Have some ground beef you’re hoping to turn into a quick weeknight dinner? This hamburger vegetable soup is loaded with veggies and is so hearty, warming, and comforting — not to mention incredibly easy since you most likely already have all of the ingredients on hand.
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“This recipe is now part of my dinner options. It was so good. The wine and the spices really added to the flavor.” -Kim, FoodieCrush reader
My Favorite Soup for Easy Weeknight Eating
The first time I had this totally solid, totally comforting hamburger veggie soup was when my mother-in-law made it for a family gathering of which I was not yet part of the family.
My husband and I had just started dating and it was dinner at mom’s house and I was invited to go. Just like my mom’s pot roast recipe, my grandma’s minestrone, and homemade hamburger helper, this soup recipe is so hearty, comforting, and totally nostalgic.
It couldn’t be more basic, which makes it all the better because if you keep a semi-stocked pantry and basically stocked fridge, you’ll have everything at your soup-cooking fingertips.
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
- Skip the stew meat in favor of quick-cooking hamburger. Ground beef cooks in a fraction of the time that stew meat requires to become fork tender. You’ll still get the rich beefy flavor you love in a traditional vegetable beef soup, in a fraction of the time.
- Choose 85% lean. This veg-packed soup is fairly lean, so I prefer using 85% lean ground beef to impart more flavor and richness.
- Chop your veg evenly. Chop your onion and celery in a similar-sized dice so they cook evenly. I like my carrots big and chunky but if you prefer a more uniform look, you can always dice them smaller too.
The Main Ingredients
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Ground beef — I use an 85% lean 15% fat ground round but you could always go leaner with the 91% lean 9% fat. Any more fat and you’ll be draining most of it and the flavor from the pan.
- Onion, celery, and carrots — Form the flavor base of the soup.
- Diced canned tomatoes — Leave them in their juices, which will help flavor the broth.
- Vegetables — I used a blend of corn, green beans, and potatoes (I prefer new potatoes). Use any combination of fresh, canned, and frozen to use up what you have on hand.
- Wine — You can use red or white (it doesn’t need to be fancy, but choose a wine you would drink).
- Beef broth + beef bouillon cube — Using both makes for a richly flavored soup that tastes like it’s been simmering for hours rather than just 30 minutes. You can swap in Better Than Bouillon Beef Base.
- Herbs and spices — Throw in a bay leaf and garlic salt, plus some dried marjoram and tarragon which are delightfully herbaceous.
How to Make Vegetable Soup with Hamburger
- Brown the ground beef and sauté the veggies. I like to use my large Dutch oven when making this recipe because it comfortably holds the 10 generous servings this recipe yields.
- Simmer and season. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it bubble gently away for 30ish minutes. Once the carrots are tender, taste the soup and add more salt and pepper according to your tastes.
Heidi’s Tip: I like this hamburger vegetable soup as is, but feel free to sprinkle your serving with some shredded cheddar cheese.
Swaps and Additions to Try
Beyond making my Cheeseburger Soup or adding macaroni to this classic recipe, I don’t think I’ll ever get my husband to switch from this rendition of his favorite soup, but if you’re interested in experimenting, here are a couple of ideas of where to start.
Switch up the vegetables if you like:
- Peas
- Butternut squash or pumpkin
- Leeks
- Green onions (these would be a great topper)
- Fire-roasted stewed tomatoes
- Spinach or kale
- Cabbage
- Bell peppers
Also, consider switching up the protein and try these alternatives to ground beef:
- Ground turkey
- Ground bison
- Ground chicken
- Lentils for you non-meat eaters who still crave a bigger bite
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Hamburger Vegetable Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef , (I use 85% lean)
- 2 cups diced yellow onion , (about 1 medium onion)
- 1 ½ cups chopped celery , (about 4 ribs)
- 1 ½ cups sliced carrots , (about 3 carrots)
- 1 14- ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 14- ounce can corn , drained (or 2 cups frozen or fresh)
- 1 14- ounce can green beans , drained (or 2 cups frozen or fresh)
- 1 cup new potatoes , cut in a large dice
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 1 cup red or white wine*
- 2 cups water
- 2 quarts beef broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
- 1 tablespoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink (about 7-8 minutes).
- Add the diced onion and celery and cook until tender, another 3 minutes or so.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a bubbling simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes or until the carrots are tender and the flavors have combined. Season with more salt and pepper if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Storage Instructions
Leftovers will keep stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. This soup recipe also freezes well, making it natural to make a double batch and freeze half. I freeze my soups in gallon freezer bags, lying them flat so they can be easily stacked when frozen.
What to Serve with Your Ground Beef Veggie Soup
More Easy Ground Beef Dinners
- Daddy’s Baked Hamburgers
- Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers
- One-Pot Sloppy Joes
- Homemade Meatloaf
- Hamburger Stroganoff
- Classic Beef Chili
- Ground Beef American Goulash
- 25 Great Ground Beef Recipes
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