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Home » Recipes » Soup Recipes

Easy Hamburger Soup Recipe

Published: Jan 26, 2023 · Modified: Feb 4, 2023 by Chef Dennis Littley

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Packed with hearty vegetables and lean ground beef in a rich and flavorful tomato broth, my easy hamburger soup is a delicious and easy-to-make soup that the whole family will love. Perfect for a weeknight meal or game day.

overhead view of hamburger soup in a white bowl


 

My grandmother used to call this hearty hamburger soup a Poor Man’s Soup. That was because it used ground beef, which, believe it or not, used to be inexpensive. Over the years, I’ve made this many different ways, with vegetables I had on hand and different kinds of pasta, rice and grains.

You can swap out the pasta for potatoes, using russet potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes. You could even use sweet potatoes if you prefer.

close up of hamburger soup in a white bowl

It’s easy to customize this soup to fit your family’s taste preferences and use what you have on hand. I love adding half Italian sausage meat instead of all ground beef when I make this soup.

Sometimes I use chicken broth instead of beef broth, and if you don’t have diced tomatoes, use tomato sauce (not spaghetti sauce) or tomato puree. You can also customize the flavor profile by adding some heat with chili powder or a little bit of sweetness with brown sugar.

No matter how you make this easy hamburger soup, your family is going to love it. Serve it with crusty bread for dipping and they’ll be in heaven!

Table of Contents:
  • Ingredients to make Hamburger Soup
  • How to make Hamburger Soup
  • Recipe FAQ’s
  • More Soup Recipes You’ll Love!
  • Recipe: Easy Hamburger Soup

Ingredients to make Hamburger Soup

Ingredients to make Hamburger Soup

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Hamburger Soup. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

Simple pantry ingredients and fresh vegetables

  • lean ground beef 
  • onion 
  • celery 
  • carrots 
  • garlic 
  • beef broth 
  • diced tomatoes with juice
  • tomato paste
  • dried oregano
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • elbow macaroni – optional
  • frozen peas
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • fresh parsley 

How to make Hamburger Soup

collage showing how to make recipe
  • Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef to the pot and stir until browned. When the ground beef is browned, turn off the heat and remove the ground beef from the pot. Set aside until needed.
  • Add the diced carrots, onions, celery, and garlic to the pot with additional olive oil if needed.
  • Saute the veggies over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth to the pot. Mix well and season with salt and black pepper to taste.

You could add a little red pepper flakes if you’d like a little heat in the soup. You can also use whatever fresh vegetables you have on hand.

collage showing how to finish making the recipe.
  • Add the ground beef back into the pot, along with any juice or fat that was released by the beef. Mix well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
  • Add the elbow macaroni to the pot and mix well. Continue to simmer for 8-10 minutes over medium-low heat.
  • Add the peas and chopped fresh parsley to the pot.
  • Mix well and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes or until the soup has reached the temperature of 165 degrees F.
hamburger soup in a white bowl

Serve the soup with a loaf of crusty bread, a green salad, and one of my favorite old-fashioned desserts like rice pudding. It’s the perfect meal for a chilly night, or for that matter, any night.

Once the soup has cooled to room temperature, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or freeze the soup in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

This tomato beef soup recipe is one of my favorite comfort foods. And if you’re a fan of beefy recipes, you might also like my sloppy Joes or beef kofta kabobs.

Recipe FAQ’s

Can I make hamburger soup in a crock pot?

You sure can. Give the beef and vegetables a quick saute, then add the remainder of the ingredients (except pasta and peas) to the crockpot and let it simmer for an hour. During the last 15 minutes, add the pasta. Add the peas and parsley right before serving.

What is hamburger soup made of?

Hamburger soup is a combination of ground beef and lots of veggies. There are the standard soup veggies like onion, celery, and carrots, but then you can add lots of other vegetables (especially tomatoes and potatoes), as well as herbs and spices, too

Can you freeze the soup?

If you have any leftover soup, it can be frozen in airtight freezer-safe containers and can remain frozen for up to 3 months.

More Soup Recipes You’ll Love!

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    Classic Minestrone Soup Recipe
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    Easy Pasta Fagioli Recipe
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    Cannellini Bean and Sausage Soup
  • partial view of Italian wedding soup in white bowl
    Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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overhead view of hamburger soup in a white bowl

Easy Hamburger Soup

Packed with vegetables and lean ground beef in a rich and flavorful tomato broth, my Easy Hamburger Soup is a great way to fill your families bellies with a delicious, easy to make soup.
5 from 59 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 50 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 10
Calories 247 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 pound lean ground beef or 1 lb ground beef and 1 lb sweet italian sausage
  • 2 cups onion diced
  • 2 cups celery diced
  • 2 cups carrots diced – I used rainbow carrots
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 6 – 8 cups beef broth more or less beef broth depending upon how thick you like the soup
  • 28 ounces diced tomatoes with juice
  • 3 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup elbow macaroni – optional. You can use pasta, rice or grain of your choice.
  • 1 cup peas frozen is preferable
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon parsley finely chopped – same some for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef to the pot and stir until browned. When the ground beef is browned, turn off the heat and remove the ground beef from the pot. Set aside until needed.
  • Add the diced carrots, onions, celery, and garlic to the pot with additional olive oil if needed. Saute the veggies over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, worcestershire sauce, and beef broth to the pot. Mix well and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
    You could add a little red pepper flakes if you’d like a little heat in the soup. You can also use whatever fresh vegetables you have on hand.
  • Add the ground beef back into the pot, along with any juice or fat that was released by the beef. Mix well.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
  • Add the elbow macaroni to the pot and mix well. Continue to simmer for 8-10 minutes over medium low heat.
  • Add the peas and chopped fresh parsley to the pot. Mix well and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes or until the soup has reached the temperature of 165 degrees F.

Nutrition

Calories: 247kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 25gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 828mgPotassium: 875mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 4688IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 86mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askchefdennis or tag #askchefdennis!

Comments

    5 from 59 votes (47 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Janet Williams says

    January 03, 2025 at 1:54 pm

    5 stars
    Your recipes are always great, Dennis! This one is just what I needed after the holidays on cold winter days.

    Reply
  2. Darrell says

    October 29, 2023 at 7:51 am

    5 stars
    I’ve made this a few times now. Very easy to put together and the flavors are great. The only thing I do differently is I cook the pasta separately and add it as I dish it up. That way it doesn’t get over cooked when you heat the soup up the next day.

    Reply
  3. Kushigalu says

    February 19, 2023 at 12:19 pm

    5 stars
    Love the combination of flavors in this soup recipe. It was fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  4. Veronika says

    February 19, 2023 at 9:07 am

    5 stars
    This soup was just what we needed in this cold weather! It was really flavorful, filling, and so comforting!

    Reply
  5. Tammy says

    February 17, 2023 at 12:13 pm

    I love how this soup has a little bit of everything in it. It sounds and looks amazing, Dennis! Definitely a perfect day here for this too! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!

    Reply
  6. Kathryn says

    February 16, 2023 at 11:19 am

    5 stars
    We all devoured this soup! It was hearty, easy to make and delicious! Topped it with lots of cheese and can’t wait to make it again! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  7. Cathleen says

    February 15, 2023 at 9:17 pm

    5 stars
    This soup is perfect! My new go-to. Thank you so much for the recipe, it’s a keeper for sure 🙂

    Reply
  8. megane says

    February 15, 2023 at 4:58 pm

    5 stars
    My kind of soup. Simple, tasty and cheap to make.

    Reply
  9. Christy says

    February 15, 2023 at 10:56 am

    5 stars
    My kids love this hamburger soup and I’m so thankful that I’ve found another nutritious dinner for the rotation!

    Reply
  10. Bernice says

    February 14, 2023 at 1:16 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks for the blast from the past! I grew up on hamburger soup and this is exactly how my mom made it. It was delicious!

    Reply
  11. Colleen says

    February 14, 2023 at 12:59 pm

    5 stars
    I swapped the pasta for rice because of gluten and this soup turned out so good. It’s a new family favorite.

    Reply
  12. Sharon says

    February 14, 2023 at 11:07 am

    5 stars
    This hamburger soup was the perfect combination of easy to make and easy on a budget.

    Reply
  13. Pat says

    January 28, 2023 at 12:50 pm

    5 stars
    I made this soup and can’t wait to eat it and share some with a neighbor who recently had surgery. Nutritious and delicious! Thank you.

    Reply

My name is Chef Dennis Littley, creator and owner of Ask Chef Dennis Productions. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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