We used to have a negative opinion about soup. We can admit it now that we’ve seen the light and recognized soup’s true greatness, but for a long time we felt it wasn’t really a meal if you were just serving soup, since there was no way you could make one filling enough to be the main event of your dinner. Oh, how wrong we were. Now we understand that soup can absolutely be the main course, it just depends on what all you pack in there and how hearty you make it.

And we have good news for you: this creamy cowboy soup is as hearty as they come!Now this recipe is super versatile considering you can put just about whatever you want in it, but for us, cowboy soup entails some classic southwestern flavors and making sure it’s stuffed to the brim with ingredients that will fill you up and keep you full long after you leave the table. Oh, and did we mention it’s ridiculously cheesy?

Yes, that is also an important component! Let’s break it down for you: this soup has ground beef, cheese, onion, potatoes, bell pepper, corn, black beans, and green chiles. Yum. Plus, we wanted it to be thick and creamy, so we made it a roux-based soup, ensuring it thickens up and has that dreamy consistency we want.If you have chicken on hand instead of beef, add that in.

The same goes for turkey or sausage. If you have sweet potato instead of potato, that is fine; add that in. This is a forgiving ingredient list, and if you’ve got the cumin and cayenne, along with that thickening roux, you’re in business with whatever you throw in there and will be very, very pleased with the finished result!