Hamburger Soup

This is one of my all-time favorite soups. I remember as a young girl, when my mom made goulash, otherwise known as hot dish or casserole, the next day would be soup day. She made the soup simply by adding beef broth. The soup I ate growing up did not taste as good as this easy hamburger soup for beginners does.

It’s hearty, filling, and savory. It’s everything you think about when you want comfort food, especially when the weather outside is a bit gloomy. The soup contains a mix of vegetables along with ground beef. That’s what’s really nice about this recipe; it has all the nutrients you need for a complete meal. However, you’ll probably want to pair it with a grilled turkey and cheese sandwich.  

If you make this recipe, know it’s perfect for chilly evenings or lazy weekends, but once you taste how good it is, you’ll find yourself wanting it any time the mood strikes.

This is a classic soup, much different than the Hamburger Soup many of us grew up with. This has potatoes, corn, carrots, onions and celery in a great tasting Tomato base. The soup could be customized for your family’s tastes.

It is simple, yet nutritious and hearty.

Scroll to bottom for printable recipe card.

Why We Recommend This Hamburger Soup Recipe

This soup is a budget-friendly meal. While you could easily make it from leftover hamburger, even whipping it up from ground meat fresh or from the freezer is still inexpensive. That’s now where the benefits end, though. This soup is a hit for other reasons as well:

• It’s easy to make. Like with many soups, this is simple to make. You merely cut up the ingredients, throw them in, and let them cook.
• The ingredients in this quick hamburger soup recipe are easy to come by. You can find everything at your local grocery. In fact, you might have many of these items on hand already.
• It’s filling. While some soups merely fill you with fluid, this has hearty ingredients that’ll keep you full for a bit.
• Everything about this soup screams that it’s a comfort food.

It’s easy to make, it is very versatile and can be customized easily. This is a great soup to warm you up on cold winter nights or Spring days when the wind is howling.

What to Serve with Hamburger Soup

Like with any broth soup, such as Sicilian chicken soup, this soup pairs well with a side of crusty bread or crackers. You can also serve it with a simple green salad or some steamed vegetables to balance out the meal.

You know what else could go well? A sandwich. It’s the ideal way to fill you and your family up and get all the nutrition needed for the meal.

Can you suggest some variations?

You could change the meat to a sausage or chicken. On the other hand, you could add a wide variety of vegetables that are not already included.

One thing that I do like to do is add in some elbow macaroni and let it cook in the broth. This makes the soup more filling. Even egg noodles or bowtie pasta could add some carbs to this simple hamburger soup meal and make it complete.

While it’s not currently spicy, if you and your family are spice lovers, feel free to add some heat with hot pepper flakes or a touch of hot sauce.

For a really hearty meal, you could thicken the broth and turn this soup into a stew. That’ll truly make it a stick-to-your-ribs comfort food.

Try this ground beef and cabbage recipe for a simple dinner idea.

Ingredients for Hamburger Soup:

• Lean ground beef
• Carrots chopped
• Celery chopped
• Onions chopped
• Beef bouillon cubes
• Water
• Tomato sauce
• Diced tomatoes
• Salt
• Frozen corn
• Dried basil
• Ketchup

How To Make The Hamburger Soup:

Step 1. Brown the meat in a large pot over medium-high heat. Drain any excess grease. If you don’t remove the grease, your broth will be very oily. This will take away from the taste of this family friendly hamburger soup. You’ll especially notice the extra grease after you put it in the fridge and the oil rises to the top.

Step 2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining ingredients.

Add carrots, celery, and onions, all chopped.

Then, pour in water.

Then, add the tomato sauce.

Then, add the diced tomatoes.

Then, add the frozen corn.

Then, add the dried basil and ketchup.

Step 3. Bring the mixture to a low boil, reduce the heat to simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour and 50 minutes.

Serve warm!

♥ REPIN THIS EASY HAMBURGER SOUP ♥

Tips for Success

Although this is already the best hamburger soup recipe for its ingredients, you can take a few steps as you’re cooking it to make it as good as possible.

You don’t want the ground beef to be too dark or get crispy. Ideally, you want it to be soft and gray throughout.

Once the hamburger is fully cooked, drain it well. You could either spoon out the grease or use a colander with a bowl underneath. The colander method is easier and quicker.

For one, try to cut the vegetables evenly. When the soup is done, it’ll also have a similar texture. If not, some may be mushier than others.

Timing is everything when you’re putting in the veggies. Each cooks for a different length of time, and by adding them accordingly, you’ll ensure they’re all soft but not overcooked.

How can I store the soup?

No matter what homemade hamburger soup ideas you come up with to enhance this meal, you can eat it for a few days later. 

The soup should be cooled to room temperature before you store it. At that point, you can put it in an airtight container and then place it in the refrigerator for up to 4 or 5 days. 

Can I freeze this Hamburger Soup?

You can freeze this hamburger soup. Cool it completely to room temperature and place it in a freeze-safe container. You can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Though this is a freezer-friendly dish, if you put noodles in it, you might want to avoid putting it into the freezer, unless you made them separately. 

How can I reheat this Hamburger Soup?

To reheat the soup, allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator if it is frozen. Otherwise, carefully add the hamburger to a soup pot and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. You could also reheat this soup by serving size in the microwave until it is heated through. 

More soups ideas?

Tortilla Soup – Tortilla Soup is a flavorful Mexican soup with shredded chicken, corn, hominy, black beans, green chilies, and tomatoes.

Spicy Chicken Soup – Shredded chicken, corn, chunks of tomatoes, and spices simmer together to create a spicy and flavorful soup your family will love on a chilly fall evening.

Tomato Tortellini Soup – Do you love tortellini? Want to make something new? You need to try this Tomato Tortellini Soup Recipe.

Notes:

While this soup is better than I remember from childhood, your kids will be sure to put this in their memories. And you won’t even need to look for a healthy hamburger soup version because it is one.