When I’m craving pure comfort food, I turn to this hamburger soup recipe. Filled with ground beef and vegetables, my savory hamburger vegetable soup is the best meal for cold winter days! It’s hearty and delicious, makes 4 servings, and is ready in just 35 minutes.
With less than 10 ingredients, this hamburger vegetable soup is one of the simplest soups I’ve ever made. Lean ground beef, diced tomatoes, potato, and frozen mixed veggies take off the pressure, while pantry staples like beef broth, tomato paste, and Italian seasoning create a rich and flavorful soup with little effort. It’s the perfect soup for cold winter nights.
What’s in This Hamburger Soup Recipe?
- Ground Beef: I prefer lean ground beef so I don’t have to drain off any excess fat after cooking. 90-95% lean works best in my experience. If you don’t have ground beef on hand, ground pork, turkey, or chicken (or Italian sausage) would also work!
- Onion + Garlic: Create a savory base of flavor for the soup.
- Tomato Paste: Helps thicken up the soup and intensify the tomato flavor.
- Italian Seasoning: Adds classic Italian flavor to the soup.
- Broth: Low-sodium beef broth creates a rich and savory base for the soup.
- Tomatoes: Diced tomatoes add acidity and texture to the broth. Feel free to use regular or fire-roasted tomatoes!
- Potato: I’m adding a diced russet potato for even more texture and substance, but Yukon gold or red potatoes would also work– or substitute the potato for ditalini or macaroni!
- Frozen Mixed Vegetables: An easy hack to add tons of tender veggies with little prep. The mixed vegetables I’m using have carrots, corn, peas, and green beans, but you can use any blend you like.
Tips for Success
- If your pot is on the smaller side, you can brown the ground beef in batches. If the pan is too crowded, the beef will steam instead of browning.
- To thicken the soup, you can add another tablespoon of tomato paste or a slurry made from 3 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Return the pot to a boil and let thicken for 1-2 minutes.
- If you’d like to add pasta, do so during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking time (according to the package) or boil it in a separate pot according to the package and then add it in after the soup has finished cooking.
- To make in a crockpot, simply brown the ground beef, sauté the vegetables, and throw all of the ingredients in your crockpot for 2-4 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low, until the potatoes are tender.
How to Store and Reheat
Hamburger soup is a great make-ahead recipe, as the flavor continues to develop as it sits. Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
Serving Suggestions
I love to make this hamburger vegetable soup for weeknight dinners because it’s easy to make and a family favorite! My kids like to top it with croutons or crackers, and I like it with crusty bread, dinner rolls, or cornbread muffins!
Hamburger Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef (90/10 or 95/5)
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can)
- 1 russet potato diced
- 12 ounces frozen mixed vegetables (1 bag)
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 5 minutes, or until only a small amount of pink remains.1 pound lean ground beef
- Add the onion and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the beef is browned and the onion is soft. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.1 yellow onion
- Add the garlic, tomato paste, and italian seasoning. Stir and cook for an additional minute.3 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Add the beef broth and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add diced tomatoes and potatoes. Stir to combine.4 cups low-sodium beef broth, 14 ounces diced tomatoes, 1 russet potato
- Bring the soup to a boil and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost fork tender.
- Add the frozen vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.12 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
- Serve the soup with crusty bread and shaved parmesan on top, if desired.
Becky’s Tips
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make Hamburger Soup Step by Step
Cook the Beef: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound of lean ground beef and cook for 5 minutes, or until only a small amount of pink remains.
Add the Onion: Add 1 diced yellow onion and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the beef is browned and the onion is soft. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Add the Seasonings: Add 3 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Stir and cook for an additional minute.
Stir in the Broth: Add 4 cups of low-sodium beef broth and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add 14 ounces (1 can) of diced tomatoes and 1 diced Russet potato. Stir to combine.
Cook the Soup: Bring the soup to a boil and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost fork-tender.
Add the Veggies: Add 12 ounces (1 bag) of frozen mixed vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve the soup with crusty bread and shaved Parmesan on top, if desired.
