You don’t want to miss this EASY Hamburger Soup, featuring ground beef, potatoes, onion, carrots, and celery in a seasoned tomato beef broth. This hearty meal can be made in the crock pot or on the stove top and will warm you from the inside out.
A Cozy Hamburger Soup
It’s pretty much the dead of winter in Ohio right now, so I’ve pulled out all my favorite ground beef soup recipes to help me cope. We've been warming up with No Bean Chili and Creamy Taco Soup, but I wanted to add a really simple, classic hamburger soup to our repertoire.
This recipe is pure, simple comfort food that's made with pantry staples and ingredients you probably already have on hand!
Why You'll Love this Hamburger Soup
- You can make it in either a Dutch oven or a crock pot! If I'm on top of things in the morning, I love being able to get this soup ready to go before 10 AM. But if 5 PM rolls around, I know I can fire up the stove and still have a satisfying meal on the table in about 30 minutes.
- Once you’ve finished chopping, this Hamburger Soup takes about 30 minutes in a Dutch oven or 4 hours in a crock pot. If you’re cooking dinner while at work, you can set that crock pot on low and come back to a delicious meal after 8 hours.
- It's naturally gluten free, chock full of veggies, and yet still delivers all of those warm fuzzy feelings. Pair it with a hunk of fresh baked bread and you've got the ultimate winter meal.
Key Ingredients
- Ground beef- This recipe starts with perfectly browned ground beef. Visit this post to get our tips for browning ground beef.
- Veggies - We’ve got onion, carrots, celery, garlic, potatoes, and tomatoes. You could also sub frozen mixed vegetables if you prefer.
- Tomato paste - Tomato paste is my secret weapon for adding concentrated flavor to soups and casseroles. We love it in this Skillet Ground Beef and Potatoes and Mexican Cornbread Casserole as well.
- Seasoning - Kosher salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. If you don't have Kosher salt, use iodized salt, but reduce the amount to 1 teaspoon.
- Beef broth - I usually use low sodium beef broth (this stuff from Better than Bouillon is excellent, but whatever you have on hand will work just fine. Be sure to check labels if you need the soup to be gluten free!
How to Make Hamburger Soup
- Brown ground beef in a large Dutch oven set over medium-high.
- Add the onion, celery, and carrots, and cook for 5-6 minutes or until softened.
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper and cook for 30 seconds. Add the beef broth, potatoes, and diced tomatoes, stirring well.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
Alternate Crock Pot Hamburger Soup Instructions:
- Brown the beef and drain, season with salt and pepper, then add to a slow cooker with the remaining ingredients.
- Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
Tips for Crock Pot Hamburger Soup
- If you want a thicker, more stew-like broth, mash some of the potatoes a bit after they’re cooked to incorporate them into the broth.
- For an easy short cut, pick up a bag of pre-chopped frozen veggies, like carrots, peas, or green beans. Add them to the pot during the last few minutes of boiling time or for the last 30 minutes in the slow cooker.
- Feel free to add or substitute different veggies based on your tastes. Mushrooms would be so lovely in this. You could also stir in some spinach or kale at the end.
- If you're looking for a creamy hamburger soup, be sure to check out our Crock Pot Cheeseburger Soup.
FAQS
Can I add pasta to hamburger soup?
Yes! To make hamburger pasta soup, omit the potatoes, add an additional 2 cups of broth, and add up to 8 ounces of the pasta of your choice after bringing the water to a boil. Boil only for the recommended time for al dente.
You may also be interested in this Slow Cooker Goulash, which is a thick hamburger soup with pasta.
What can I substitute for the tomatoes?
You can leave the tomatoes out and just add another cup of beef broth if you prefer.
What is a good substitute for beef broth?
You can substitute vegetable or chicken broth in hamburger soup if you prefer.
How to store and freeze Hamburger Soup
This soup keeps really well and makes amazing leftovers. After the soup has cooled, store it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight then microwave or reheat on the stove top.
What to Serve with Hamburger Potato Soup
Now that you have a hearty main dish planned, what should you serve it with? We have some ideas for you. You can pair our Hamburger Soup with these Honey Bacon Biscuits or No Knead Bread.
Or try making this Creamy Caesar Salad and Gluten Free Cornbread.
Our kiddos' favorite side dish is either Amish White Bread with jam or store bought garlic bread.
Whichever recipes you choose, you’ll be in for a cozy, comforting meal.
More Crock Pot Hamburger Recipes You Might Enjoy
For more comforting ground beef recipes, try these:
- Slow Cooker Hamburger Goulash
- Crock Pot Swedish Meatballs
- Crock Pot BBQ Meatballs for a Party
- Crock Pot Taco Meat
- Crock Pot Cheeseburger Soup
Crock Pot Hamburger Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- Olive oil (to coat the pan)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
- 3 medium carrots (sliced)
- 2 stalks celery (chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 5 cups beef broth (low sodium is preferred)
- 1 14-½ ounce can diced tomatoes (undrained)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 large potatoes (such as russets, cubed)
Instructions
Dutch Oven Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add the beef, breaking it into large chunks and spreading it evenly across the pan. Brown, undisturbed, for 2-3 minutes. Once the bottom side has some color, flip and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until no pink remains.
- Add the onion, celery, and carrots to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds, until fragrant. If there is a lot of excess grease in the pan, drain it off before continuing.
- Season the vegetables with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, then stir in tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds. Add the beef broth, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and potatoes, stirring well.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
Alternate Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Cook the beef until browned on all sides, then add the onion. Saute 3-4 minutes, until softened. Drain excess grease, then season the beef mixture lightly with Kosher salt and pepper.
- Add the beef mixture to a crock pot along with the remaining ingredients.
- Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
