Meat, corn, and other fresh-tasting vegetables come together to make a deliciously comforting and hearty hamburger soup that’s sure to put a smile on everyone’s face. You can have this soul-warming meal-in-a-bowl on the table in just 45 minutes or less. Plus, it is totally customizable!
As the temperature drops, I always find myself craving something cozy — something that will warm me right through, from my mouth to my toes.
Once fall arrives, I can have soup every night of the week. After all, there’s nothing more comforting than curling up on the couch with a bowl of insanely creamy chicken tortilla soup and enjoying a spooky Halloween movie.
I recently had hamburger soup at a friend’s place and it took me down memory lane. It was just as good as I remembered. We didn’t have much growing up, so our food choices were quite limited. Luckily, I had a very resourceful and creative mom. She’d make simple but impressive meals that felt like a treat, including this chunky soup. Of course, she would switch up the veggies depending on what she had on hand and the dish turned out great every single time!
I decided to recreate this glorious nostalgic meal from my childhood — with a little twist. This time I went heavy on veggies and threw in bacon and cheese for that something special.
The result is an incredibly tasty, comforting dish your whole family will devour. Best part? It’s a snap to prepare and ready in minutes with ingredients you most likely already have in your kitchen. If you’re craving more winter comfort foods, you might also enjoy our goulash recipe or a simple yet satisfying chili mac and cheese.
Ingredients
The list of ingredients may seem long but you likely have most of them in your pantry already:
- 2.2 pounds ground beef, 85% lean
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons dried minced garlic
- 1 cup carrot peeled, sliced
- 1 cup green pepper, sliced
- 1 cup potatoes, small diced
- 1 cup green beans, boiled
- 1 cup yellow corn
- 1 can whole tomatoes with juice
- 2 tablespoons of tomato pasta
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 cup bacon, diced
- 3 slices of Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 tablespoon of buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
How To – The Steps
- Step 1: Heat the tablespoon of buttermilk in a pot over medium heat
- Step 2: Brown the ground beef with onion, a teaspoon of dried garlic, bacon, and salt. Break apart the beef, cooking it for 12 minutes
- Step 3: Boil the carrots, potatoes, green pepper, and green beans. Drain off the water and keep ready to use.
- Step 4: Return to the pot and add the vegetables, the remaining garlic, yellow corn, tomato pasta, and whole tomatoes with juice to the beef and stir to combine.
- Step 5: Pour in beef broth and the seasonings, salt, and oregano to taste.
- Step 6: Cook the soup on low for about 20 minutes (remember the vegetables and the beef are cooked).
- Step 7: Taste and adjust the seasoning adding more salt
- Step 8: Finish by adding the Monterey Jack cheese on top.
- Step 9: Remove from heat and serve immediately with some bread!
Tips & Tricks
- Opt for a 85/15 lean-to-fat ratio ground meat to prevent the soup from becoming too oily. But if you only have regular ground beef on hand, make sure you drain the excess fat after browning the meat.
- Feel free to jazz up your soup with your favorite toppings — a dollop of sour cream, swirls of pesto, a layer of croutons, a sprinkle of spring onions or fresh herbs.
- Parmesan cheese also works great in this recipe. Feel free to substitute it for Monterey Jack.
FAQs
Can I change the ground beef for another meat?
Absolutely. Use whatever ground meat you like. I’ve used ground chicken and pork and thoroughly enjoyed it. Ground Italian sausage also works great in this meal. Just don’t forget the lean-to-fat ratio when making adjustments.
Can I use other seasonings?
Yes. I stuck to the basics, but that doesn’t mean you have to. Be creative and adventurous.
Try adding fragrant herbs like rosemary, thyme, and basil, or kick it up a notch with a seasoning blend like Italian or everything bagel. Need some heat? Add a hearty dash of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
Can I change the vegetables?
Yes, of course. The beauty of this hamburger soup recipe is its versatility. Swap out what you don’t like or have with other veggies. Sweet potatoes, peas, celery, mushrooms, red & yellow pepper are excellent substitutes.
What is the best cheese to use in hamburger soup?
I like Monterey Jack or Parmesan in this dish. Their irresistible and rich flavors transform the soup into something spectacular. Velveeta, cheddar, Pepper Jack, smoked Gouda, Colby Jack are also great choices.
How To Store Hamburger Soup
You can keep the soup refrigerated for up to 5 days. Just let it cool first then put it in an airtight container. Veggie-heavy soups, especially with chunks of potatoes, are not ideal for freezing. They tend to mush or overcook when you reheat them. But if you don’t care much about the texture, you can freeze for up to 2 months in an airtight container or freezer bag. Alternatively, you can undercook the veggies before freezing.
Hamburger Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef 85 % lean
- 1 onion diced
- 1 teaspoons dried minced garlic
- 1/2 cup carrot peeled sliced
- 1/2 cup green pepper sliced
- 1/2 cup potatoes small diced
- 1/2 cup green bean boiled
- 1/2 cup yellow corn
- 1/2 can whole tomatoes with juice
- 1 tablespoons of tomato pasta
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1/2 cup bacon diced
- 3 sliders of Monterrey jack cheese
- 1/2 tablespoon of buttermilk
- 1/2 tablespoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat the tablespoon of buttermilk in a pot over medium heat
- Brown the ground beef with onion, a teaspoon of dried garlic, bacon, and salt. Break apart the beef, cooking it for 12 minutes
- Boil the carrots, potatoes, green pepper, and green beans. Drain off the water and keep ready to use.
- Return to the pot and add the vegetables, the remaining garlic, yellow corn, tomato pasta, and whole tomatoes with juice to the beef and stir to combine.
- Pour in beef broth and the seasonings, salt, and oregano to taste.
- Cook the soup on low for about 20 minutes (remember the vegetables and the beef are cooked).
- Taste and adjust the seasoning adding more salt
- Finish by adding the Monterey Jack cheese on top.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately with some bread!
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