Description
This hearty Hamburger Soup combines lean ground beef with a flavorful mix of vegetables, spices, and a rich tomato-based broth. Perfect for a comforting meal, it’s easy to customize with your favorite add-ins like pasta, rice, or additional veggies, making it versatile for any season.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 medium carrots, chopped (1 ½ cups)
- 3 stalks celery, chopped (1 ½ cups)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced (may substitute 1 tsp garlic powder)
- 3 cups red or Yukon gold potatoes, chopped into ½” chunks
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
Spices and Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons granulated beef bouillon or better than bouillon (or 2 crushed cubes)
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke (optional)
Liquids and Sauces
- 5 ½ cups reduced sodium beef broth
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon yellow deli mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Garnishes (Optional)
- Cheddar cheese (highly recommended)
- Parsley
- Green onions or chives
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Brown the Meat and Vegetables: In a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat, brown the lean ground beef or turkey with the chopped yellow onion, carrots, and celery for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables soften. While the meat cooks, prepare the potatoes and green bell pepper.
- Sauté Garlic and Spices: Drain any excess grease from the meat if present. Add the minced garlic and all the spices (chili powder, cumin, salt, basil, parsley, oregano, smoked paprika, and pepper) to the pot. Sauté everything together for 30 seconds to release the flavors.
- Add Remaining Ingredients and Simmer: Stir in the potatoes, green bell pepper, beef broth, diced tomatoes with juices, tomato sauce, yellow deli mustard, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, beef bouillon, and liquid smoke if using. Cover the pot and bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Cook Until Tender: Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Adjust Consistency and Serve: If desired, thin the soup with additional water or broth to reach your preferred thickness, but keep it chunky. Serve hot with optional garnishes like shredded cheddar cheese, parsley, green onions or chives, and a dollop of sour cream.
Notes
- This soup is highly customizable; you can add different vegetables or proteins, but consider adjusting other ingredients to maintain balance.
- Using ground turkey instead of beef may require adding extra beef bouillon to enhance flavor without increasing saltiness.
- Substitute potatoes with 2 cups of uncooked small pasta like macaroni or rotini; add pasta after all other ingredients and cook until al dente.
- Cooked rice such as wild or brown rice can replace potatoes; cook rice separately to prevent overcooked veggies.
- Add zucchini or green beans at the same time as potatoes; add corn, cabbage, or beans towards the end of cooking and heat through to retain texture.
- Leafy greens like spinach or baby kale should be added at the very end and wilted quickly.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months; thaw overnight before reheating.
- Reheat large batches on the stove over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or microwave individual servings covered for 90 seconds, stirring, then 30-second intervals as needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1 ½ cups)
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
