Name: Green Chile Beef Soup with Cheese
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 1 pound beef sausage; 1 medium onion, finely diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder; 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained; 1 pound roasted green chiles, diced; 2 medium yellow squash, cut into bite-sized cubes; 6 cups chicken broth; 8 ounces elbow macaroni; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon butter; 4 ounces Velveeta cheese sauce

Ingredients

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Here’s everything you need to make this soup. Most of it is probably already in your kitchen.

1 pound ground beef
1 pound beef sausage
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 pound roasted green chiles, diced
2 medium yellow squash, cut into bite-sized cubes
6 cups chicken broth
8 ounces elbow macaroni
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 ounces Velveeta cheese sauce

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Instructions

Step 1: Heat the Pot and Add the Fats

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter. The olive oil helps keep the butter from browning too quickly, and together they give the beef a flavorful start.

Step 2: Brown the Beef and Sausage

Add the ground beef and beef sausage to the pot. Cook, breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon or spatula, until it’s fully browned and slightly crispy. Don’t rush this step. Letting the meat sit for a minute or two between stirs encourages browning, which builds the foundation of flavor for the entire soup.

If there’s an excessive amount of grease in the pot, drain some of it off. Leave a little behind, since it carries flavor and helps sauté the onion in the next step.

Step 3: Cook the Onion

Add the finely diced onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. The moisture from the onion will help loosen those browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Step 4: Add the Garlic and Seasonings

Stir in the minced garlic, dried oregano, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant. This short cooking time wakes up the spices without scorching the garlic.

Step 5: Add the Tomatoes and Green Chiles

Pour in the undrained diced tomatoes and the diced roasted green chiles. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot to lift all the browned bits. That’s where a lot of the deep, savory flavor is hiding.

Step 6: Add the Broth and Simmer

Pour in the chicken broth and add the chicken bouillon powder. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. This gives the flavors time to meld and the broth time to pick up everything the meat and vegetables have to offer.

Step 7: Add the Yellow Squash

Add the cubed yellow squash. Continue simmering, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the squash is tender but not mushy. You should be able to pierce a cube easily with a fork.

Step 8: Cook the Macaroni

Stir in the elbow macaroni and cook at a gentle simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom, until just tender. Check the pasta a minute or two before the package time is up. It will continue to soften as the soup sits.

Step 9: Melt in the Cheese

Add the Velveeta cheese sauce and stir until it’s fully melted and the soup turns creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Depending on your broth and bouillon, you may want a pinch more salt or a little black pepper. Serve hot.