Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Brown the beef and build the soup
- Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat, then drain the fat.
- Sauté the diced onion for 3 minutes, then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring until fragrant.
- Add black beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, ranch dressing mix, and beef broth, then bring the mixture to a boil.
Simmer and melt the cheeses
- Simmer for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to low.
- Add the cubed cream cheese and cubed Velveeta in pieces, then stir until completely melted and smooth with no visible chunks.
- Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for 5 minutes until the soup thickens and looks glossy and cheesy.
Serve
- Ladle into bowls and top with tortilla chips, jalapeños, and cilantro right before serving.
Notes
For the smoothest, thickest texture, cube the cream cheese and Velveeta so they melt faster on low heat. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop over low, stirring often to keep the cheese from separating. Freezing is not recommended because the creamy base can change texture. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese (and consider using half-and-half instead of heavy cream) while keeping the simmer times the same.