This Enchilada Soup made in the crockpot is the easy way to enjoy the flavor of beef enchiladas for dinner!
I recently had a cup of chicken enchilada soup at Chili’s and loved it. We don’t eat there often, but it has become the favorite dinner after the boys get their haircuts since its nearby. Nothing makes you hungry for a kid’s meal at a chain restaurant like getting your hair cut I suppose. Anyway, I wouldn’t exactly call this a Chili’s copycat recipe, especially since theirs is made with chicken, but it was definitely inspired by that soup.
I could eat Mexican food seven days a week and never get tired of it, but sometimes you need to mix it up beyond the standard tacos, nachos, enchiladas, and those kinds of things. This was a warm, comforting way to enjoy my favorite flavors, and it would be hard to find a more perfect recipe for busy weeknights!
I don’t know about you, but I love hearty soups with big chunks of beef in them. They are the best! What’s great is that beef stew meat is pretty economical! The ingredients are all easy to find too. This is one of those recipes you want to have bookmarked or memorized for when you are at the store and don’t know what to make. I think this one will be a fast favorite at your house!
Andi Gleeson is a passionate blogger and mom based in San Francisco who focuses on easy and delicious dinner recipes.
52 comments
Roberta
5 years ago
Can any of these recipes, which all look delicious, be made so a person on a no to low sodium diet can enjoy also?
Cindy
7 years ago
Can I do this stove top?
Carolyn
9 years ago
Have everything for this soup and have already thawed the meat. I discovered earlier that my crock pot is in a closet that is blocked w/heavy furniture due to remodeling and I cannot get to it. Can this be made in a Dutch Oven and if so how would you redo it? What would the cooking time be? Thanks!
Andi Gleeson
9 years ago
Hi! Yes, just cook it on the stovetop! To get the meat to be tender, I would think you’ll need to simmer it about two hours, stirring occasionally. Let me know how it turns out, but I’m sure it will be just as good! :)
Sarah
10 years ago
Hi, I am just wondering if I substitute ground beef should I cook the meat first or also place that in raw? thank you!
Andi
10 years ago
Hi, Sarah! I haven’t put raw ground meat in the slow cooker, and I’m afraid the texture might be off. I would brown it first. I hope it turns out well!
Kim
10 years ago
Do you put the beef in raw or pre-cooked? Thanks.
Andi
10 years ago
I put it in raw. Thanks!
debbie b
10 years ago
Is it 28 oz of the enchilada sauce? I’m doubling the recipe but so far I’ve only put in 30 oz. I’m making now so any advice soin will be greatly appreciated!
Andi
10 years ago
Debbie, I’m so sorry I missed this comment! I hope the recipe turned out OK for you. Again, really sorry!
Suzie
10 years ago
Made the beef enchilada soup. I doubled it and cooked it on the stove on low all day. (doubling it wouldn’t fit in crock). I added an extra can of enchilada sauce (hot). It gave it just enough kick. I also used fiesta cheese soup and fiesta canned corn. My family loved it. And I love how easy it was.
Andi
10 years ago
Thank you so much, Suzie! I’m so happy to hear you liked it :)
Brittany Culver
10 years ago
Hey Andi,
I just put it all in the crock pot but only had frozen corn. Could I use that instead of can corn?
Thank you!
Andi
10 years ago
Hi, yes frozen corn is great! Hope you like it, Brittany :)
Liz
10 years ago
This looks good Andi. Thank you.
Andi
10 years ago
You’re welcome, Liz! Thank you :)
Alyson
10 years ago
Hi! When you say cheese soup are you referring to cream of cheese like cambells makes? Just want to know what to look for because I am putting this on my menu next week!! It looks amazing:)
I really enjoyed this! I couldn’t find cheese soup in the grocery store, so I used a recipe I found online and it worked out really well. I’ve shared this page with my birth group too. Thanks!
Andi
10 years ago
Thanks, Monica! I’m glad you found a good substitute. If you used homemade ingredients instead, I bet it was better!
Michelle
10 years ago
Hey Monica…..Would you please share the recipe for the cheese soup?-!
Andi …. I’m SO excited to try this tonight! It’s in the crockpot now…….Fridays are my crazy day since we are gone all day to our homeschool co-op. It’s LOVELY to come home to dinner cooking in the crock! I am so happy I found your blog. Can’t wait to try more recipes.
Thanks so much! Have a blessed day!
Andi
10 years ago
I hope it turned out well, Michelle! I need to look for a homemade cheese soup recipe too! Have a good weekend :)
Michelle
10 years ago
It turned out super well! The family loved it. I think next time I’ll add the Fiesta Cheese soup from Campbell’s. Or maybe a can of Rotel’s tomatoes. I LOVE a little spice! :) Thanks for sharing….
Maybe Monica will share her recipe if she sees this post! :)
Andi
10 years ago
I love spice too! I’ll email Monica to ask if she can come back and share where she found the recipe. She probably didn’t see your comment. Hope you are having a good weekend!
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt, to taste
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat; add flour and whisk until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat; gradually add milk, whisking to keep smooth. Return to heat and bring to a gentle boil, whisking constantly until thickened. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add salt.
I liked that it was simple and I had everything on hand, so I didn’t have to go back to the grocery store. Hope that helps!
Andi
10 years ago
Hi, Michelle! Monica shared the recipe she found, so come on back to check it out :)
Andi
10 years ago
Hi, Monica! Another reader asked if you can share where you found the cheese soup recipe. Can you come back to let us know when you have time? I’d love to try it too! Thanks :)
Monica
10 years ago
Hi Andi!
It took me a little while to remember what I googled, but I found it! It’s the Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup substitute from this link. Other recipes I found for cheese soup involved onions and celery and blenders, but I found this to be much simpler for mixing into a recipe.
Hope that helps!
Andi
10 years ago
Thank you so much, Monica! I’ll try making my own next time especially since I can sub gluten-free flour.
Michelle
10 years ago
YAY!!!! THANK YOU, Monica, for sharing the recipe!! And Andi for being persistent! It’s going on the menu again for this month WITH that soup recipe! AND a can of Rotel’s tomatoes! :) Yum yum!
Bill
10 years ago
Hi Andi,
I made this last weekend using a bison sirloin. The only other thing I added was a small can of mild green chilis. It was hands down one of the best things I have ever had. I just threw in a few tortilla chips and it was very filling. I love Mexican too and really appreciate you sharing this.
Andi
10 years ago
Wow, Bill! That is one of the nicest reviews I’ve ever had! Thank you so much. I love seeing you all trying the recipe with different meats. (Another reader said she was making it with venison.) This really made my day. I’m so happy you loved it.
Melissa Hantho
10 years ago
This sounds amazing! My only question is what would you serve with this? Since it’s a soup I’m not sure I want to go with the typical beans and rice found paired with most enchiladas. Ideas?
Andi
10 years ago
Hi, Melissa! I think this soup is pretty filling on its own, but it would be good served with tortilla chips (you could crush some in the soup) and maybe serve guacamole for dipping and a green salad. I’m hungry now just thinking about it :)
Melissa
10 years ago
Awesome, that sounds great! It’s in the crock pot right now. But I used deer instead of beef- I’m stoked to try it :D
Zeita
10 years ago
I am curious about the deer meat. I have a freezer full of deer meat, and no clue how to fix it.
Did you add anything to it, or just used it in place of the stew meat? Anxious to hear your reply—my husband keeps asking about the deer meat…..told him I was scoping out some wonderful recipes!! :)
Jolene
10 years ago
I never had beef growing up because we couldn’t afford it and my dad was a hunter so we generally always had a good supply of venison. We’ve always used it in place of beef in recipes… ground venison in a hamburger helper, mixed as a meatloaf, etc. It’s a lot leaner so you may need to add milk or something to a meatloaf.
Andi
10 years ago
I hope it turned out great, Melissa! Thank you!
Andi
10 years ago
Hi, Melissa! Not sure if you saw Zeita’s message below, but if you have a minute to come back to say how the deer turned out, that would be great! I hope you liked the soup :)
Melissa
10 years ago
Hi Zeita! I’m sorry I didn’t see your message!
We loved it with the deer meat. Did nothing special (besides cut it into small bite sized pieces), just used it in place of the beef.
We’ve also just grilled them with seasonings like a normal steak, served with mashed potatoes and veggies and that’s great too! And then there’s ground deer- my favorite! We love deer :D lol.
Melissa
Bay Staley
10 years ago
I was scrolling through Pinterest and had to click through when I saw your Hull brown drip soup crock :) love those dishes, I collect them. (And the soup looks good too!) ;)
Andi
10 years ago
Hi, Bay! I love those bowls too. I had a bigger one with a different shape that finally chipped so many times I had to let it go. My mom searched antique stores for a replacement and could only find this one pictured. I love it too! I’m going to have to go poke around your blog to see if any of your collection is pictured :) Thanks for stopping by!
Dan
10 years ago
My boys love anything Mexican – and they love soup – I haven’t tried this kind yet but I’m sure it”’ be a hit!
Andi
10 years ago
Thanks, Dan. I hope your whole family enjoys it!
Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen
10 years ago
I could eat Mexican every day too! It’s my favorite. :) This enchilada soup looks delicious! I love that it’s made in the slow cooker!
Andi
10 years ago
Thank you so much, Kristine!
Julie @ This Gal Cooks
10 years ago
This is a perfect soup for busy days, Andi! I can never turn down anything Mexican inspired so I’d totally stuff my face with this soup!
Andi
10 years ago
Thanks, Julie! I have made Mexican dishes the past two nights in a row. I seriously have a problem.
Jenny Busch
10 years ago
Oh my goodness, this was so del-lsious, I’m with you on the every meal a mexican dish. And I’m also not of that nationality.
Thank you for all the great recipes.
Andi
10 years ago
I love it that you already made it, Jenny! Thank you so much!
marcie@flavorthemoments
10 years ago
We used to go to Chili’s and Applebee’s a lot when our kids were really young…oh yeah, and Chevy’s! haha That’s cute you’ve got a little haircut tradition, and I’ll bet your kids get so excited to go. :) This soup looks delicious — I love enchilada flavors, and being that it’s in a crock pot, even better!
Andi
10 years ago
I used to love Chevy’s even before we had kids. Most of them closed around here though, and the last one we went to was really depressing. Lately we go to our local taco truck more than any actual restaurants ;)
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52 comments
Can any of these recipes, which all look delicious, be made so a person on a no to low sodium diet can enjoy also?
Can I do this stove top?
Have everything for this soup and have already thawed the meat. I discovered earlier that my crock pot is in a closet that is blocked w/heavy furniture due to remodeling and I cannot get to it. Can this be made in a Dutch Oven and if so how would you redo it? What would the cooking time be? Thanks!
Hi! Yes, just cook it on the stovetop! To get the meat to be tender, I would think you’ll need to simmer it about two hours, stirring occasionally. Let me know how it turns out, but I’m sure it will be just as good! :)
Hi, I am just wondering if I substitute ground beef should I cook the meat first or also place that in raw? thank you!
Hi, Sarah! I haven’t put raw ground meat in the slow cooker, and I’m afraid the texture might be off. I would brown it first. I hope it turns out well!
Do you put the beef in raw or pre-cooked? Thanks.
I put it in raw. Thanks!
Is it 28 oz of the enchilada sauce? I’m doubling the recipe but so far I’ve only put in 30 oz. I’m making now so any advice soin will be greatly appreciated!
Debbie, I’m so sorry I missed this comment! I hope the recipe turned out OK for you. Again, really sorry!
Made the beef enchilada soup. I doubled it and cooked it on the stove on low all day. (doubling it wouldn’t fit in crock). I added an extra can of enchilada sauce (hot). It gave it just enough kick. I also used fiesta cheese soup and fiesta canned corn. My family loved it. And I love how easy it was.
Thank you so much, Suzie! I’m so happy to hear you liked it :)
Hey Andi,
I just put it all in the crock pot but only had frozen corn. Could I use that instead of can corn?
Thank you!
Hi, yes frozen corn is great! Hope you like it, Brittany :)
This looks good Andi. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Liz! Thank you :)
Hi! When you say cheese soup are you referring to cream of cheese like cambells makes? Just want to know what to look for because I am putting this on my menu next week!! It looks amazing:)
Hi, Alyson. Yes, I used the Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese Soup like this.
Thanks, and I hope you like it!
I really enjoyed this! I couldn’t find cheese soup in the grocery store, so I used a recipe I found online and it worked out really well. I’ve shared this page with my birth group too. Thanks!
Thanks, Monica! I’m glad you found a good substitute. If you used homemade ingredients instead, I bet it was better!
Hey Monica…..Would you please share the recipe for the cheese soup?-!
Andi …. I’m SO excited to try this tonight! It’s in the crockpot now…….Fridays are my crazy day since we are gone all day to our homeschool co-op. It’s LOVELY to come home to dinner cooking in the crock! I am so happy I found your blog. Can’t wait to try more recipes.
Thanks so much! Have a blessed day!
I hope it turned out well, Michelle! I need to look for a homemade cheese soup recipe too! Have a good weekend :)
It turned out super well! The family loved it. I think next time I’ll add the Fiesta Cheese soup from Campbell’s. Or maybe a can of Rotel’s tomatoes. I LOVE a little spice! :) Thanks for sharing….
Maybe Monica will share her recipe if she sees this post! :)
I love spice too! I’ll email Monica to ask if she can come back and share where she found the recipe. She probably didn’t see your comment. Hope you are having a good weekend!
Hi Michelle,
I used the Condensed Cheddar Cheese Substitute.
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt, to taste
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat; add flour and whisk until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat; gradually add milk, whisking to keep smooth. Return to heat and bring to a gentle boil, whisking constantly until thickened. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add salt.
I liked that it was simple and I had everything on hand, so I didn’t have to go back to the grocery store. Hope that helps!
Hi, Michelle! Monica shared the recipe she found, so come on back to check it out :)
Hi, Monica! Another reader asked if you can share where you found the cheese soup recipe. Can you come back to let us know when you have time? I’d love to try it too! Thanks :)
Hi Andi!
It took me a little while to remember what I googled, but I found it! It’s the Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup substitute from this link. Other recipes I found for cheese soup involved onions and celery and blenders, but I found this to be much simpler for mixing into a recipe.
Hope that helps!
Thank you so much, Monica! I’ll try making my own next time especially since I can sub gluten-free flour.
YAY!!!! THANK YOU, Monica, for sharing the recipe!! And Andi for being persistent! It’s going on the menu again for this month WITH that soup recipe! AND a can of Rotel’s tomatoes! :) Yum yum!
Hi Andi,
I made this last weekend using a bison sirloin. The only other thing I added was a small can of mild green chilis. It was hands down one of the best things I have ever had. I just threw in a few tortilla chips and it was very filling. I love Mexican too and really appreciate you sharing this.
Wow, Bill! That is one of the nicest reviews I’ve ever had! Thank you so much. I love seeing you all trying the recipe with different meats. (Another reader said she was making it with venison.) This really made my day. I’m so happy you loved it.
This sounds amazing! My only question is what would you serve with this? Since it’s a soup I’m not sure I want to go with the typical beans and rice found paired with most enchiladas. Ideas?
Hi, Melissa! I think this soup is pretty filling on its own, but it would be good served with tortilla chips (you could crush some in the soup) and maybe serve guacamole for dipping and a green salad. I’m hungry now just thinking about it :)
Awesome, that sounds great! It’s in the crock pot right now. But I used deer instead of beef- I’m stoked to try it :D
I am curious about the deer meat. I have a freezer full of deer meat, and no clue how to fix it.
Did you add anything to it, or just used it in place of the stew meat? Anxious to hear your reply—my husband keeps asking about the deer meat…..told him I was scoping out some wonderful recipes!! :)
I never had beef growing up because we couldn’t afford it and my dad was a hunter so we generally always had a good supply of venison. We’ve always used it in place of beef in recipes… ground venison in a hamburger helper, mixed as a meatloaf, etc. It’s a lot leaner so you may need to add milk or something to a meatloaf.
I hope it turned out great, Melissa! Thank you!
Hi, Melissa! Not sure if you saw Zeita’s message below, but if you have a minute to come back to say how the deer turned out, that would be great! I hope you liked the soup :)
Hi Zeita! I’m sorry I didn’t see your message!
We loved it with the deer meat. Did nothing special (besides cut it into small bite sized pieces), just used it in place of the beef.
We’ve also just grilled them with seasonings like a normal steak, served with mashed potatoes and veggies and that’s great too! And then there’s ground deer- my favorite! We love deer :D lol.
Melissa
I was scrolling through Pinterest and had to click through when I saw your Hull brown drip soup crock :) love those dishes, I collect them. (And the soup looks good too!) ;)
Hi, Bay! I love those bowls too. I had a bigger one with a different shape that finally chipped so many times I had to let it go. My mom searched antique stores for a replacement and could only find this one pictured. I love it too! I’m going to have to go poke around your blog to see if any of your collection is pictured :) Thanks for stopping by!
My boys love anything Mexican – and they love soup – I haven’t tried this kind yet but I’m sure it”’ be a hit!
Thanks, Dan. I hope your whole family enjoys it!
I could eat Mexican every day too! It’s my favorite. :) This enchilada soup looks delicious! I love that it’s made in the slow cooker!
Thank you so much, Kristine!
This is a perfect soup for busy days, Andi! I can never turn down anything Mexican inspired so I’d totally stuff my face with this soup!
Thanks, Julie! I have made Mexican dishes the past two nights in a row. I seriously have a problem.
Oh my goodness, this was so del-lsious, I’m with you on the every meal a mexican dish. And I’m also not of that nationality.
Thank you for all the great recipes.
I love it that you already made it, Jenny! Thank you so much!
We used to go to Chili’s and Applebee’s a lot when our kids were really young…oh yeah, and Chevy’s! haha That’s cute you’ve got a little haircut tradition, and I’ll bet your kids get so excited to go. :) This soup looks delicious — I love enchilada flavors, and being that it’s in a crock pot, even better!
I used to love Chevy’s even before we had kids. Most of them closed around here though, and the last one we went to was really depressing. Lately we go to our local taco truck more than any actual restaurants ;)