Slow Cooker Ground Beef Enchilada Soup for Easy Weeknight Dinners Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before starting, ensure your slow cooker is clean and placed on a stable, heat-resistant surface near an electrical outlet. Have all your ingredients measured and ready to go. If you are using canned beans, drain and rinse them thoroughly under cold running water in a colander to remove excess starch and sodium.

Prepare your garnishes—shredding the cheese and setting out the sour cream—so they are ready to be added the moment the soup finishes cooking. This preparation stage is simple, but having everything within reach makes the assembly process fast and efficient.

Instructions

Layering the ingredients

1. 1Prepare the slow cooker base
   Place the raw ground beef into the bottom of the slow cooker insert. Add the black beans on top of the beef, then sprinkle the taco seasoning over the mixture.
   Look for The ingredients are layered in the slow cooker base.
   Tip Ensure the beef is distributed evenly across the bottom to encourage uniform cooking.

At the end of this phase, all four primary ingredients are settled in the slow cooker. The beef is at the base, topped with beans, seasoning, and the sauce. Everything is ready to be covered and left to cook, with no further preparation needed until the cooking time is complete.

Slow cooking the soup

2. 2Add sauce and slow cook
   Pour the red enchilada sauce over the beef, beans, and seasoning. Cover the slow cooker with its lid and set it to cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours until the meat is fully cooked through to 160°F (71°C).
   Look for The sauce covers the ingredients and the beef reaches the required temperature.
   Safe temperature 160°F (71°C) internal temperature (ground meat)
   Tip Do not stir the ingredients until the cooking time is complete to allow the flavors to meld properly.

The soup is now simmering in the slow cooker. During this time, the aromas of the spices and beef will fill the kitchen. Check the pot only once the minimum cooking time has passed to ensure the meat is fully cooked and the temperature has reached 160°F (71°C) throughout.

Finishing and serving

3. 3Finish and garnish
   Once the cooking cycle is complete, break up any remaining clumps of ground beef with a spoon. Ladle the hot soup into individual bowls and garnish with generous portions of sour cream, shredded cheese, and crushed tortilla chips before serving immediately.
   Look for The meat is fully cooked and the soup is steaming.
   Tip If the soup appears too thick after cooking, stir in a small splash of beef broth or water to reach the desired consistency.

The soup is now thick, hot, and ready for the final touch. After breaking up any remaining beef clumps and adjusting the consistency, the dish is ready to be portioned into bowls. The final check involves ensuring the garnishes are fresh and the soup is served piping hot.

Common mistakes

A common mistake is overcrowding the slow cooker or using a size that is too large for the amount of ingredients, which can affect the cooking time.

Always choose an appropriate size for the volume of food. Another error is stirring the soup too frequently during the cooking process; keep the lid closed as much as possible to retain heat and moisture.

Finally, avoid using low-quality or expired taco seasoning, as it provides the essential aromatics for the dish, and ensure you do not skip the rinsing of the beans, which can make the soup overly salty or cloudy.

How to tell it’s done

The soup is finished when the ground beef has reached an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). At this point, the liquid should be bubbling gently and have thickened slightly from the starches in the beans and seasoning.

The beef should be fully cooked through with no signs of pink, and the sauce should have a glossy, uniform appearance. If you notice the sauce is too thin, you can continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes, or stir in a small amount of cornstarch slurry if necessary, though this is rarely required with this method.

• Ground meat: 160°F (71°C) in the thickest part