a little bipolar, often jumping between 20’s one week and high 50’s the next. As someone who loves cold weather, the latter of the two makes me very upset inside. Recently, however, we had a short bout of 30’s, which led me to making this wonderful slow cooker soup.

In addition to being incredibly fast to assemble (not including cooking time, of course) this soup is delicious and perfect for a chilly fall day. A little spicy, this soup version of a Mexican dinner is warm and hearty and goes great with a side of cornbread. (Or if you’re me, cornbread goes great with a side of this soup.) M is a hunter so I used deer steak we had in the freezer, but use whatever meat or poultry you prefer. Corn, black beans, and green beans come together for a healthy and filling meal with the spiciness of chili peppers and enchilada sauce.

As with most slow cooker recipes, this one is very easy to modify to fit your personal preferences. Add and subtract canned/frozen veggies as you like, but be mindful of the overall volume as my small crock pot barely fit this recipe. It’s also easy to tailor towards your own spice tolerance; choose mild or hot enchilada sauce and peppers as you prefer. I’m fairly wussy so I tend towards medium and mild, respectively.

This recipe makes enough to feed a decent crowd, or an average family with leftovers for later. If your weather is guiding you to soup cravings, this one is sure to satiate you.

Enchilada Soup

Adapted from SnarkRecipes
Makes 3 quarts

Ingredients

1 lb meat/poultry of choice¹

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce
1 (4 oz) can diced green chili peppers
1 (10 oz) package frozen corn²
1 can green beans (optional)
1 can black beans, rinsed

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper

2 cans chicken broth³

cheddar cheese, grated (optional garnish)

Directions

1. Dice meat into bite-sized cubes and brown in a skillet over medium heat. Drain and add to slow cooker.
2. Stir in onions and garlic to distribute evenly.
3. Layer remaining ingredients except chicken broth.
4. Gently pour in the chicken broth, being careful not to overflow, and stir gently.
5. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours, or on high for about 3 hours.
6. Serve garnished with shredded cheese.

Notes

¹ Again, I used deer steak but use whatever you prefer. Chicken or beef would both be great.
² If you buy frozen corn in bulk like I do, 10 oz is about two cups.
³ If you have a larger slow cooker and would prefer a more brothy soup, you may want to add an additional can of chicken broth.
⁴ If you want to come home to a lovely dinner already made, cooking this a few extra hours won’t hurt it. Throw it together the night before, store it in the fridge overnight, turn it on “low” in the morning, and have dinner ready to go when you walk in the door.