This kid friendly cowboy soup recipe is budget friendly but sure doesn't taste like it! Beans, beef, and macaroni are packed into a hearty tomato broth for a soup with plenty of flavor. It's very different from the Texas style chili you might be used to but once you try it you'll be hooked.
Put a little oil in a heavy skillet and heat it up.
Add the beef and brown it.
Add salt and pepper while it's cooking.
Add in the chopped green peppers, onions, and celery.
Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables soften.
Put a heavy stockpot on the heat.
Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth, beans, browned meat mixture, and seasonings.
Simmer for about 30 minutes.
Add the cooked macaroni and simmer for 15 to 30 minutes more.
Serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions
Add all ingredients except macaroni to a crock pot and simmer for 8 hours.
About 30 minutes before serving cook the pasta, drain it, and add it to the simmering chili.
Allow flavors to blend another 30 minutes or so.
Video
Notes
This chili will be better the second day - you can leave it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
It freezes well so you might as well make the biggest batch of it that you can.
You can also adjust the amounts of the ingredients to make it stretch further, or use less meat and more beans, or whatever you like.
Make it on top of the stove or in the slow cooker - if you're making it in the slow cooker you really only need to cook it on low for 2 hours or so - then leave it on warm.
Chili powder varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and even from batch to batch. Always taste as you go.
Always rinse and drain the beans before using.
Make it StretchThis is a very forgiving recipe. There are lots of substitutions you can make and it's easy to stretch.
Use all beans
No ground beef? Use ground turkey, ground pork, ground venison, ground chicken, or shredded leftover meat or poultry
Add cooked diced potatoes
Add corn
No tomatoes? Use beef broth, vegetable broth, V-8, or watered down marinara
Any shaped pasta is fine but you could use rice, bulghur, quinoa, or other grain instead