What You Need:
– 1 pound of ground beef – 1 medium diced onion – 3 minced garlic cloves – 1 teaspoon of salt – 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper – 1/2 teaspoon of paprika – 2 cups of chicken or beef broth – 1 can of 14.5 oz diced tomatoes – 2 cups of diced potatoes, peeled if desired – 1 cup of diced carrots – 1/2 cup of diced celery – 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese – 1 cup of heavy cream or half-and-half – 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour, optional, for thickening1/3 cup of sour cream—▎For garnish, pickle diced tomatoes and add more shredded cheese.
Instructions
Get the Beef Ready:
Brown the ground beef, chopped onion, and minced garlic in a pan over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are transparent. Remove any surplus of fat.
Put some salt, pepper, and paprika on the meat. Throw everything into the slow cooker.
Veggies and broth should be added.
Put the broth (beef or chicken), diced tomatoes (from a can), potatoes (diced), carrots (chopped), and celery (chopped) into the slow cooker. Mix thoroughly.
Prepare the Soup:
When the veggies are soft, cover and simmer for 6–7 hours on low heat or 3–4 hours on high heat in a slow cooker.
Include Dairy Substances:
If you’d like your soup on the thicker side, whisk the flour into the heavy cream until smooth, then incorporate it into the soup about half an hour before serving. Add the heavy cream and stir until the soup reaches the desired consistency, if any.
After the cheddar cheese has melted, add the shredded kind and mix until combined.
Toss in the sour cream just before serving to finish, and taste to see if any further spice is needed. This will provide extra richness.
Fill bowls with the soup and serve.
If you like, you may top it up with some more shredded cheese, sliced pickles, and tomatoes.