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Instant Pot Hamburger Soup

Published / Updated / 151 Comments

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This Instant Pot hamburger soup is easy and flavorful! It's a healthier comfort food that uses simple everyday ingredients. The whole family is sure to love it!

close-up of white bowl with Instant Pot hamburger soup

I made a regular stovetop version of hamburger soup, so I figured I'd also test out an Instant Pot version. Soup leftovers for days, folks. Good thing this is a yummy soup! 🙂

This soup is great because you can throw in extra veggies if you have them on-hand, and you don't have to worry too much about measuring anything out, in my opinion. I love forgiving recipes like this. In my "real life" I rarely measure anything. I think there's a certain freedom in cooking when you ditch the measurements. Just don't try it with baking. And that is why I rarely bake.

I digress. 

bowl of easy to make hamburger soup with lean ground beef, tomatoes, and potatoes

As always, I like using my Instant Pot to build flavor in a relatively short amount of time. I'm typically someone who is totally fine making most recipes on my stove, but sometimes it's nice to use the Instant Pot. It frees up the stove, it's hands off when you close that lid, and it's nice to use a gadget that may be collecting dust in a dark corner of the kitchen. 😉 

I love how the Instant Pot makes everything fall-apart tender after only a short period of cooking. And you don't have to mess up the stove. But you do have to clean your Instant Pot... sorry. 

white bowl with Instant Pot ground beef tomato soup

This electric pressure cooker hamburger soup is delicious without being creamy. Like I put in the write-up of the stovetop version of this recipe, creamy soups are typically my favorite kinds of soups, but this one is a new favorite for me even sans cream.

The tomato broth is flavorful, and the beef and potatoes make it nice and hearty. 

Pro tip: I like to use extra lean ground beef because it's a bit less fatty, so you can skip the step of draining the fat once you've browned it. There's still a bit of fat left, but I find it adds a nice flavor to the soup. If you do use a fattier ground beef, I would definitely drain some of the fat so the soup doesn't end up excessively oily. 

Other delicious ground beef recipes you may like:

Instant Pot ground beef and vegetable soup in a white bowl

Let me know in the comments below if you'll give this easy Instant Pot hamburger soup recipe a go.

Questions? Talk to me!

This Instant Pot hamburger soup is hearty, comforting, and fairly healthy. It's sure to become a family favorite! Very easy to make. 
4.94 from 30 votes
Print

Instant Pot Hamburger Soup

This Instant Pot hamburger soup is easy and flavorful! It's a healthier comfort food that uses simple everyday ingredients. 

Course Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword electric pressure cooker hamburger soup, Instant Pot ground beef soup, Instant Pot hamburger soup
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Inactive time 15 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 253 kcal
Author Natasha Bull

Ingredients

  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 2 sticks celery chopped
  • 1 pound extra lean (95% lean) ground beef
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 (28 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 2 large Russet potatoes diced
  • 1 dash Italian seasoning
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Add the olive oil, onion, and celery to your Instant Pot. Press the sauté button and cook for 4 minutes.

  2. Stir in the beef and garlic. Cook until the beef has browned, stirring occasionally (about 5 minutes). You shouldn't need to drain much fat if you're using extra lean ground beef, but feel free to drain some/most of it if desired (I didn't drain any). 

  3. Stir in the tomato paste, then add in the diced tomatoes, beef broth, potatoes, and Italian seasoning. 

  4. Close the lid, make sure the valve is on "sealing", press the "manual" button and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. 

  5. Once the countdown has finished, carefully do a quick pressure release.

  6. Season with salt & pepper as needed and serve immediately. 

Recipe Notes

  • Serves 4-6. 
  • Anything from about 1 to 1.5 pounds ground beef will work.
  • Use low-sodium beef broth if you're sensitive to salt. 
  • I use this 6-quart Instant Pot.
  • Inactive time indicates the time it takes the Instant Pot to get up to pressure.
  • Try the stovetop version if you don't own an IP.
  • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Hamburger Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 253 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 47mg16%
Sodium 854mg37%
Potassium 1164mg33%
Carbohydrates 30g10%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 22g44%
Vitamin A 215IU4%
Vitamin C 21mg25%
Calcium 86mg9%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Reader Interactions

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  1. Amy Lewis says

    I have tried the hamburger soup recipe in one of your cookbooks. I will definitely be trying this recipe! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi! I don't have a cookbook so you must be mixing me up with someone else. 🙂 But let me know how you like this recipe!

      Reply

  2. Rachel says

    Hi I made this soup tonight so good but it was missing something . It needs some more seasoning did anyone add more season if they did what was it ?

    Reply

  3. nickie says

    Trying this out tonight. Will let you know. I am terrible at exact measurements. I also used red potatoes instead. 😀

    Reply

  4. Leah says

    5 stars
    Delicious! I addition to tasting amazing it was super quick and easy to make! The only thing I changed was I used ground turkey. Thanks for the awesome recipe!

    Reply

  6. Ron Lee says

    Nice....used a little different spice personalizing the taste., great method and I’ll keep this one bppkmarked. Thxron

    Reply

  7. Selia says

    4 stars
    I definitely have to try this sounds delicious. One question I have is, that I have an 8 quart instapot, does the recipe change in any way?

    Reply

  8. Shay says

    5 stars
    This is so good that I've made it twice in one week!! I used ground turkey instead of beef and its wonderful! Thanks so much for the recipe!

    Reply

  9. Kimberlie Elkins says

    I have yet to try this but I think tonight is the night... I just wanted to say that my youngest daughter and I usually cook by way of smells lol the sense of taste and smell are so intertwined IMO that its the best way to create.

    Side-note
    I make scented wax melts for warmers and I have created 147 different authentic scents using my nose as well, and its interesting what some of the scents are that I include to acheive a true smelling scent that separates my waxes from the typical ones. The power of smell is amazing IMO

    Do you also use your nose when you ‘jump tracks’ while cooking?

    I will try the soup and give a review for it once I do. Cant wait😁

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi! I hope you enjoy it! I definitely smell/taste as I go along. That's the only trouble with the Instant Pot haha... you have to seal it up and hope. 😉

      Reply

  10. Anna says

    I’ll definitely try this and clean out the fridge. Also, “I digress” cracked me up. Thanks for adding humor.....

    Reply

  11. Sydney says

    Hello! I would like to try this soup but wasn’t sure if I could use frozen beef? This looks delicious!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi! That’s a good question. In theory it’s definitely possible, but then you couldn’t brown it, of course. I can’t really say without testing. You probably could add an extra few minutes and then if it’s still not done, continue cooking it with the sauté function after you take the lid off. I really can’t give you specific instructions without testing it, though, so just use caution and make sure the beef is cooked properly.

      Reply

      • L. says

        5 stars
        Very well written recipe for a quick and simple soup. My attempt turned out well balanced and pleasantly flavored. A good “Sick Soup” to make and share with an ill neighbor.
        I lightly browned thawed 97% ground beef with celery and onions then just before removing from stove I added chopped garlic. Added all to IP then broth,, a rounded tsp. Of Better Than Boullion (beef) and 2 handfulls of washed, chopped fresh spinach. There is nothing I would change.
        Can easily be done on stovetop.
        Thank you for sharing.

        Reply

        • Natasha says

          I'm so happy that you enjoyed it, and that's so nice of you to give some to your neighbor! And yes, not sure if you saw it linked, but the stovetop recipe is very similar. 🙂

          Reply

  13. Gordon says

    Didn’t have tomatoes on hand, so I used a jar of salsa, added some canned black beans, and served “taco soup” over rice with cheese and sour cream toppings. Yummy!

    Reply

  15. Illona says

    5 stars
    Thanks for putting your recipe out there Natasha! I've been making this recipe up in my head the last couple of days but haven't got to the actual doing. Like you, I just grab and put things in without much measuring, so you have saved me a lot of guess work. I can almost smell it already...LOL! IP soups are so very much more healthy and taste so much better than store bought canned. Plus, you know exactly what's in it & no added preservatives. I'm going to use my own home canned tomatoes. What is the green on top of the soup in your picture, celery leaf or cilantro? I usually use the little celery leaf chopped up. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      I'm so glad you like it!! 🙂 Haha yup, no measuring is the best... sometimes lol. I'm pretty sure I garnished it with parsley. I do love using chopped celery leaves though!

      Reply

  16. Jacqueline M. Armstrong says

    5 stars
    I've made this several times and it's amazing. The leftovers are even better. I have some frozen ground turkey I want to use - has anyone tried it with that?

    Reply

  17. Regina says

    4 stars
    This recipe is great we love it!
    But could you please tell me the sodium intake and everything for it? I did not see that unless I missed it.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Regina! So glad you liked the recipe. I just plugged it into my nutrition calculator for you (you can see the nutrition label in the recipe card). Please keep in mind that this is only an estimate and it'll vary based on the actual ingredients you use and any extra salt/pepper you use.

      Reply

  18. Janie says

    5 stars
    So tasty and easy. A great way to use the burger when you don't want to make chili or tacos. My husband loved it. Its so hearty and yummy. I added 14 oz tomatoes and then filled the can up with spaghetti sauce. We like tomatoes but not 28 oz. I also added carrots and some frozen greens beans. this is a keeper for sure.

    Reply

  20. Peggy Lampkins says

    Thanks for the awesome recipe, I’ve made it lots of times on the stove, before I got an Instant Pot...those of us who have one will fully understand...lol. This IP recipe is great! I made it pretty much the way the recipe calls for except I added 1 can of kidney beans, also added carrots when I added the potatoes. Then after it cooked I added some frozen corn and green beans. (All you really need to do is heat those anyway) Everyone is asking for the recipe!! Thanks a bunch!

    Reply

  22. Lainey says

    I am making this for my work SOUP-erbowl party! I am wanting to double the recipe. Will the 6 quart hold everything in? Or should I just stick with the amount the recipe calls for?

    Also, if I add carrots to the recipe, what step would I add them in so they wouldn't by mushy? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi!! Love the idea of a Soup-erbowl Party lol. If I recall, the IP was quite full, so I think doubling it probably won’t work unfortunately. I’d add the carrots just prior to closing the lid and starting it up. The carrots will be quite soft, but I make soups in the IP with them often, and they don’t disintegrate or anything unless they’re sliced super thin.

      Reply

  25. Barb says

    5 stars
    I make this soup all the time! My only change is to add 1/2 inch pieces of carrots and sometimes diced rutabaga (if I have it) and very often I add chopped green cabbage. A generous dash of Worcestershire gives it a kick. I pressure cook for 5 minutes on high and quick release. Perfection!
    Love your recipes!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      You mean like a regular pressure cooker (not electric)? I don't see why not, but honestly I don't own one and have zero experience using them, so I can't give you detailed instructions. I'd probably just use the stovetop recipe (linked) if you're unsure.

      Reply

    • Deborah Price says

      Made this for dinner tonight. Added extra potatoes (we love potatoes in soup). Hubby loved it, said I could make this anytime!

      Reply

  27. Wendy says

    Wow this is very similar to Carne Molida con Papas, a Mexican dish. We use either a green salsa or a can of tomato sauce and Knorr chicken cubes... kind of the same idea, I love to top it with sour cream and eat with a flour tortilla. So glad I found this recipe to try!

    Reply

  28. Wendy says

    5 stars
    Thank you for the recipe, it is very good and easy. I’ve passed it on to three family members so far. I’ve also made your Easy Beef Bowls which were excellent too.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      You're very welcome, Wendy! So glad you liked it. Thanks for commenting. I'm really glad you like the beef bowls too. Happy new year!

      Reply

  29. Sherry says

    5 stars
    So yummy! Made it last night and it was my very first recipe in my IP. So good! I did add two carrot sticks chopped. I will be making it again.

    Reply

  30. Tatjana says

    I already made the mistake of adding italian seasoning to this minestrone soup and it just taste like rosemary...that's it. Suggest another seasoning? Or what brand of italian seasoning do you use? I'm about to toss that minestrone 🙁 sogross. Thanks for your help!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Maybe just leave it out or use a pinch of a herb you know you like? There’s really only a little bit in here. I use McCormick brand. Not too much comes out of the jar when you use a dash or two. ♥️

      Reply

  31. Amy Quinlan says

    5 stars
    This was so east easy for a quick “comfort food” soup! Family approved! Added corn and shredded cheddar. Thank you!

    Reply

  32. Peggy says

    Thanks for the AWESOME recipe! I’ve been making this on the stove for a few years, but my neighbor gave me an IP and this is only the third time I’ve used it. I was kinda afraid of it and skeptical, I didn’t think the food would be flavorful but Boy was I wrong!!! This soup is absolutely delicious!! Only thing I did different than the recipe calls for is I also added a can of kidney beans, drained. And a few carrots and then after it was done, I added about 1/2 cup frozen corn and a can of green beans. Turned out great! Can’t wait to try your other recipes!! Thanks

    Reply

  33. Monica says

    5 stars
    Great recipe. I added some carrots and bok choy that I needed to use up from the veggie drawer. I only had a pack of ground beef that was about 3/4 pound and it was fine. Thanks.

    Reply

  34. Kim H says

    Making tonight with a salad! Hoping my 11 year old likes it. I added corn and peas. Can't wait for dinner! Smells awesome!

    Reply

    • Abby says

      You left out some steps like when to add other frozen vegetables?? I’m a novice instant potter so I need specific directions made a great meal though

      Reply

      • Natasha says

        Hi Abby! Not sure what you mean about leaving out steps... it's all in the recipe card where I include the ingredients and instructions. Some readers have adapted the recipe for their own tastes so I'm not sure if you're referring to someone's comment or not. If you want to add frozen veggies, add them in prior to sealing up the Instant Pot. Glad you liked the recipe! 🙂

        Reply

        • tired allen says

          i just bought the insta pot yesterday, do i brown the meat in a skillet first? You do leave out steps...you jumped to stir the meat?

          Add the olive oil, onion, and celery to your Instant Pot. Press the sauté button and cook for 4 minutes.

          Stir beef and garlic. Cook until the beef has browned, stirring occasionally (about 5 minutes). You shouldn't need to drain much fat if you're using extra lean ground beef, but feel free to drain some/most of it if desired (I didn't drain any).

          Reply

          • Natasha says

            Hi! Nope... you brown it right in the Instant Pot (using the sauté function). Sorry - I noticed the typo and fixed it just now. It was supposed to say "stir in the meat". The sauté button acts exactly as a skillet does. I hope this helps and sorry for the confusion.

  36. Anita Lorenzen says

    5 stars
    Do you have nutritional information for this soup? I am using an app that tracks food so I need to be able to add calories, fat, protein, etc.

    I did make the soup and it is quite good. Thank you

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Anita! So glad you liked it. I don’t have nutritional info. I’d just use My Fitness Pal or something similar. I’m not a trained nutritionist, and I don’t find that many of the apps that automatically calculate that info are particularly accurate, so that’s why I don’t include the info at this time. Your best bet is to enter the weights/values of the actual ingredients you use. So many recipes have nutritional info that’s waaaay off. Even if you weigh the food it could be off unfortunately since ingredients themselves vary and packaging isn’t always accurate either.

      Reply

    • Natasha says

      You put it into the IP raw. You're cooking it right in the IP like you would in a pan when you've got the sauté button pushed. Hope you like the soup!

      Reply

  40. Angie says

    I just made this recipe because it seemed like a very simple one for a first time use. However the instructions doesn’t say what setting to actually put it on other than high pressure. So I put it on meat stew. I hope that is correct and I can’t wait to eat it.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Angie! You would use the "manual" button and then adjust the time +/- to get the exact amount of minutes you want. That's how I have all my Instant Pot recipes set up. I don't like to use any of the pre-set buttons because they're simply pre-programmed time amounts (thus they're approximations), and different Instant Pot models have different buttons. It may cook your soup a bit longer than I intended, but this recipe is pretty forgiving so I am sure it'll still be fine. Let me know how it goes!

      Reply

        • Natasha says

          I'm afraid I don't - sorry! I am not the best with math haha. It takes a bit more time, but I suggest weighing and plugging in the exact ingredients you're using. That's really the only way to get an accurate estimate of calories. Trust me when I say calorie counts/nutrition info on most online recipes can be waaay off.

          Reply

  41. Sara says

    This recipe looks amazing for busy nights! I'd like to try it but my instant pot broke, do you think I could adapt this to a slow cooker? Maybe cut the potatoes smaller so they cook all the way through?

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hmm... I've cooked pasta recipes in the IP before, but without testing it, I can't really say whether the pasta will end up soggy or not. You could try adding the macaroni right before you seal the IP. Then cook it on high pressure for 5 minutes. Do a quick release once the countdown has finished. Everything should still be cooked, but like I said, without testing it in this type of recipe it's hard to speculate whether it'll work or not.

      Reply

    • Courtney says

      Not sure if the person who wanted to sub macaroni tried it yet but my suggestion would be to do 1/2 the time on the box of the past minus one minute. So if the pasta says “al dente in 10 min” I would set your IP to 4 min, thats my rule of thumb 🙂 PS cant wait to try this recipe!

      Reply

  43. Linen says

    5 stars
    I added a couple carrots otherwise the recipe would be perfectly delicious as written.
    My picky 6 year old ate it too and he changed his mind weekly about his likes and dislikes. Glad I caught him on a good week. LOL!
    I’ll be bookmarking this to make again. Simple to make and great flavor.
    Thank you!

    Reply

  44. Niki Maas says

    5 stars
    We made this today, substituted 2 cans of Rotel for the tomatoes and it was nice and spicy and SO DELICIOUS!!

    I can't wait to freeze some for later.

    Thank you very much for the recipe.

    Reply

      • Kimberly says

        5 stars
        I recently received an Instant Pot as a gift, and have (admittedly) been intimidated to use it. We decided to make this last night and it was surprising simple and SUPER flavorful! The only complaint I heard, was that there were no left overs! Ha! I will definitely make this again.

        Reply

        • Natasha says

          I am so happy it worked out! I know, when I first got the IP I was scared to use it as well. It definitely becomes less intimidating the longer you have it. I now don't even use a spoon to do the quick release (I used to stand like 5 feet away and use a long spoon to move the seal thing haha).

          Reply

          • Pam says

            Well, now I don’t feel so bad. I got my IP for Christmas, 2017! It IS intimidating, so I’ve been keeping my distance! But, I am going to go for it, and make this tonight. It’s cold and rainy here in Idaho, so it sounds so yummy! I did make a stew and spaghetti after I got it, and they were delicious SO, what’s my problem? I WILL make friends with my IP and my stand mixer this year!!! They both just look at me and laugh! 😂

  46. Hope Muniz says

    5 stars
    Yummy! Your instructions were super easy to follow (I'm an instand pot newbie) and the flavor was so good!! I added a red and yellow bell pepper, carrots and fresh garlic. Sprinkled cheddar cheese to top it off, served with crackers. THANK YOU!!!!

    Reply

  49. Sandy LeTendre says

    Do you have to use pressure cooker mode for soups? I just made sauerkraut kilbasa soup and when I hit soup mode after a bit there was a lot of steam coming out. What was I doing wrong? Everything was basically already cooked- can of beans, chicken broth, onion, cup of kraut and seasonings. That’s basically it so it only needed about 20 minutes but I don’t think under pressure

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Sandy! My guess is that you didn't move the valve to "sealing" if steam was coming out. Basically you used the Instant Pot as a regular pot with a lid on.

      Reply

  51. Meg says

    I add a bag of mixed vegetables to my hamburger soup the one with peas corn and green beans as well as the diced tomato and potatoes! Everyone loves it!

    Reply

  52. Tracy says

    5 stars
    I added a tsp of smoked paprika that really added a touch of depth to the flavour to the broth. A fantastic recipe and so quick to assemble. Thank you so much for sharing! ... yum! Yup, I'll be making this one again.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      I am so happy you liked it! I love smoked paprika myself... I should try that next time I make this.

      Reply

  53. Lauren says

    Will this all fit in a 3 Qt IP? I just bought a 3 Qt Instant Pot but didn't know if I needed to cut ingredients in half or if it would fit in the 3 Qt.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi! Sorry, I just saw this comment now... for some reason I haven't been getting all new comment notifications lately. I think the recipe will go over the max fill line on the 3 qt. IP, but maybe try halving it.

      Reply

  54. Kim says

    Well You’ve Done It Again !!!
    I made your chicken and rice instant pot
    And now this and my husband said this is really good !!! I said I’ll keep using her recipes when we go on the road , RVing with the Instant Pot and Natasha will be joining us more often . Thanks

    Reply

  55. Evelyn Piper says

    5 stars
    Used my Instapot that my sister sent me for Christmas for the first time and used your recipe for the Hamburger Soup cause my sister made it for me recently and I loved it. It came out exactly the same and I'm so pleased. Thank you so much for posting this recipe and helping others.
    Cheers,
    Evelyn

    Reply

  56. Robin Bullinger says

    I made this today. I wanted no potatoes so put chunks of cauliflower. I also added some sliced mushrooms, green beans and some corn. Great flavor!

    Reply

  58. Annemarie says

    5 stars
    I tried this recipe today. I had never made soup like this and used real beef patties. Didn’t have italian seasoning at home so used: Oregano, Basil, Thyme and Rosemary which makes the same combo. It came out really good. My son says the food smells really good. I will put this in my “copy me that” recipes.

    Reply