▢1 pound lean ground beef

▢4 cups chicken broth

▢2 (10 ounce) cans Ro-tel diced tomatoes & green chilies with juices

▢1 (14-ounce) can of black beans drained & rinsed

▢1 (12 ounce) can corn drained

▢1/2 red bell pepper chopped

▢1/2 tablespoon chili powder

▢1 teaspoon garlic powder

▢1 teaspoon onion powder

▢1 teaspoon ground cumin

▢1 teaspoon smoked paprika

▢8 ounces of cream cheese (I used Philly) softened, see note

▢Salt & pepper to taste

▢Toppings (optional): grated cheddar, avocado, cilantro, tortilla strips, etc.

Add the ground beef to a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef, and if there’s excess fat, spoon most of it out.

Add all the ingredients to the pot except for the cream cheese and salt & pepper.

Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Turn down the heat so it’s simmering gently for 8 minutes. While the soup cooks, prep your toppings.

Cut the cream cheese into smaller pieces and add it to the soup. Let it melt in (you may have to stir it a fair bit until it’s fully dissolved). Season the soup with salt & pepper and serve with toppings as desired.

NOTES

The cream cheese for this recipe should be super soft so it melts into the soup easily. I recommend taking it out of the fridge prior to starting the recipe and then microwaving it in 20-30 second intervals until it’s very soft.

You can use beef broth instead of chicken broth if you don’t mind the soup being a darker color. If you have any concerns with salt, use low-salt broth.

If you want to make this soup spicy, add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

If you’re not using Rotel diced tomatoes, you can use regular ones, but I suggest adding a can or two of diced green chilies as well (the 4 oz. size ones) since it really makes a difference in the way the soup tastes.