A comforting bowl of hot soup is one of my favorite ways to usher in the Fall. All the newly harvested veggies can be added to this incredibly easy Hamburger Vegetable Soup Recipe for the perfect pot of flavor and goodness. Add a loaf of homemade No Knead Crusty Bread or Skillet Cornbread and you’ve got a complete meal.
Nothing says love on a chilly day like a bowl of hot soup to warm body and soul. We love to make soup here and want to show you how easy it is with step-by-step instructions and everything you need to gather flavor into your dish.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
For starters, you probably already have everything you need to make this easy soup in your fridge or freezer. It’s also super easy because everything is made in one soup pot and only takes about thirty minutes from start to finish.
If that isn’t enough, it only gets better with time, so you can leave it in the slow cooker all day or make it a day ahead of time. Dinner is ready when you are.
Ingredients for Hamburger Vegetable Soup Recipe
- Lean Ground Beef. I recommend you use 93% lean beef so it doesn’t need to be drained.
- Yellow Onion. You could also use a sweet onion or really just whatever onion you have on hand. Picky eater? Just grate the onions using a box grater. They will literally disappear into the soup leaving all of the flavor inside but eliminating the “Ew. Mom, I don’t eat anything with onions.”
- Garlic Cloves. This adds richness and depth to the flavor so it tastes like it has been cooking all day. Use fresh or frozen. We don’t recommend jarred garlic.
- Diced Tomatoes. A can of tomatoes, with all the juice too. We like using peeled whole canned tomatoes and leaving them in large chunks.
- Frozen Vegetables. Frozen vegetables are convenient and taste like fresh vegetables when they’re not in season. Use what you have. Including corn, peas, tomatoes, carrots, green beans, a bell pepper, and potatoes.
- Beef Broth. You can also use beef stock. You can make this using the Beef Better than Bouillon listed below.
- Tomato Sauce. Adding more than one form of tomatoes creates a richer flavor. You can use a can of tomato paste and water if you don’t have tomato sauce.
- Italian Seasoning. This is another way the soup gets amazing cooked-all-day flavor. I’m using that word a lot.
- Beef Better Than Bouillon. Now this is what adds the richness and depth of flavor to the soup. It’s not the same as using plain bouillion cubes.
- Kosher Salt.
- Ground Black Pepper.
- Garlic Powder.
- Onion Powder.
- Red Pepper Flakes. Gives it just a tiny hint of heat. Not too much.
- Bay Leaf. Remove this before serving the soup. Bay leaves add so much flavor but are inedible because they never soften no matter how long they cook.
- Fresh Parsley. For freshness and brightness.
How to Make This Hamburger Vegetable Soup Recipe
It’s not hard at all to make this soup, and we’ve included convenience ingredients to keep it that way. Chop up your onion to get things started.
Cook the Ground Beef.
In a large pot over medium heat add the ground beef, onion, and minced garlic. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the juices run clear.
Add all the flavor-pumping ingredients to your vegetable ground beef soup.
Add the tomatoes, vegetables, beef broth, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, Beef Better Than Bouillon, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf.
Let it go.
It will need to simmer for 20 minutes or it can be in the slow cooker all day. Stir every once in a while. Before serving the soup, remove the bay leaf and sprinkle parsley on top.
Tips to Make Amazing Flavorful Soup
This recipe for vegetable hamburger soup can be made on the stovetop for a one-pot recipe or in a slow cooker.
If you’re entertaining or taking your hamburger soup to the neighborhood party, keep it warm in a crock pot. You can easily double or triple this recipe to make enough for guests.
Make a big batch over the weekend for a few easy meals during the week. Besides, we think soup on the next day can taste better than on the first day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you drain hamburger meat for soup?
If you use lean ground beef, there is no need to drain off the tiny bit of fat. If you use anything greater than 10% fat, you should drain off most but not all of the fat. You will need to leave a little bit in the soup for flavor. I like to toss my ground beef in a strainer and let it drain into a bowl for a couple of minutes. Then spoon one or two tablespoons from the bowl back into your pan.
Do you have to brown the hamburger for soup?
Yes. It is not “required” because it will cook in the soup, but you want that added flavor brought about when meat is browned. Plus, boiling meat makes it rubbery and tasteless. Not a good idea.
Substitutions and Variations
- My mother always added small elbow macaroni to her Hamburger Vegetable Soup Recipe. You could also add rice, legumes such as lentils, white beans, kidney beans, or whole grains such as barley or farro. These options make a hearty soup and allow your recipe to feed more people. Unexpected friends show up with your teens? Throw in some pasta. With any of these options, you may need extra liquid to replace what was absorbed.
- Make a thick hamburger stew by adding chunks of potatoes. It adds texture, and the starch will also thicken the broth. We suggest red potatoes or russet potatoes. They’re less likely to get soft or mushy when used in soup.
- Make an herb sashay by tying fresh rosemary and thyme (or your favorite herbs) together with kitchen string and let it cook with your other ingredients. You can fish out of the soup before serving.
- Use different ground meat such as ground turkey or ground chicken to reduce the fat content. It can require additional seasoning so taste as it cooks.
- My hubby thinks everything tastes better with cheese. Sprinkle shredded cheddar over the top right before serving for cheeseburger soup.
How to Store Hamburger Vegetable Soup
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can freeze the soup for up to 3 months. Use single-serving freezer-safe containers and enjoy this great soup recipe the next time you crave a delicious comforting soup.
I hope you enjoyed our easy Hamburger Soup recipe. Check out more family favorite recipes such as Chili Con Carne, a crock pot soup recipe, Hamburger Steak with Mushroom Gravy a hearty hamburger recipe, or our Loaded Potato Soup, it’s so cheesy.
I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.
Easy Hamburger Soup Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef 93% lean
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 28 oz diced tomatoes canned with juice
- 3 cups frozen vegetables for soup includes corn, peas, tomatoes, carrots, green beans, and potatoes
- 3 cups beef broth or stock
- 15 oz tomato sauce can
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp Beef Better Than Bouillon
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat add the ground beef, onion, and minced garlic. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the juices run clear.
- Add the tomatoes, vegetables, beef broth, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, Beef Better Than Bouillon, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf.
- Simmer for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Remove the bay leaf.
- Sprinkle parsley on top.
Notes
● The soup can be made in the slow cooker set to low for 6 to 8 hours. We make this recipe in the crockpot and set it on warm so it stays hot before your guests arrive.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
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