Easy Hamburger Soup

Why you’ll love it

Hamburger soup is one of those classic American comfort food dishes that’s easy to like and friendly on your wallet! You can’t go wrong with this cozy soup that has ground beef, potatoes, and a tomato broth that’s big on flavor.

The best part of this soup is how easy to make it is. It’s also full of inexpensive ingredients, and it’s an extremely versatile and flexible recipe. You can simply toss in whatever veggies you have on hand that need using up, and it’ll taste great.

What you’ll need

• Olive oil, onions, and celery – sautéing these essentials creates the perfect base for this hearty soup
• Garlic – we’re using three cloves to add depth of flavor
• Ground beef – adding protein makes this soup a complete meal. I like to use lean ground beef so that none/very little fat needs to be discarded during cooking
• Tomato paste and diced tomatoes – using both varieties gives the soup great texture and taste, and tomatoes are a classic complement to ground beef
• Beef broth – amps up the flavor even more than using water. Use homemade or store-bought
• Potatoes – Russets are my choice, but in a pinch yellow or red will be fine
• Italian seasoning – the herbs in Italian seasoning like oregano, thyme, and rosemary are the final touch in this tasty broth. Feel free to use fresh herbs instead
• Salt & pepper – if you use regular broth vs low sodium, you won’t need to add much salt, but be sure to use enough

How to make hamburger soup

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

In a large soup pot, sauté the onions and celery in olive oil until softened. Add in the garlic, and brown the ground beef.

Add in the tomato paste followed by the diced tomatoes, broth, potatoes, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, and then let bubble gently for 20 to 25 minutes.

Substitutions and variations

• If you don’t like having pieces of tomato in your soup, use petite diced tomatoes or sub the diced tomatoes for tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes, and then add more broth or water to thin if needed.
• You can throw in any vegetables from your fridge, or you can use frozen chopped mixed vegetables (for example, corn, green beans, carrots, or peas). A handful of spinach added when the soup is nearly done cooking would be terrific!