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. Looking for more ways to use this versatile type of meat? Try my creamy and comforting ground beef stroganoff!
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.
I’ve been making hamburger soup for 30 plus years. This recipe is just I make it. It’s delish! It’s easy to make and easy to adjust to your own personal taste. All my friends and family love it so there’s never any leftover. I’m wondering how it freezes?
It freezes well, the veggies and potatoes are a little softer after being frozen, but otherwise it works fine!
daughter just made this and gave me some Wow is it good, she added three different kinds canned bean beside string beans CAN’T wait to make this myself tks
So glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for this yummy recipe! We made this last night with what i had on hand! The aromas are wonderful and the taste is delicious! I followed the recipe as close as i could with what i had on hand (with the exception of only having 4 cups of beef broth so i added chicken stock, i had canned corn and green beans, and Jarred garlic. I also only had baby red potatoes. The diced tomatoes were also Italian seasoned.). Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it, thanks for reporting back!
Love this recipe. I’ve made it twice. So hearty and delicious!
So happy to hear you’re enjoying it!!
Just stopping by to say this is a delicious recipe! Thank you for sharing it!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for the recipe! It’s easy and delicious…just serve with crusty bread and you have a complete meal!
Thanks for the recipe! It’s easy and delicious…just serve with crusty bread and you have a complete meal!
Love your recipes simple ad accesable
Thank you Pat!
Just made this and it’s delicious! It’s August and I live in the South, the Deep South, but no matter. I’m keeping this recipe. There’s nothing like homemade soup with fresh veggies.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, thanks for reporting back!
I just made it in August as well and it’s outstanding.
My family would go crazy over this! I must make it!
Never heard of hamburger soup. I would have to make a turkey version as I cant eat beef anymore.
This looks really good! I could eat this for dinner any night of the week!
This looks so yummy, I am definitely trying to make this for my family! I know my kids would love this !
I love a hearty soup recipe in cold weather. This one sounds like it would definitely fit the bill.
I love making soup, but have never made this recipe before. Now I know what I’m going to do with my leftover hamburger!
My mom used to make Hamburger Soup when I was a kid. I didn’t really care for it then, but as an adult I would so love a bowl about now.
Hamburger soup?! Why have I never thought of this?! (And secretly, I’m glad you did because your recipe seems absolutely scrumptious.) Thank you for putting the nutritious facts to your recipe – I don’t find many bloggers doing this!
This is definitely soup weather! I’ll have to give your recipe a try.
This is SO going into my winter rotation! I’m going to serve it with a generous handful of shredded cheddar on top, and we’ll have cheeseburger soup! Om nom nom.
This is definitely full of good hearty ingredients! It would be great on those cold nights! It looks really delicious!