This Hearty Hamburger Soup Is a One-Pot Wonder That’s Ready in Just 45 Minutes

You can make any chilly day a bit warmer with a steaming bowl of soup — they’re nourishing, comforting and so easy to customize depending on whatever you’re craving. One of our favorites: hamburger soup. Loaded with sautéed vegetables, diced potatoes and golden-brown ground beef, this hearty meal has all the flavors of a classic burger in soup form. Even better: We found an easy hands-off recipe that’s thick, flavorful and preps in a flash. Ready to indulge? Keep reading for everything you need to make delicious hamburger soup.

What is hamburger soup?

Think of hamburger soup as a type of beef stew. The dish gets its quirky name from its star ingredient: ground beef. But instead of a bun, this soup combines beef stock, ground beef and an assortment of chopped vegetables and seasonings. “Hamburger soup is an easy one to do,” says Brian Theis, recipe developer and cookbook author. Classic hamburger soup includes “a pound or more of your preferred hamburger meat, some beef stock (vegetable also works), pearl barley, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, crushed tomatoes, then herbs like thyme, basil, oregano. Worcestershire and even a sweet addition such as brown sugar or honey are welcome. You might add potatoes and/or cabbage.” This makes hamburger soup so easily versatile and perfect for raiding the kitchen and using up any leftovers.

Though they may be similar, hamburger soup is actually different from its Western counterparts. Traditional chili is made with ground beef, beans and lots of spice, but you wouldn’t find potatoes, carrots or celery in it. Cowboy soup, on the other hand, is a cross between the two, blending Tex-Mex flavors like ranch style beans, corn and spices with ground beef and potatoes. Hamburger soup is more savory than spicy and a bit healthier with the added vegetables.

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Chef secrets for making hamburger soup

Hamburger soup is easy to make, but we asked professional chefs for their easy tricks that guarantee delicious results:

• Get the base right. “To be true to a traditional hamburger soup recipe, you want to use a Latin sofrito — onion, celery and carrot — rather than a Cajun mirepoix — onion, celery and green bell pepper,” says Theis. Also important: Sauté these vegetables first before adding in the beef.
• Go for this ground beef. “Use lean ground beef (90%+), but if you do use anything lower, make sure to really drain the fat,” says Dana Ehrlich, founder and former CEO of Verde Farms. After frying the beef, he recommends you “save the fat and reuse it as an alternative to canola or vegetable oil in your next meal.”
• Thicken your soup. For a thicker soup, Theis suggests “pearl barley, or if you prefer, lentils,” When cooked, barley releases a gel-like starch into the broth.
• Add water to the stock. “If you run out of stock, add water and a bit more salt to taste,” says Theis. Surprisingly, it soaks up the same amount of flavor.

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Easy hamburger soup recipe

Hamburger soup is surprisingly simple to make at home, and it’s mostly hands-off! This easy recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen blends canned tomatoes in beef broth for a rich, tangy flavor.

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Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 sticks celery, thinly sliced
• 1½ lbs. lean ground beef, 85 percent or leaner
• 2 Tbs. tomato paste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 8 cups beef broth
• 2 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1½ tsp. salt, to taste
• ¼ tsp. ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Directions:

• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings

1. Preheat a 5½-qt dutch oven or stock pot with olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots and celery into the pot. Sauté the veggies until softened.
2. Add the ground beef, breaking it apart as you go. Cook it until it turns golden brown.
3. Stir in the diced tomatoes, minced garlic, tomato paste, potatoes and beef broth. Season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
4. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Season to taste and serve garnished with chopped parsley.

Storage and reheating notes:

Hamburger soup is a great make-ahead dish and even develops more flavor while stored. To keep it fresh, store it in an airtight container for up to five days. We don’t recommend freezing this soup because of the cooked vegetables. To reheat, warm gently on the stove or in the microwave.