Hamburger Soup
The first cold night of the year always sends me looking for one pot that can feed everybody without a side dish. Hamburger soup is ground beef, potatoes, macaroni, and mixed vegetables simmered in a tomato and beef broth that lands somewhere between tomato soup and vegetable beef stew. Condensed tomato soup is the shortcut that gives the broth its body and a faint sweetness, which is why this tastes as if it simmered far longer than it did. Everything cooks in a single Dutch oven in about an hour, and it holds well on low heat for a watch party.
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Hamburger soup is the catch all name for a tomato based beef soup built on ground beef instead of stew meat. Because the beef is already ground, there is no long braise to tenderize it, which is how a soup this hearty comes together in an hour instead of three.
The lineup here is ground chuck, onion, celery, garlic, potatoes, elbow macaroni, and a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, all simmered in beef broth with condensed tomato soup, canned diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Between the three tomato products, the broth ends up somewhere between a tomato soup and a vegetable beef soup.
It is also flexible in a way most soups are not. The frozen vegetable bag is a stand-in for whatever is in your freezer, and the potatoes and pasta can trade places depending on what you have.
Why this recipe works
When the weather is cold, is there a better way to warm up than a bowl of soup? Especially when that bowl is filled to the brim with hearty and delicious Hamburger Vegetable Soup?
With a little of everything, you can think of this Hamburger Soup recipe as a cross between traditional Tomato Soup and classic Beef and Vegetable soup. It’s a one-pot crowd-pleaser that’s easy to keep hot and sure to be the MVP at your next game-day get-together.
Ingredients and their roles
For this Hamburger Soup recipe, you’ll need:
- Ground chuck – scores with a big, beefy flavor.
- Olive oil – perfect for sautéing the vegetables and adding a subtle, floral, fruity flavor.
- White onion, small dice – gives the soup a mild sharpness
- Celery ribs, diced small, contribute a bitterness that helps balance the richness of the beef.
- Garlic, minced – delivers a punch of aromatics.
- Tomato paste – adds umami richness to the broth.
- Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and cut into medium dice) – bulk up the soup and thicken the broth with starch.
- Low-sodium beef broth – thins the tomato soup and provides a beefy base.
- Condensed tomato soup, plus one can of water – adds creaminess and a slight sweetness to the broth.
- Diced tomatoes with juices, canned – pumps up the tomato flavor and adds texture.
- Worcestershire sauce – adds extra umami.
- Italian seasoning infuses the soup with traditional herb notes.
- Kosher salt – enhances the taste of the other ingredients.
- Black pepper – brings warmth and a bit of heat to the soup.
- Small uncooked pasta elbows (macaroni) – make the soup more filling.
- Frozen mixed vegetables (corn/peas/green beans/carrots) – contribute color, texture, and flavor to the dish.
- Chopped fresh parsley, optional garnish – finishes the soup with a burst of freshness.
How to make Hamburger Macaroni Soup
To prepare a large pot of soup:
- Place a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
- Crumble the ground chuck into the pot and add the diced white onion and celery.
- Stir occasionally and cook until the beef is no longer pink and the onions are translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook until you can smell it.
- Pour off any accumulated fat and liquid from the pot and return it to the heat.
- Clear a spot at the bottom of the pot and add the tomato paste. Cook until it darkens slightly, then mix it into the other ingredients in the pot.
- Pour in the low-sodium beef broth, condensed tomato soup, water, and all the contents of the can of diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, Kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir well.
- Stir in the diced potatoes.
- Bring the soup to a boil while using a wooden spatula to scrape up all the stuck-on bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Simmer for 12 minutes.
- Add the uncooked pasta to the pot. Leave the pot partially covered and simmer until the pasta is cooked through.
- Stir in the frozen mixed vegetables and cook until they are heated through, about five minutes.
- Taste and add kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve and garnish with optional chopped parsley.
What to serve with Hamburger Macaroni Soup
This is a full meal in a bowl, so sides are about giving people something to dunk.
- Cornbread: A warm square of Boston Market cornbread is the classic partner for a tomato beef broth.
- Garlic cheese bread: Pasta House Company garlic cheese bread turns a bowl of soup into a full supper.
- Texas toast: Thick, buttery Raising Cane’s Texas Toast is built for soaking up broth.
- Grilled cheese: The standard pairing for anything tomato-based, and it works exactly as well here.
- Green salad: A crisp salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts the richness if you are serving big bowls.
- Saltines or oyster crackers: The simplest option, and often the one kids ask for.
Storage and reheating instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Store in airtight containers for up to 3 days in the refrigerator
- Reheating Method: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat, adding beef broth if needed to thin the consistency. Pasta and potatoes absorb liquid during storage
- Freezing: Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Note that the pasta texture may change slightly when frozen
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Hamburger Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground chuck
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 2 celery ribs diced
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 medium russet or Yukon Gold potatoes ~12 ounces, peeled and diced to ½ inch
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 can (10.75 ounces) condensed tomato soup + 1 can full of water
- 1 can (14-15 ounces) diced tomatoes do not drain
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup small elbow pasta uncooked
- 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, green beans, carrots)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground chuck, onion, and celery; sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until the beef is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Drain any excess grease.
- Add the tomato paste to the pot and cook for 1 minute until it darkens slightly and coats the meat. Add the potatoes, beef broth, condensed tomato soup, water, diced tomatoes with their juices, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 12 minutes.
- Add the uncooked pasta. Partially cover the pot and simmer for another 10 to 12 minutes, until both the potatoes and pasta are tender.
- Add the frozen mixed vegetables and simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 7 minutes, just until the vegetables are heated through. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.
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