Hamburger Vegetable Soup is a hearty and comforting soup that is very easy to make! It’s a budget friendly tasty meal that’s perfect for those chilly nights or when you’re just in need of some satisfying, stick to your ribs kind of food.
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below, but you can jump right to the recipe card if you wish!
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Hamburger vegetable soup, or hamburger soup as some like to call it, is the soup I turn to when I don’t know what to make for dinner or don’t have the energy to think about it!
It’s a quick and easy soup made in one pot, and because it’s complete with ground beef, potatoes, and loaded with vegetables, it’s a soup that eats like a meal! All it needs is a side salad or a slice of crusty bread and dinner is served!
This delicious recipe is a huge family favorite. When I have hamburger soup simmering on the stove, the smell of it cooking is enough to have everyone running to the table on a chilly day. Because this soup is as flexible as it is, you can always customize it to how your family likes it.
The rich tomato and broth-based soup have plenty of seasonings that can be swapped, and you can even clean out your fridge and use up whatever vegetables you have. Because it has protein, veggies and starch this is a complete meal! Try my Vegetable Soup (with barley) for a hearty vegetarian version or my Pasta Fagioli or Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup for ones that have pasta in it too!
Enjoy this kid-approved soup the next you take some ground beef out of the freezer and are craving a warm and cozy bowl of hamburger soup!
Check out my poor man’s stew (it’s a ground beef stew made in the crockpot) for another way to use ground beef. For more ground beef recipes, check out Ground Beef Stroganoff and Hamburger Casserole.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- It’s a healthy and wholesome way to feed everyone without much forethought or effort!
- Adaptable. This is a great recipe to use what you’ve got on hand, and what you don’t, you’ll easily find at your local grocery store. Hamburger soup is loaded with vegetables!
- Super easy soup to make. The entire batch of soup is made with just 10 minutes of prep time and it’s ready to serve in 1 hour.
- It makes great leftovers and freezes well too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this in the slow cooker?
Certainly! You’ll want to make sure to brown your meat first and sauté the onions along with it. Then, dump everything into the basin of the crock pot and cook it on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours.
What about the Instant Pot?
Sure thing. What’s great about this is that you can brown the meat and cook the onions using the sauté function right in the pressure cooker.
Cook it for 5 minutes (not including the time it takes to come to pressure) and do a 10-minute natural release before moving the valve to the vent position to allow the remaining pressure to be released.
What variations can I make to this soup?
You can swap the potatoes for noodles or pasta if you’d like. Or you can give it a little kick with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. You can stir in some rice at the end, or switch up the veggies by using mushrooms, zucchini, or red bell peppers.
The options are limitless!
What is the difference between hamburger vegetable soup and cheeseburger soup?
Cheeseburger soup is made in a creamy cheesy broth which is thickened with a roux. It still contains the veggies and ground hamburger meat, but instead of a thin tomato-y broth, it’s thick and creamy.
What to serve with soup
All the bread!
Serve it with something like skillet cornbread, garlic cheese bread, cheesy garlic bread, or even fresh homemade naan would be great.
If you’re going to go the route of hamburger soup and salad, since a lot is going on in this soup, stick with a simple garden salad.
I have included step-by-step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the full recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Kylee’s Notes
What to do with leftovers
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Substitutions/Additions
Add other seasonings or herbs according to your preference.
For a thicker soup, try adding a can of drained and rinsed kidney beans or cannellini beans.
For a lighter soup, use ground turkey or ground chicken instead.
You may use fresh vegetables instead of frozen if you prefer.
Add in a tablespoon of tomato paste, or a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce for added flavor.
Freezing instructions
This soup freezes well. To freeze, allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating on the stove.
Key Recipe Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.
- Olive oil. Needed to brown the beef and sauté the veggies. You can also use avocado oil if preferred.
- Lean ground beef. Use 80/10 ground beef. 90/10 is considered extra lean and won’t add enough flavor. If you use medium or anything with higher fat content, be sure to drain the excess fat after browning.
- Mirepoix. A combination of celery, onions, and carrots is the flavor foundation of all kinds of soups and stews. It’s what we use to start building the layers of flavor.
- Minced garlic. Adds an aromatic flavor.
- Veggies. Frozen corn, frozen green beans (you can easily use frozen mixed vegetables) and diced potatoes. Russet potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, or even baby potatoes cut in half would work. Sweet potatoes are great in this too.
- Canned diced tomatoes, undrained. You want the juices for added flavor.
- Tomato sauce. Use whatever you’ve got on hand.
- Beef stock. If you have any homemade beef stock kicking around, now’s a great time to use it up!
- Italian seasoning. Make your own Italian Seasoning if you’ve run out of the blend.
- Salt and pepper. To taste.
Recommended Equipment/Tools (affiliate links)
- Kitchen Knife
- Cutting Board
- Large pot or large Dutch oven
- Wooden Spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Can opener
- Ladle
How to make this soup
Scroll for Recipe
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Brown the Beef
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon as it cooks.
Remove the browned beef from the pot and set it aside. Drain excess grease.
Sauté Vegetables
In the same pot, add a bit more oil if needed. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the onions are translucent and the vegetables begin to soften.
Add the garlic, and cook for 1 more minute.
Combine Ingredients
Return the browned beef to the pot, along with the potatoes, tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Simmer
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Add Frozen Vegetables
Stir in the mixed frozen vegetables and continue to simmer until they are heated through, for about 10 more minutes.
Adjust Seasoning & Serve
Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve this easy hamburger soup warm. Garnish with fresh parsley if you’re feeling fancy.
Love soup recipes? Here are some of my favorites:
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup – perfect for feeding the family, and your soul! Enjoy this delicious, rich, and flavorful version of a classic.
- Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup – hearty and warming with just the right amount of spice, blended with cheese, topped off with jalapenos, cilantro, and crispy tortilla strips.
- Turkey Rice Soup. A delicious way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey, this turkey wild rice soup is comfort food central, and done in under 45 minutes!
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Hamburger Vegetable Soup
Video
Recommended Equipment
- Large pot or dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef (lean)
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 2 medium carrots (peeled and sliced)
- 2 stalks celery (sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup potatoes (diced)
- 2 cans diced tomatoes (undrained (14.5oz))
- 1 can tomato sauce (15oz)
- 4 cups beef stock (32 oz or 1 carton)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup frozen green beans
Directions
Brown the Beef
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.
- Add 1 lb ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon as it cooks.
- Remove the browned beef from the pot and set it aside. Drain excess grease.
Sauté Vegetables
- In the same pot, add a bit more oil if needed. Add 1 medium onion (diced), 2 medium carrots (peeled and sliced), and 2 stalks celery (sliced). Sauté until the onions are translucent and the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add 2 cloves garlic (minced), cook 1 more minute.
Combine Ingredients
- Return the browned beef to the pot, along with 1 cup potatoes (diced), 2 cans diced tomatoes, 1 can tomato sauce, 4 cups beef stock, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Simmer
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Add Frozen Vegetables
- Stir in 1 cup frozen corn and 1 cup frozen green beans and continue to simmer until they are heated through, about 10 more minutes.
Adjust Seasoning & Serve
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve warm.
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Notes
- You can add other seasonings or herbs according to your preference.
- For a thicker soup, consider adding a can of drained and rinsed kidney beans or cannellini beans.
- You may use fresh vegetables instead of frozen if you prefer.
- Consider serving this soup with crusty bread or a side salad for a complete meal.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
This soup also freezes well. - To freeze, allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating on the stove.
Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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