Beef Enchilada Soup Recipe with Melted Cheese and Tortilla Strips: A Bowl of Comfort That Hits Like a Street Taco

Imagine your favorite beef enchiladas, but in a bowl, drenched in melted cheese, topped with crunchy tortilla strips, and ready in under an hour. This is the soup that makes boring weeknights feel like a Friday. It’s bold, it’s cozy, and it tastes like you hacked a Mexican restaurant.

One spoon and you’re thinking, “Why haven’t I been doing this all along?” If you can brown beef and open a can, you can cook like a legend tonight.

What Makes This Recipe Awesome

• Enchilada flavors, simplified. You’re getting the same rich, saucy profile of classic enchiladas without the oven gymnastics.
• Cheese that melts, not clumps. Proper technique gives you silky, stretchy cheese instead of sad lumps floating around.
• Crunch + cream in every bite. The tortilla strips add crunch, while sour cream and melted cheese bring the comfort.
• Flexible and forgiving. Ground beef, leftover steak, or even rotisserie chicken—this soup doesn’t judge.
• Meal-prepable. The broth stores great, and you can crisp up tortilla strips as needed for fresh crunch all week.

What You’ll Need (Ingredients)

• 1 lb ground beef (85–90% lean)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (if your beef is very lean)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce (mild or medium)
• 4 cups beef broth (low sodium preferred)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder (adjust to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup corn kernels (frozen or canned, drained)
• 1–1.5 cups shredded cheese (Mexican blend, Monterey Jack, or cheddar; freshly grated works best)
• 8 small corn tortillas (or tortilla chips for a shortcut)
• Vegetable oil for frying tortilla strips (or use an air fryer)
• Optional toppings: sour cream, sliced jalapeños, chopped cilantro, diced avocado, lime wedges, hot sauce

The Method – Instructions

1. Prep the tortilla strips. Stack the corn tortillas, slice into thin strips, and heat 1/4 inch of oil in a skillet over medium-high. Fry in batches 1–2 minutes until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

   Air fryer option: Toss strips with a little oil and air fry at 375°F for 5–7 minutes, shaking once.

2. Brown the beef. In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil (if using). Add ground beef and cook over medium-high heat, breaking it up, until browned and no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper.

   Spoon off excess fat if needed.

3. Sauté aromatics. Add onion and bell pepper to the pot. Cook 4–5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

   No burning the garlic. We’re not making sadness soup.

4. Build the base. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and oregano. Cook 1 minute to “wake up” the spices.
5. Add liquids and bulk. Pour in enchilada sauce, fire-roasted tomatoes (with juices), and beef broth.

   Add black beans and corn. Stir, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low.

6. Simmer for flavor. Let it gently simmer 15–20 minutes. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or chili powder.

   If you want it thicker, simmer uncovered an extra 5–10 minutes.

7. Melt the cheese correctly. Reduce heat to low. Add the shredded cheese a small handful at a time, stirring constantly until melted before adding more. Keep the soup below a simmer to avoid clumping.

   If it thickens too much, splash in extra broth.

8. Serve and top. Ladle into bowls. Finish with tortilla strips, a dollop of sour cream, jalapeños, cilantro, avocado, a squeeze of lime, and hot sauce if you’re that person (same).

Preservation Guide

• Fridge: Store the soup (without tortilla strips) in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Keep tortilla strips in a separate sealed bag at room temp for 3–4 days.
• Freezer: Freeze the soup (again, no tortilla strips) for up to 3 months.

  Thaw overnight in the fridge. FYI, cheese in the base stays fine because it’s melted in; if you plan to freeze, you can also add the cheese after reheating for maximum silkiness.

• Reheat: Warm gently on the stove over medium-low, stirring to reincorporate. If it’s too thick, add broth or water in small splashes.

  Re-crisp tortilla strips or use fresh ones for best crunch.

What’s Great About This

• One-pot convenience. Minimal dishes, maximum flavor. Your sink says thank you.
• Crowd-pleaser. Kids love it, adults ask for seconds, and nobody misses the casserole pan.
• Budget-friendly. Pantry staples do the heavy lifting. Ground beef + cans = chef-level payoff.
• Custom heat level. Mild enchilada sauce for comfort, or toss in chipotle/adobo if you like drama.

What Not to Do

• Don’t boil after adding cheese. High heat breaks it, and broken cheese is a mood killer.
• Don’t skip rinsing the beans. The canning liquid can muddy the flavor and thicken weirdly.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan when frying tortilla strips. They’ll steam and turn chewy.

  You deserve better.

• Don’t use pre-shredded cheese if you can help it. Anti-caking agents can make melting grainy. Freshly grated melts like a dream.

Different Ways to Make This

• Chicken Enchilada Soup: Swap beef for shredded rotisserie chicken and use chicken broth. Add a pinch of ground coriander.
• Smoky Chipotle Version: Stir in 1–2 teaspoons of minced chipotle in adobo for heat and depth.

  Top with cotija instead of melty cheese for contrast.

• Veggie Boost: Add diced zucchini, sautéed mushrooms, or a handful of spinach in the last 5 minutes. More color, more nutrition, still cozy.
• Low-Carb Hack: Skip corn and beans, add riced cauliflower, and top with pork rind “croutons” for crunch. Unorthodox?

  Yep. Tasty? Also yep.

• Slow Cooker: Brown beef with onion/pepper/garlic on the stove.

  Transfer to slow cooker with remaining ingredients (except cheese and tortilla strips). Cook on Low 6–7 hours or High 3–4. Stir in cheese at the end on Warm.

FAQ

Can I make this spicier without blowing up the salt?

Yes.

Add fresh jalapeño slices, a minced serrano, chipotle in adobo, or cayenne. Spice adds heat, not salt. Keep your broth low-sodium so flavors stay balanced.

What cheese melts best for this soup?

Monterey Jack and Oaxaca melt beautifully.

A Mexican blend works well, too. Avoid super-aged cheddar; it can go oily. Freshly grated cheese is ideal for silky texture.

How do I thicken the soup without more cheese?

Simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes, or whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir into the simmering soup.

You can also blend 1 cup of the soup and return it to the pot for body.

Can I use tortilla chips instead of frying strips?

Totally. Use sturdy chips and crumble them on top just before serving. It’s the five-second hack for crunch when you’re low on patience (or oil).

Is there a dairy-free option?

Yes.

Skip the cheese in the base and use a dairy-free cheese on top or none at all. Add extra avocado and a splash of crema-style oat or cashew substitute if you want creaminess.

What if I only have green enchilada sauce?

It works! The flavor shifts to a tangier, verde-style profile.

Use chicken broth instead of beef for better synergy, and consider adding a pinch of ground coriander and extra lime.

Can I make it ahead for a party?

Absolutely. Cook the soup a day ahead, chill, and reheat gently. Add cheese right before serving for the best texture.

Fry or bake fresh tortilla strips the day of.

My Take

This Beef Enchilada Soup is the shortcut I wish I had when I started cooking for groups: all the nostalgia of red-sauce enchiladas, none of the assembly-line hassle. The trick that changes everything is adding cheese at low heat in small handfuls—suddenly your soup is restaurant-smooth instead of grainy. The crunchy tortilla strips on top?

Non-negotiable. Make it once, and you’ll start keeping enchilada sauce in your pantry on purpose, IMO.