Welcome to the comforting foods for a chilly day, as the aroma of simmering goodness fills the air and the kitchen becomes a haven of warmth. I love when cooler weather comes and we are back into soup season. Today, I invite you to join me on trying this easy hamburger soup recipe that requires minimal cooking time and effort for maximum flavor! Perfect for those busy days when you need a weeknight meal where simplicity is key. This hearty soup combines the richness of savory ground beef with an array of vibrant vegetables, to create a delicious vegetable beef soup.
What you’ll need
This recipe calls for simple and inexpensive ingredients!
- Ground beef – I prefer to use grass fed and even hide in some organ meats if I can! I opt for the 80/20 meat and keep the grease. You are more than welcome to use a lean meat and drain the excess fat, but I think it brings out more flavor. You can also swap for ground turkey.
- Beef Broth – You can use beef bone broth or chicken broth too if you don’t have beef on hand.
- Red Potatoes – You can use red, yukon gold potatoes, or russet potatoes. Red are just my favorite.
- Onion – I use a white or yellow onion for this recipe. Purple onion is great on hamburgers though, so I’m sure you could use it too! You can also add 1.5 tsp of onion powder if you’d rather use that.
- Garlic – I use freshly crushed garlic cloves, but you can substitute for garlic powder too.
- Salt and Black Pepper – I prefer to use Redmond’s Real Salt or Celtic Salt when I cook.
- Crushed Tomatoes – You can also use diced tomatoes. I have 2 kids who dislike tomatoes so I usually opt for crushed. Keep the liquid if you use diced though.
- Frozen vegetables – I opt for frozen because it holds in more nutrients than the canned variety. But if you have fresh vegetables go for it.
- Dried Basil and Dried Parsley – If you have fresh parsley or basil from the garden, feel free to use it too! I don’t usually have fresh herbs this time of year though. You can also opt for italian seasoning as it has these in there!
Preparing you hamburger soup
This is a great recipe because there isn’t much prep work involved and it’s a one pot recipe. In fact, you can make this in your crock pot if you’d like. All you’d have to do is cook the beef beforehand then add the rest of the ingredients and you’re good to go! Just cook on low all day.
Do make sure to simmer the recipe whether you’re making it on the stove top or slow cooker, it allows all the flavors to come together in it. I know as a mom it’s easy to forget to start a recipe or to not want to simmer the time the recipe calls for, but it is always worth it!
Tips for making your easy hamburger soup turn out
- Simmer the full time – Allow this hearty hamburger soup to simmer in a large pot the full 30 minutes to bring out the flavors of the herbs.
- Taste test before serving – Taste test your soup before serving. We aren’t a salty family, so I err on the side of adding less salt than most people do.
- Dice your potatoes small – If your potatoes are in large chunks, they will take longer to cook through. Dice them small so they’ll cook in the 30 minutes! No body likes biting into a crunchy potato from my experience.
Adding organ meat
This is one of those recipes I can add some ground liver or heart to without my whole family noticing. There are plenty of flavors to mask the taste of organs. Usually, if I have a recipe that uses only the hamburger meat, like hamburger or meatloaf, my husband can smell the organ meat – or so he claims. But these type of recipes tend to be my “safer to add organ meat” recipes.
Nutritious and filling
I tend to grab organic, frozen veggies to add to my recipes. Frozen veggies tend to lose less of their nutrient profile since there is minimal processing. This means you lock in nutrients because the veggies are frozen in their prime. If you’re using canned veggies, they tend tol lose some of their nutrients from the pressure needed to safely can the veggies. We’ve all had canned green beans at some point that are lifeless and less than colorful!
Can I freeze this hamburger soup recipe?
Absolutely yes! If I make soup in my slow cooker, I prefer to double the recipe. Then I can take some as leftovers for work and also put some in a gallon freezer zip lock bag. Make sure to date it and label what’s inside. From personal experience, my family doesn’t tend to enjoy ‘mystery soup’ from the freezer.
Pull it from the freezer the night before and let it thaw in your fridge. Then, throw it back into your pot or slow cooker to reheat.
What do you serve as a side?
Sourdough bread or no knead bread is always a winner in our home (make sure to heat up your large Dutch oven well before starting this!). Don’t forget to add the homemade butter on top. We’ve always done oyster crackers, crushed up saltines, or grilled cheese too. If you plan to make bread, don’t forget to start it in the morning!
Topping ideas
You can top with croutons, cooked pasta, cheese, cooked bacon, or even some pickles..pretty much whatever you put on a hamburger! Bacon and cheese are a fan favorite here.
Easy Hamburger Soup
Enjoy the simplicity of this delightful hamburger soup recipe that uses savory beef, vibrant veggies, and a flavorful broth for a comforting bowl of soup even your kiddos will love.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds hamburger
- 1 medium diced onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 baking potatoes, cubed
- 1-10oz bag of frozen mixed veggies
- 5 cups of beef broth
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp dried basil
- pepper to taste
- 1-28oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 6 oz can of tomato paste
Instructions
- Brown beef in a skillet. While it's cooking, add your onion and garlic.
- Add the rest of your ingredients to your pot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.
Notes
- Be sure to dice your potatoes so they're small cubes so that they'll cook faster
- This could also be thrown into a slow cooker to cook all day. Just brown your beef beforehand.
- If we have shredded cheese, we'll put it on top of our soup once it's in our bowls.
Final Thoughts
Making home cooked food is a wagon that people are jumping back on. Food has always evoked certain memories for me and gathering my family around the table to eat is a joy. This is one of those recipes that is simple, full of hearty vegetables, and a go to comfort food. The rich aroma of the savory beef (from the portion of the cow we bought this year!) and the wholesome blend of vegetable are an easy recipe I hope to pass onto my kiddos one day.
Cooking doesn’t have to be a complex affair. Let your kiddos help with this recipe as bringing out kids into the kitchen when we make uncomplicated and nourishing meals can bring forth memories they may cherish one day. Let the echoes of children’s sweet voices and the simmering broth fill your kitchen. There’s something about the warmth of comforting food that brings the family together and feeds not just our bodies, but our souls. And with each handful of ingredients there is also a pinch of love! Here’s to many more cozy bowls and cherished memories that these sort of moments bring to the table.
Save this hamburger vegetable soup for later!
Does your family enjoy soups during the fall (aka ‘soup’) season?
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