In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Break it up as it cooks. Once fully browned, drain off any excess grease.

Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the pot with the browned beef and sauté for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.

Add the minced garlic to the pot. Stir it in and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant; be careful not to burn the garlic.

Sprinkle in the chili powder, ground cumin, and smoked paprika over the meat and vegetables. Stir everything together well, allowing the spices to toast for about 1 minute.

Pour in the beef broth, then add the undrained can of diced tomatoes, the undrained can of diced tomatoes with green chilies, the diced potatoes, and the drained and rinsed black beans. Stir to combine everything thoroughly.

Bring the soup to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Once bubbling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for at least 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Once the potatoes are tender, stir in the drained whole kernel corn and the heavy cream (or half-and-half). Heat gently until warmed through and the cream is evenly distributed, but do not bring to a rolling boil after adding the cream.

Taste the soup and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your desired taste. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes on low heat, uncovered, to allow flavors to meld.

Ladle generous portions of the hot Creamy Cowboy Soup into bowls. Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese before serving. Enjoy immediately!