Easy Hamburger Soup

A comforting and wholesome soup for any season.

No matter what season, the chances are good that the answer to the question "What's for dinner?" is going to be "Soup!"

It may be the answer on a cold and chilly day, or just when you have no other ideas for dinner and need something fast and easy. Soup is warm, comforting, and always delicious.

A hamburger soup in a blue decorative bowl

Simply Recipes / Megan Keno

How to Make Hamburger Vegetable Soup, Fast and Simple

This hamburger soup is a quick meal when you need it, but it tastes like it has been tucked away on the stove for hours.

The key ingredient is, of course, hamburger meat. Brown the hamburger first, and then use the fat released by the meat to cook the vegetables. This gives the veggies great flavor!

Finally, simmer the soup with broth and diced tomatoes for just twenty more minutes and you're done. Easy.

Serve it with some crusty garlic bread on the side for a perfect home-cooked meal!

A Dutch oven full of hamburger soup

Simply Recipes / Megan Keno

Upgrade Your Soup

Make this soup your own by adding in some macaroni or other pasta, or give it a spicy kick with a dash of cayenne.

You can also turn it into "cheeseburger soup" by stirring in some shredded cheddar cheese at the very end!

How to Store and Freeze Hamburger Soup

Leftover soup will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.

To freeze, let the soup cool completely and then transfer to freezer-safe containers or bags, pressing out as much air as possible. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or just warm the soup straight from the freezer in a saucepan over low heat.

Hamburger soup with vegetables resting in a blue bowl

Simply Recipes / Megan Keno

Different Vegetables to Add

We suggest carrots, celery and bell peppers in this recipe, but you can add pretty much whatever you have in your pantry. Diced potato, canned/frozen corn, and green beans works great in this soup. You can also toss in canned or frozen peas, okra, diced onions, and any number of canned beans.

The Best Ground Beef to Buy

You can use any kind of ground beef in this recipe. 85 to 90 percent lean is good so that you have enough fat rendered to flavor the vegetables when you cook them. You want just enough fat, but not so much that you have to pour a lot of it off.

If you use a leaner ground beef, such as ground round, and it does not give off much fat, you can sauté the vegetables in a little more oil or butter.

Homemade Breads to Serve With Hamburger Soup

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Easy Hamburger Soup

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Servings 4 to 6 servings

If you’re not using the red wine, use an equal measure of tomato juice or beef broth spiked with a teaspoon or two of your favorite vinegar.

Ingredients

  • 1 to 1 1/3 pounds ground beef

  • 1 cup diced yellow onion (from 1 small onion or 1/2 large onion)

  • 2 stalks celery, diced

  • 2 large carrots, diced

  • 1 sweet bell pepper, seeded and diced

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes

  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 2 cups beef broth

  • 1/2 cup red wine, optional (see recipe note)

  • 1 cup elbow macaroni, optional

Method

  1. Brown the beef in a heavy stock pot:

    In a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat, brown the ground beef over medium heat. Break it apart with a wooden spoon into large chunks.

    When browned, use a slotted spoon to transfer the ground beef onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Set it aside.

    Ground beef cooking and being stirred in a Dutch oven

    Simply Recipes / Megan Keno

  2. Cook the vegetables:

    Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat from the ground beef (or add enough olive oil to make 1 tablespoon if there's not much fat).

    Add the diced onion, celery, carrot and bell pepper and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes.

    Sautéing carrots, onion, and celery in a Dutch oven

    Simply Recipes / Megan Keno

  3. Add the seasonings, tomatoes, and broth:

    Stir in the tomato paste and garlic, and cook about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add in the oregano, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine.

    Diced Tomatoes being added to vegetable sauté

    Simply Recipes / Megan Keno

    Stir in the diced tomatoes, beef broth, and red wine (if using). Lastly, add the cooked ground beef back to the pan. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

    Cooked Ground beef on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Megan Keno

  4. Simmer the soup:

    Bring the soup to a rapid simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and cook for about 20 more minutes. If you are adding elbow macaroni, add it halfway through simmering, and cook until the pasta is tender.

    Hamburger soup ingredients simmering in pot

    Simply Recipes / Megan Keno

  5. Serve immediately:

    Dole the soup out into individual bowls and serve hot from the pot. Leftovers will keep up to 5 days refrigerated, or up to 3 months frozen.

    Did you love the recipe? Give us some stars and leave a comment below!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
331 Calories
18g Fat
12g Carbs
30g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 331
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 7g 34%
Cholesterol 89mg 30%
Sodium 673mg 29%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 30g
Vitamin C 41mg 203%
Calcium 89mg 7%
Iron 4mg 22%
Potassium 813mg 17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.