Hamburger Soup

Hearty and satisfying this easy hamburger soup is made with ground beef, vegetables, potatoes and diced tomatoes in a savory flavorful broth! Perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Easy Hamburger Soup Recipe

We make this hamburger soup at least once a month at our house. It’s the perfect easy soup recipe to warm up with on a chilly day and is a 30-minute meal that I know my whole family will gobble up.

This soup or my hamburger casserole recipe are some of go-to ground beef recipes when I’m running short on dinner ideas. Just like my easy goulash recipe it’s also a great way to use up any extra veggies sitting in the fridge.

Ingredient Notes

Easy hamburger soup uses simple ingredients that when simmered together become a delicious brothy soup!

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

• Ground beef: I like to use lean ground beef for this soup, and drain any fat before adding the broth.
• Onion, carrot, celery, garlic: These veggies are key ingredients to giving the broth its balanced flavor.
• Hamburger vegetable soup: I added green beans but corn, peas or zucchini are also delicious veggie additions. You could even use frozen veggies to save some chopping time.
• Potatoes: I love adding russet potatoes for extra heartiness and starch but sweet potatoes can be used as well.
• Diced tomatoes: I like to use diced tomatoes to not only add the acidity to the broth, but also a little bit of texture.
• Balsamic vinegar: It may seem strange, but balsamic vinegar is a secret ingredient to giving this soup a little added sweetness and punch.
• Beef broth: I like to use beef broth to amp up the hamburger flavor.
• Seasoning: Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper give this soup extra depth of flavor.

How to Make Hamburger Soup

• Brown: Cook the hamburger meat in a large pot until it has lightly browned. Drain any extra grease, then add in the fresh chopped veggies (minus the green beans) and cook for a few more minutes. Mix in the minced garlic and cook 1 more minute until fragrant.
• Add. Next pour in the broth, tomatoes, water, balsamic and seasonings. Cook the mixture until it begins to boil, then stir in the chopped green beans.
• Simmer. Cover the pot with the lid and let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes. At this point, the potatoes should be fork tender. If they are still a little hard, keep simmering until cooked through.
• Serve. Taste the soup and add more seasonings as needed. Then ladle into bowls and add fresh chopped parsley on top for more flavor.

Tips and Variations

• Beef: I like to use lean ground beef so that there’s not a ton of grease. If there’s any grease in the pan after cooking the hamburger, make sure to drain it before adding in the other ingredients. You don’t want your soup to be greasy! You can also use ground turkey instead of beef, although the beef definitely gives it a bolder flavor.
• Consistency: This soup has a thick and hearty consistency. To thin it out, add in an extra can of broth.
• Heat: If you like spice, mix in a few red pepper flakes or use fire roasted tomatoes instead of plain diced tomatoes.
• Pasta: You can also add in elbow macaroni noodles (or other pasta) if preferred. Cook the pasta in a separate pot and then mix into the soup right before serving.

Serving Suggestions

While this hamburger soup simmers on the stovetop, make a delicious grilled cheese to serve with it! Other homemade breads I love to pair with it include:

• French bread (with garlic butter!)
• Artisan Bread
• Sweet cornbread

Make Ahead, Storage and Freezing

• Make ahead: This hamburger soup is a great make ahead meal prep option as the soup continues to get more flavorful the longer it sits in the fridge. Just store it in an airtight container up to 5 days so it does not absorb any other fridge smells.
• Freeze: This soup makes a wonderful freezer meal. Cool completely then transfer to a freezer bag or container, leaving about an inch of room from the top. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in fridge overnight then reheat in a pot on the stove until warm. Add broth or water to thin it out if needed.

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