• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • About
  • Contact Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Dinner at the Zoo

  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • Appetizers
  • Dessert
  • One Pot Meals
  • Slow Cooker
  • Asian Food

Home » Soup » Hamburger Soup

Published: October 20, 2019 Last Modified: October 20, 2019 By Sara 103 Comments

Hamburger Soup

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Hamburger Soup Recipe | Hamburger Stew | Ground Beef Soup #hamburger #soup #groundbeef #stew #dinner #dinneratthezoo

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.

Hamburger Soup Recipe | Hamburger Stew | Ground Beef Soup #hamburger #soup #groundbeef #stew #dinner #dinneratthezoo Hamburger Soup Recipe | Hamburger Stew | Ground Beef Soup #hamburger #soup #groundbeef #stew #dinner #dinneratthezoo

Hamburger soup with potatoes and vegetables is an economical and easy meal option.

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!

Onions, carrots and celery form the base for hamburger soup/

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.

Ground beef is added to the vegetables for hamburger soup.

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.

Potatoes and tomatoes go into hamburger soup before the pot comes to a simmer.

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.

This hearty hamburger soup is loaded with potatoes and vegetables, all in a savory broth. The perfect easy dinner option that the whole family will love!

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 with potatoes and vegetables is an economical and easy meal option.
Print Pin
4.99 from 57 votes

Hamburger Soup

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!
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 240kcal
Author Sara Welch

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

  1. 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.
  2. Ground turkey (93% lean) can be substituted for the ground beef.

Nutrition

Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 972mg | Potassium: 788mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3455IU | Vitamin C: 7.1mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2.9mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @DinnerAtTheZoo or tag #dinneratthezoo!

This post was originally published on January 8 2018 and was updated on October 20, 2019 with new content.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Filed Under: Dinner, Soup

FREE TOOLKIT: 5 Secrets to Meal Planning

Learn my 5 Meal Planning Secrets & get my Meal Planning Toolkit...FREE!

    ​
    ​

    Still hungry? Follow Dinner at the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

    « Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
    Crockpot Meatloaf with Vegetables »

    Comments

    1. Kim says

      January 9, 2023 at 6:39 am

      We called this mulligan stew growing up. Not a new recipe in the south-it’s a go to the cupboards low on staples meal

      Reply
    2. Levi says

      January 3, 2022 at 4:08 pm

      5 stars
      Bumped garlic and all spices to taste!
      Great recipe for anyone who likes/loves to eat and /or cooks
      !!
      Thanks

      Reply
    3. mary hartman says

      December 13, 2021 at 12:50 pm

      5 stars
      I love this recipe and so does my family, I omit Italian seasoning, but I do add some red pepper flakes, adds a little kick. I serve it with Ditali pasta, and some crusty french bread! YUMMY!

      Reply
    4. Diana Beltran says

      November 10, 2021 at 7:25 am

      We love this soup so much , sometimes I add cooked elbow macaroni and a little sweet peas . And buy simply made cornbread mix in a box to make easy Mexican corn bread to go with it. That recipe is online .Everyone loves this .

      Reply
    5. Patsy Rowe says

      November 4, 2021 at 3:25 pm

      I’ve made this soup probably 10 times!! Love it!!

      Reply
    6. Brittany says

      November 1, 2021 at 8:52 am

      Could I use canned carrots instead??

      Reply
      • Sara says

        November 1, 2021 at 5:24 pm

        Yes that’s fine!

        Reply
    7. Tamra Pearson says

      October 6, 2021 at 3:00 pm

      Made this today and loved it! I added barley as another reader had done. So good.

      Reply
    8. Brandi says

      June 13, 2021 at 5:53 pm

      5 stars
      YUM!! I had a can of mixed vegetables on hand & was running low on broth so I used equal parts chicken broth to vegetable broth from the can to this soup and oh my it turned out delicious! I will be making this again next weekend or maybe even tomorrow! Thank you!

      Reply
    9. Kristine says

      March 30, 2021 at 5:59 pm

      5 stars
      I found your recipes one day while searching for a certain recipe and I’m so happy I did . I’ve made several of your recipes and every one of them have been great so I know longer have to search recipes I go straight to dinner at the zoo. I just wanted to thank you for making my life easier and making great food.

      Reply
    10. Tammy says

      February 15, 2021 at 9:04 pm

      5 stars
      I made this recipe for dinner tonight & it was so good. My daughter loved it as well. Perfect on a cold night. I will make this again & again. Dinner at the zoo never disappoints. 🙂 Had to improvise on a couple ingredients to save myself from venturing out in nasty weather; canned tomato soup instead of tomato sauce, small shell pasta instead of potato & about a cup each of green beans & corn because we love our veggies. I’ll make as written when I’m not avoiding the outdoors 😉 but it is a very versatile recipe. Thank you for another delicious dinner.

      Reply
    11. Angelina Carter says

      February 13, 2021 at 4:20 pm

      5 stars
      My family loved it! I cooked barley and added it to the soup and it made it “souper” filling 😂😂

      Reply
    12. Doreen says

      February 2, 2021 at 11:01 am

      Very good I loved it

      Reply
    13. Dennis says

      January 30, 2021 at 8:54 pm

      5 stars
      My wife and I love this recipe verbatim. Very good. I vacuum seal and freeze what we don’t eat the first night and it tastes as good after two months in the freezer as it did the first night. Very good recipe. Thanks a ton. We have made it at least a dozen times and I am making tomorrow night.

      Reply
    14. Susie says

      December 14, 2020 at 7:40 pm

      5 stars
      I cooked soup according to the recipe and it was very easy to follow along. The soup was quite delicious and I will be showing it off to family and friends. It was by far the best homemade soup I’ve ever made!! Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Ivy says

        February 18, 2021 at 10:39 am

        5 stars
        This is the second time we tried this recipe and it never disappoints. My husband loves it a lot. Thank you for this recipe.

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating





    With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More

    Game Day Snacks

    Fried calamari with lemon wedges and a side of cocktail sauce.

    Fried Calamari Recipe

    A strawberry in a bowl of chocolate fruit dip, surrounded by assorted fruit.

    Chocolate Fruit Dip

    A serving plate of bacon wrapped smokies with parsley and a side of ketchup.

    Bacon Wrapped Smokies

    Crab stuffed mushrooms with cremini mushroom caps filled with a creamy seafood filling.

    Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

    Caprese salad with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil leaves and balsamic glaze.

    Caprese Salad Recipe

    A plate of avocado toast with fresh parsley as a garnish.

    Avocado Toast Recipe

    More Posts from this Category

    Featured Recipes

    Beef and broccoli stir fry in a pan.

    Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

    These oven baked beef tacos are filled with beans, meat and melted cheese, then topped off with shredded lettuce and fresh salsa. The best way to make tacos for a crowd!

    Baked Beef Tacos

    This recipe for shrimp pesto pasta is spaghetti tossed in a flavorful pesto sauce, then topped with sauteed shrimp and tomatoes. A fresh and easy dinner that's quick to make and packed with flavor!

    Shrimp Pesto Pasta

    A spoon serving up a portion of hamburger casserole made with pasta and melted cheese.

    Hamburger Casserole

    FREE TOOLKIT: 5 Secrets to Meal Planning

    Learn my 5 Meal Planning Secrets & get my Meal Planning Toolkit...FREE!

      ​
      ​

      Categories

      Sites I am featured In
      PRIVACY POLICY ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT © Sara Welch and Dinner at the Zoo® LLC, 2015-2022.
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest
      • RSS
      • Twitter
      • About Me
      • Contact Me
      • All Recipes
      • Dinner
      • Appetizers
      • Dessert
      • One Pot Meals
      • Slow Cooker
      • Asian Food