Easy Hamburger Soup Recipe (2024)

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This hamburger soup recipe is a simple and hearty meal made with ground beef, potatoes, and a delicious tomato broth. It’s a budget friendly complete meal that makes excellent leftovers!

You may also like my Instant Pot Hamburger Soup recipe.

Easy Hamburger Soup Recipe (1)

Why you’ll love it

Hamburger soup is one of those classic American comfort food dishes that’s easy to like and friendly on your wallet! You can’t go wrong with this cozy soup that has ground beef, potatoes, and a tomato broth that’s big on flavor.

The best part of this soup is how easy to make it is. It’s also full of inexpensive ingredients, and it’s an extremely versatile and flexible recipe. You can simply toss in whatever veggies you have on hand that need using up, and it’ll taste great.

What is hamburger soup?

  • As for the name, it’s called hamburger soup because of the ground beef, which is sometimes referred to as hamburger meat. This soup doesn’t actually taste like hamburgers, and it’s essentially a satisfying and simple ground beef soup. It’s sort of like a quick and easy alternative to Beef Stew.

What you’ll need

  • Olive oil, onions, and celery – sautéing these essentials creates the perfect base for this hearty soup
  • Garlic – we’re using three cloves to add depth of flavor
  • Ground beef – adding protein makes this soup a complete meal. I like to use lean ground beef so that none/very little fat needs to be discarded during cooking
  • Tomato paste and diced tomatoes – using both varieties gives the soup great texture and taste, and tomatoes are a classic complement to ground beef
  • Beef broth – amps up the flavor even more than using water. Use homemade or store-bought
  • Potatoes – Russets are my choice, but in a pinch yellow or red will be fine
  • Italian seasoning – the herbs in Italian seasoning like oregano, thyme, and rosemary are the final touch in this tasty broth. Feel free to use fresh herbs instead
  • Salt & pepper – if you use regular broth vs low sodium, you won’t need to add much salt, but be sure to use enough
Easy Hamburger Soup Recipe (2)

Did you know?

  • A 32 oz carton of beef broth equals 4 cups. Just pour the entire thing in for this recipe!

How to make hamburger soup

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

Easy Hamburger Soup Recipe (3)

In a large soup pot, sauté the onions and celery in olive oil until softened. Add in the garlic, and brown the ground beef.

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Add in the tomato paste followed by the diced tomatoes, broth, potatoes, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, and then let bubble gently for 20 to 25 minutes.

Substitutions and variations

  • If you don’t like having pieces of tomato in your soup, use petite diced tomatoes or sub the diced tomatoes for tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes, and then add more broth or water to thin if needed.
  • You can throw in any vegetables from your fridge, or you can use frozen chopped mixed vegetables (for example, corn, green beans, carrots, or peas). A handful of spinach added when the soup is nearly done cooking would be terrific!

Helpful tips

  • I used Russet potatoes, but feel free to sub with a different kind. I really like using Russets in soups because they fall apart easily since they’re a starchy variety.
  • I use lean ground beef (use up to 95% lean if you like), so I don’t find it necessary to discard any of the fat. This saves a bit of work, and the little bit of fat that’s left over gives the soup a flavor boost! You can drain the fat if you want. I certainly recommend draining some out if you use regular ground beef, or the soup will end up oily.
  • Depending on what kind of tomatoes you use, your soup could be less vibrant than the photos. That’s totally ok!

Leftovers and storage

  • This hamburger soup makes fantastic leftovers, and they’ll keep in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
  • For best results, heat up in a saucepan slowly over a low heat.
  • It also freezes well. Consume within 3 months of freezing for best results.

More soups with ground beef to try

  • Easy Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe
  • Creamy Beef Taco Soup
  • Cheeseburger Soup
  • Crockpot Taco Soup
  • Macaroni Soup
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Do you like hamburger soup? Will you give this recipe a try? Let me know in the comments below! You can also tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram.

Easy Hamburger Soup Recipe (6)

4.92 from 60 votes

Easy Hamburger Soup

By Natasha Bull

This hamburger soup recipe is a simple and hearty meal made with ground beef, potatoes, and a delicious tomato broth. It's a budget friendly complete meal that makes excellent leftovers!

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 35 minutes mins

Total: 45 minutes mins

Servings: 6

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 2 sticks celery chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 2 large Russet potatoes peeled & diced
  • 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Add the olive oil, onion, and celery to a large soup pot. Sauté over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, until softened.

  • Stir in the garlic, followed by the beef. Cook until the beef has just browned, stirring occasionally (about 5 minutes). You shouldn't need to drain much fat if you're using lean ground beef, but feel free to drain some/most of it if desired.

  • Stir in the tomato paste, then add in the diced tomatoes, beef broth, potatoes, and Italian seasoning.

  • Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat a bit so it’s gently boiling. Cook for 20-25 minutes. You can cook it a little bit longer to intensify the flavor if you wish.

  • Season with salt & pepper as needed and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Serves 4-6.
  • Anything from about 1 to 1.5 pounds ground beef will work.
  • Got an electric pressure cooker? Try the Instant Pot version of this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 258kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 904mg, Potassium: 1232mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 319IU, Vitamin C: 22mg, Calcium: 87mg, Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.

Leave a star rating and comment below!

This recipe was originally published on January 30, 2019. It’s been tweaked to be even easier, tastier, and has new photos!

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Hi! I’m Natasha.

Salt & Lavender is a recipe blog with a focus on delicious comfort food using everyday ingredients. Beat the weekday grind with hundreds of easy-to-follow and hassle-free recipes!

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Easy Hamburger Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient in soup? ›

It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.

Do you drain hamburger meat for soup? ›

And now it's time to make the soup! Throw the hamburger, onion, celery, and garlic in a large pot…. Then brown it over medium-high heat until the meat is totally cooked! Now, this step is important: Remove the pot from the heat and drain off as much fat as humanly possible.

What makes homemade soup taste better? ›

Use fresh, good quality ingredients like vegetables and herbs. Add a little bit of vinegar or lemon juice to your soup to make it taste better. Use a high-quality broth or stock as a base for your soup. Roast or caramelize your vegetables before adding them to your soup to bring out their natural sweetness.

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

What 2 ingredients are used to thicken the soup? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

Can you make hamburger soup without beef broth? ›

So, although the flavor still feels simple and familiar, it's not boring or flat. I also prefer to make this hamburger soup recipe without beef broth or stock; I prefer to use vegetable stock to balance the flavors out a bit.

Can you boil raw ground beef? ›

Boiling your ground beef is a great idea if you want to cook with leaner, less fatty meat. This is a simple, quick, and easy-to-clean process where you cover the meat in water and brown it on medium heat for for 3-5 minutes or so. Boiled beef is also often used to feed dogs, as it is a great form of protein.

Why do you put brown meat in soup? ›

During cooking, beef undergoes many chemical changes, affecting its appearance, taste and texture. Browning or searing the lean outer surface of your beef produces the rich, deep meaty colours, flavours and aromas we love. This browning process is known as the Maillard reaction.

What not to do when making soup? ›

The 7 Biggest Mistakes You Make Cooking Soup
  1. Boiling instead of simmering. You want a small bubble or two to rise to the surface of the liquid every few seconds. ...
  2. Not using enough salt. ...
  3. Ignoring water. ...
  4. Overcooking the vegetables. ...
  5. Adding tomatoes at the beginning. ...
  6. Neglecting to garnish. ...
  7. Not trying a pressure cooker.
Nov 19, 2014

How can I deepen my soup flavor? ›

Adding umami-rich ingredients like tomato paste or a parmesan rind to the soup will add a deep, rich savoriness and body to the soup.

What are 2 principles of soup making? ›

The document provides 5 basic principles of preparing soup: 1) Starting with cold water. 2) Cutting vegetables to an appropriate size. 3) Selecting a protein such as beef, chicken, pork, or fish. 4) Simmering the soup for 4 hours.

Can you let soup simmer all day? ›

No. As soup simmers it reduces, meaning the amount of soup you've got lessens as time passes. The veggies also get more and more tender, after hours of simmering they'll be mush. You simmer soup until the garnish is tender and the flavors have melded.

Is the longer you cook soup the better? ›

Originally Answered: Does simmering soup longer make it taste better? If you're simmering a thing for hours, you will intensify the flavor by cooking off some of the liquid. This might make it taste better, but if cooked too long, it may end up too salty or otherwise be over-seasoned.

How long should you let soup simmer? ›

Bring it all to a boil, then simmer. You will know it's done when it's all tender, anywhere from 25 minutes to 3 hours depending on the ingredients. Meat is a luxurious addition to any soup. When you can, choose stewing cuts, such as chicken legs, pork shoulder, beef chuck, short ribs or shank.

What does adding vinegar to soup do? ›

Think of vinegar as the conductor of an orchestra. It can take a cacophony of flavors and sync them into perfect harmony. It both balances and awakens them. Plus, if you accidentally add too much salt to your soup, a little vinegar will tame the saltiness.

What gives vegetable soup that depth of flavor? ›

**Herbs and Spices:** Use a variety of herbs and spices such as thyme, rosemary, oregano, bay leaves, cumin, coriander, or smoked paprika to enhance the taste. 3. **Broth or Stock:** Choose a flavorful broth or stock as the soup base. Vegetable, mushroom, or a combination of vegetable and chicken broth can add depth.

What ingredient can be added to a soup to make it thicker and richer? ›

Soup Thickening Method: Cornstarch Slurry

About this method: One of the most common ways to thicken sauces and soups is with a starch-based slurry, and cornstarch is a popular choice. Cornstarch is flavorless, easy to mix up, and versatile, which makes it a go-to pantry ingredient.

Which is the secret ingredient? ›

A secret ingredient is a component of a product that is closely guarded from public disclosure for competitive advantage. Sometimes the ingredient makes a noticeable difference in the way a product performs, looks or tastes; other times it is used for advertising puffery.

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