Easy Hamburger Vegetable Soup (2024)

Hamburger Soup is my go-to dinner plan when I forgot to plan! Most the of the ingredients are fridge and pantry staples, so I almost always have everything on hand. But more than that, this is an easy, healthy, and 100% kid approved recipe that never lets me down. It’s a dinner hero!

Ya know what’s a real pain in the butt? Finding quick, easy, and healthy dinner recipes that zero people in my house will complain about – little peopleand big people. Hamburger Vegetable Soup is one such culinary unicorn.

Parents love to cook it (because it’s so flippin’ easy) and kids love to eat it. I mean, it’s called hamburger soup.

I especially appreciate how flexible this soup is based on whatever vegetables or protein I happen to have on hand. The remaining ingredients are basic pantry staples, which means this recipe is always the answer to “what’s for dinner?” when I forgot to plan.

Watch: Hamburger Soup Video

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How to Make Hamburger Soup

Classic hamburger soup is made by simmering ground beef with vegetables and a starch in a savory tomato-based broth. Our vegetable heavy version incorporates bell pepper, yukon gold potatoes, and fresh green beans, making it both colorful and nutrient dense. The resulting dish is more stew than soup, and is a hearty stick-to-your-ribs dinner that the entire family loves.

1. Sautee the ground beef in a dutch oven or soup pot until no longer pink. Add the onions and saute until soft. Then add the garlic and saute 1 minute more.
2. Add tomato paste and work into the beef and onions.
3. Add more vegetables – carrot, celery, bell pepper, and tomatoes – then pour in crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and seasonings. Stir, add a bay leaf, and simmer 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
4. Add fresh green beans and simmer 5 minutes more, or until the green beans are cooked through.
5. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.

Can I Make This in a Crockpot?

Yes! This recipe adapts very well to a slow cooker.

1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet, then transfer to a slow cooker.
2. Add the remaining ingredients except the green beans. Cook LOW 3-4 hours or HIGH 7-8 hours.
3. Add the green beans in the last 30 minutes.
4. Taste for seasoning and serve.

Tips for Making This Recipe

• Use crushed tomatoes, or puree a can of diced tomatoes.
• Fire roasted tomatoes will add a nice flavor boost.
• The flavor is best with homemade bone broth (either beef or chicken), but good quality store-bought broth is totally fine! Choose a low sodium variety so you can season to taste.
• Both the protein and vegetables are flexible based on what you have available – see the variations section below!

What to Serve with Hamburger Soup

Hamburger soup is super filling, so we serve it on its own with perhaps a little seasonal fruit, a green salad, or a slice of crusty sourdough bread.

Variations

• Most ground meat works. Use ground turkey, Italian sausage (casings removed), ground pork or lamb, or even venison in place of the ground beef.
• Use any potato you love – red bliss potatoes, sweet potatoes, or peeled russet potatoes all work well.
• Or use pasta! Substitute half a pound of your favorite short pasta; cook separately then stir in at the end.
• Feel free to use frozen green beans or a medley of frozen vegetables. Cook 3-4 minutes at the end, or until warmed through.
• Add more vegetables, or use alternatives: frozen corn and/or peas can be added with the green beans; add butternut squash with or in place of the potatoes; try diced zucchini with or in place of the green beans.
• Add cheese: garnish each bowl with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese.

This Soup Is…

• Naturally Whole30 and paleo
• Gluten free and grain free
• Allergy Friendly – nut free and dairy free.
• Incredibly nutrient dense with full servings of both Vitamins A and C

More Healthy, Hearty Soup Recipes

• Slow Cooker Beef and Butternut Squash Stew
• Vegan Stew
• Loaded Cauliflower Soup
• Spicy Chicken Taco Soup
• Extra Veggie Beef Chili

Did you make this hamburger vegetable soup recipe? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.

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