This hearty hamburger soup is loaded with ground beef, potatoes and an assortment of vegetables, all in a savory broth. The perfect easy dinner option that the whole family will love!
When I’m looking for a one pot meal that I know will be a crowd pleaser, I turn to chili mac, chicken cacciatore or this simple yet satisfying hamburger soup.
Sometimes I find myself with a pound of ground beef and no clue what to make with it. It’s times like that when I turn to hamburger soup- it’s satisfying, quick, and you can customize it with whatever ingredients you already have around the house.
How do you make hamburger soup?
This soup starts with the classic base of onions, carrot and celery. The veggies are sauteed until softened. After your veggies are done, the hamburger goes into the pot to brown. I use a 90% lean ground beef, it’s got plenty of flavor but doesn’t make the soup greasy. If you’re using beef with a higher fat content, you’ll want to drain off any excess fat before you move to the next step. After the meat and veggies are ready, I add tomatoes, tomato sauce, potatoes, beef broth and herbs to the pot, then bring the whole thing to a simmer. After the potatoes have softened, it’s time to stir in some corn and green beans. Add a sprinkle of parsley, then serve and enjoy!
Tips for the perfect soup
- The smaller you cut your potatoes, the less time it will take for this soup to cook. I cut mine into 1/2 inch cubes and it typically takes about 20-25 minutes for the potatoes to soften.
- I use fresh green beans, but you can absolutely use frozen if you prefer. The key is to add them at the end of the cooking time so that they don’t get mushy.
- Make sure to cut all of your vegetables into similar sized pieces so that they cook at the same rate.
- This soup stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it in the microwave or over low heat on the stove top.
Soup variations
I love this recipe as-is, but you can absolutely add other ingredients into the mix to customize the soup to your tastes.
- Protein: Instead of ground beef, try ground turkey, mild Italian sausage or even cooked shredded chicken.
- Potatoes: Skip the Russet potatoes and use Yukon Gold potatoes, red potatoes or even sweet potatoes.
- Vegetables: Try adding other veggies such as kale, butternut squash, bell peppers, spinach, zucchini or peas.
Can you freeze hamburger soup?
This soup is a great candidate for the freezer, and will stay fresh for up to 2 months. Thaw the soup in the fridge overnight, then reheat it on the stove over low heat until warmed through.
Slow cooker hamburger soup
This soup can be made in the slow cooker instead of on the stove top. Follow the first four steps of the recipe, then place the ground beef and vegetable mixture in a crock pot along with the tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, potatoes and Italian seasoning. Cook on low for 4 hours, or high for 2 hours. Stir in the frozen corn and green beans and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.
This hamburger soup is hearty enough to stand on its own as a complete meal, but I often serve it with some crusty bread because it’s such a nice complement to the soup.
What’s your favorite way to use hamburger meat? I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments!
More soup recipes
- Tortellini Soup with Sausage
- Ham Bone Soup
- Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Chicken Taco Soup
- Alphabet Soup with Meatballs
Hamburger Soup Video
Hamburger Soup
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion finely diced
- 2 carrots peeled, quartered and sliced
- 2 stalks celery thinly sliced
- 1 pound ground beef I use 90% lean
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes do not drain
- 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or equal parts of garlic powder, dried oregano and dried basil
- 6 cups beef broth
- 1 large russet potato peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 cup diced green beans fresh or frozen
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery to the pot.
- Cook for 5-6 minutes or until softened.
- Add the ground beef to the pot and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned and mostly cooked through. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, beef broth and potato to the pot; bring to a simmer.
- Cook for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
- Stir in the corn and green beans and cook for 5 minutes more. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Notes
- If you use ground beef with a higher fat content, be sure to drain off any excess fat before you proceed to the next step.
- Ground turkey (93% lean) can be substituted for the ground beef.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on January 8 2018 and was updated on October 20, 2019 with new content.
Barbara Youders says
I was told of this by a friend and made it last night for my dinner.
I didn’t have green beans so I used frozen peas. No diced tomatoes so I used whole tomatoes. No beef broth so I used Better than Bouillon. Still came out delicious. Thanks.
Karin says
This is the second time I used this recipe for hamburger soup and we love it! This time I added a can of Rotel and added peas instead of green beans (didn’t have any). So yummy!
Lisa says
I loved it and it was easy. I’ll definitely make it again. Thank you!
Viola Bergeaux says
I love making hamburger muffins,I live alone ,so I dont make big meals except holidays when everyone comes,I add all my favorites,cheese,seasonings of my choice,topped withchunky tomato sauce,cook at 350 deg for 25 -30 minutes
Fernanda Vargas’s says
Love the soup very flavourful and healthy with all the veggies ,I even add an extra potatoes and frozen organic peas and my two year old son devoured it 🙂 also I cook my extra extra lean ground beef in a different pan and drain it & then mix it with the onion carrots and celery so I don’t have to drain the juices from those beehives with the ground beef as they are very nutritious . Thanks for the recipe!!!!
Tonya McElveen says
I absolutely love this soup, so flavorful
Kristina says
What a delicious soup ! I always enjoy putting my own twist on a recipe so I added some strong black coffee to the broth as well as some balsamic vinegar. Yummy!
Karlyn S Schumacher says
I use pasta instead of potatoes
Roberta says
I made this soup and was so surprised how flavorful it is. I need to provide 8 quarts of soup for our organization. Can you tell me how many quarts this recipe makes? Thinking about tripling the recipe. Thank yo7.
Sara says
This makes about 6 cups which is 1.5 quarts!
Joel says
This is Picadillo Soup a delicious and nutritious Mexican Soup💕
John Beall says
When I was in the Boy Scouts way back When This was called Campers Stew! All One Needed Was Ground Beef and Vegetables Soup which was purchased at the Store! Was a Cheap eat back then!
John
Tonje says
This is delicious! Love it.
Josi says
This soup is perfect for this season! I love how it is loaded with veggies!!
Tara says
Such a wonderful, comforting soup for the season! I love the addition of all those vegetables. So perfect for the family and one pot too!
Patty at Spoonabilities says
Truly delicious soup! I never had thought about using ground beef in a soup recipe, but this is SO GOOD!