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.
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A Cozy Ground Beef Soup
It’s pretty much the dead of winter in Ohio right now, so I’ve pulled out all my favorite soup recipes to help me cope. Besides No Bean Chili and Crock Pot Cheeseburger Soup, I don't have a lot of ground beef soups in my repertoire, and it was long past time that changed.
This Hamburger Soup is pure, simple comfort food that's made with ingredients you probably already have on hand! Here’s more reasons to add it to your meal plan this week:
- 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 before the hangries set in.
- Once you’ve finished chopping, this Hamburger Soup only 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 one is pretty self-explanatory. If you want to incorporate ground beef in healthy recipes, check out this page dedicated to Healthy Ground Beef Recipes.
- Veggies - We’ve got onion, carrots, celery, garlic, potatoes, and tomatoes. Wait, are tomatoes actually fruits? If they are, VeggieTales was lying to us. Either way, canned tomatoes are a key ingredient in this recipe.
- 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 - Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. We’re keeping it simple this time around.
- Beef broth - I usually use low sodium beef broth, 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. Drain any excess grease then return the pot to the stove top.
- 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 25-30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
Alternate Crock Pot Hamburger Soup Instructions:
- Brown the beef and drain, then add to a slow cooker with the remaining ingredients.
- Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
Tips for Ground Beef 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 carrots, celery, and onions.
- Feel free to add or substitute different veggies based on your tastes. A bag of frozen peas or green beans could work well here. You could also stir in some spinach or kale at the end of the cook time.
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.
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. Whichever recipes you choose, you’ll be in for a cozy, comforting meal.
More Recipes You Might Enjoy
For more comforting ground beef recipes, try these:
- Slow Cooker Goulash with Hamburger
- Cheesy Baked Spaghetti Casserole
- Ground Beef Pot Pie
- Walking Taco Casserole
Crock Pot Hamburger Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 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
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 large potatoes (such as russets, cubed)
- 1 can (14-½ ounces diced tomatoes, undrained)
Instructions
Dutch Oven Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until no pink remains, 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess grease then return the pot to the stovetop.
- Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook for 5-6 minutes 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 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
Alternate Slow Cooker Instructions
- Brown the beef and drain, then add to a slow cooker with the remaining ingredients.
- Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.