Hearty and Delicious Hamburger Soup Recipes: A Comfort Food Classic
Hamburger soup. The name itself conjures up images of warm, comforting, and incredibly satisfying meals. It’s the perfect dish for a chilly evening, a quick weeknight dinner, or a hearty lunch. Packed with ground beef, vegetables, and a flavorful broth, hamburger soup is a versatile and budget-friendly recipe that’s easy to customize to your liking. This article explores various hamburger soup recipes, providing detailed instructions and tips to create your own perfect bowl of comfort.
What Makes Hamburger Soup So Appealing?
Before diving into specific recipes, let’s discuss why hamburger soup is such a beloved dish.
* **Affordable:** Ground beef is generally a budget-friendly protein source, and the addition of inexpensive vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and celery stretches the meal even further.
* **Versatile:** The beauty of hamburger soup lies in its adaptability. You can easily substitute vegetables based on what you have on hand or your personal preferences. Add beans, pasta, or rice for extra heartiness.
* **Easy to Make:** Hamburger soup is a simple one-pot meal that requires minimal effort and cooking skills. It’s perfect for busy weeknights.
* **Comforting:** There’s something inherently comforting about a warm bowl of soup, especially one filled with familiar flavors and hearty ingredients.
* **Great for Leftovers:** Hamburger soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together. It’s an excellent make-ahead meal.
* **Freezable:** Hamburger soup freezes well, making it a convenient option for meal prepping.
Classic Hamburger Soup Recipe
This recipe serves as a foundation for many variations. Feel free to adjust the ingredients and seasonings to your taste.
**Ingredients:**
* 1 pound ground beef
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 2 carrots, peeled and diced
* 2 celery stalks, diced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* 4 cups beef broth
* 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
* 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
* Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
**Instructions:**
1. **Brown the Ground Beef:** In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Break it up with a spoon as it cooks. Drain off any excess grease.
2. **Sauté the Vegetables:** Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the pot with the browned ground beef. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes.
3. **Add Garlic and Spices:** Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to the pot. Cook for another minute until fragrant.
4. **Add Tomatoes and Broth:** Pour in the crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Stir to combine.
5. **Add Potatoes:** Add the diced potatoes to the pot.
6. **Simmer:** Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
7. **Add Peas (Optional):** If using frozen peas, add them to the soup during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
8. **Serve:** Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired. Serve hot.
**Tips for the Classic Recipe:**
* **Choose Your Ground Beef:** Opt for lean ground beef (90/10 or 93/7) to minimize grease. If you prefer, you can use ground turkey or ground chicken instead.
* **Dice the Vegetables Evenly:** This ensures that they cook at the same rate.
* **Don’t Overcook the Potatoes:** Overcooked potatoes can become mushy. Check for doneness by piercing them with a fork.
* **Adjust the Seasoning:** Taste the soup and adjust the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to your liking.
* **Add a Bay Leaf:** Add a bay leaf to the soup during simmering for extra flavor. Remember to remove it before serving.
Variations on the Classic Hamburger Soup
Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, you can start experimenting with different variations to create your own signature hamburger soup.
Cheeseburger Soup
This variation adds a cheesy twist to the classic recipe.
**Ingredients:**
* Follow the ingredients for the Classic Hamburger Soup recipe.
* 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or your favorite cheese)
* 1/4 cup milk or half-and-half (optional, for extra creaminess)
**Instructions:**
1. Prepare the Classic Hamburger Soup recipe as directed.
2. Once the potatoes are tender, remove the soup from the heat.
3. Stir in the shredded cheese until melted and smooth.
4. If desired, stir in the milk or half-and-half for extra creaminess.
5. Serve immediately, garnished with extra shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, or chopped green onions.
**Tips for Cheeseburger Soup:**
* **Use a Good Melting Cheese:** Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Colby Jack are all good choices for melting.
* **Don’t Boil the Soup After Adding Cheese:** Boiling the soup after adding cheese can cause it to separate.
* **Garnish with Your Favorite Cheeseburger Toppings:** Consider adding crumbled bacon, chopped pickles, diced tomatoes, or a dollop of sour cream.
Hamburger Soup with Pasta
Adding pasta makes the soup even more hearty and satisfying.
**Ingredients:**
* Follow the ingredients for the Classic Hamburger Soup recipe.
* 1 cup uncooked pasta (such as elbow macaroni, ditalini, or small shells)
**Instructions:**
1. Prepare the Classic Hamburger Soup recipe as directed, but omit the potatoes.
2. Bring the soup to a boil.
3. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, or until the pasta is tender.
4. Add frozen peas (optional) during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
5. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley or Parmesan cheese.
**Tips for Hamburger Soup with Pasta:**
* **Choose Small Pasta Shapes:** Smaller pasta shapes like elbow macaroni or ditalini work best in soup.
* **Don’t Overcook the Pasta:** Overcooked pasta can become mushy in the soup. Cook it al dente.
* **Add the Pasta at the Right Time:** Add the pasta towards the end of cooking to prevent it from absorbing too much liquid.
Hamburger Soup with Beans
Adding beans provides extra protein and fiber, making the soup even more nutritious.
**Ingredients:**
* Follow the ingredients for the Classic Hamburger Soup recipe.
* 1 (15 ounce) can beans, rinsed and drained (such as kidney beans, pinto beans, or cannellini beans)
**Instructions:**
1. Prepare the Classic Hamburger Soup recipe as directed.
2. Add the rinsed and drained beans to the pot during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
3. Serve hot, garnished with a dollop of sour cream or a sprinkle of chili powder.
**Tips for Hamburger Soup with Beans:**
* **Choose Your Favorite Beans:** Kidney beans, pinto beans, cannellini beans, or black beans all work well in hamburger soup.
* **Rinse and Drain the Beans:** This removes excess sodium and prevents the soup from becoming too salty.
* **Adjust the Cooking Time:** If using dried beans, soak them overnight and cook them separately before adding them to the soup.
Spicy Hamburger Soup
For those who like a little heat, this variation adds some spice to the classic recipe.
**Ingredients:**
* Follow the ingredients for the Classic Hamburger Soup recipe.
* 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
* 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
**Instructions:**
1. Prepare the Classic Hamburger Soup recipe as directed.
2. Add the minced jalapeño pepper, chili powder, and cayenne pepper to the pot along with the other spices.
3. Serve hot, garnished with a dollop of sour cream or a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
**Tips for Spicy Hamburger Soup:**
* **Adjust the Spice Level:** Use more or less jalapeño pepper, chili powder, and cayenne pepper to control the spice level.
* **Remove the Seeds from the Jalapeño:** Removing the seeds reduces the heat of the jalapeño.
* **Serve with a Cooling Topping:** Sour cream or plain yogurt can help to cool down the spice.
Vegetarian Hamburger Soup (using plant-based ground)
This variation uses plant-based ground beef substitute for a vegetarian option.
**Ingredients:**
* 1 pound plant-based ground (beef substitute)
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 2 carrots, peeled and diced
* 2 celery stalks, diced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* 4 cups vegetable broth
* 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
* 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
* Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
**Instructions:**
1. **Brown the Plant-Based Ground:** In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the plant-based ground over medium-high heat. Break it up with a spoon as it cooks. Drain off any excess fat if needed.
2. **Sauté the Vegetables:** Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the pot with the browned plant-based ground. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes.
3. **Add Garlic and Spices:** Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to the pot. Cook for another minute until fragrant.
4. **Add Tomatoes and Broth:** Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir to combine.
5. **Add Potatoes:** Add the diced potatoes to the pot.
6. **Simmer:** Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
7. **Add Peas (Optional):** If using frozen peas, add them to the soup during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
8. **Serve:** Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired. Serve hot.
**Tips for Vegetarian Hamburger Soup:**
* **Choose a Good Quality Plant-Based Ground:** Some plant-based grounds have a better texture and flavor than others.
* **Be Careful Not to Overcook the Plant-Based Ground:** Plant-based ground can become dry if overcooked.
* **Use Vegetable Broth:** This ensures that the soup is vegetarian.
Slow Cooker Hamburger Soup
For an even easier weeknight meal, try making hamburger soup in a slow cooker.
**Ingredients:**
* 1 pound ground beef
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 2 carrots, peeled and diced
* 2 celery stalks, diced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* 4 cups beef broth
* 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
* 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
**Instructions:**
1. **Brown the Ground Beef:** In a skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Break it up with a spoon as it cooks. Drain off any excess grease.
2. **Add Ingredients to Slow Cooker:** Transfer the browned ground beef to a slow cooker. Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, garlic, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and potatoes.
3. **Cook on Low:** Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the potatoes are tender.
4. **Add Peas (Optional):** If using frozen peas, add them to the slow cooker during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
5. **Serve:** Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired. Serve hot.
**Tips for Slow Cooker Hamburger Soup:**
* **Browning the Ground Beef is Optional:** You can skip this step if you’re short on time, but browning the ground beef adds more flavor.
* **Don’t Overfill the Slow Cooker:** Fill the slow cooker no more than 2/3 full.
* **Adjust the Cooking Time:** Cooking times may vary depending on your slow cooker. Check the soup periodically to ensure that the potatoes are tender.
Instant Pot Hamburger Soup
For the fastest possible preparation, try using an Instant Pot.
**Ingredients:**
* 1 pound ground beef
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 2 carrots, peeled and diced
* 2 celery stalks, diced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* 4 cups beef broth
* 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
* 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
**Instructions:**
1. **Brown the Ground Beef:** Using the “Sauté” function on the Instant Pot, brown the ground beef. Drain off any excess grease.
2. **Sauté the Vegetables:** Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the Instant Pot with the browned ground beef. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 3-5 minutes.
3. **Add Garlic and Spices:** Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to the Instant Pot. Cook for another minute until fragrant.
4. **Add Tomatoes and Broth:** Pour in the crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Stir to combine.
5. **Add Potatoes:** Add the diced potatoes to the Instant Pot.
6. **Pressure Cook:** Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and set the valve to “Sealing.” Cook on “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” for 8 minutes.
7. **Quick Release Pressure:** Carefully quick release the pressure according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
8. **Add Peas (Optional):** If using frozen peas, stir them into the soup. Let them sit for a couple of minutes to heat through.
9. **Serve:** Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired. Serve hot.
**Tips for Instant Pot Hamburger Soup:**
* **Don’t Overfill the Instant Pot:** Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for maximum fill levels.
* **Use Quick Release Carefully:** Quick release can cause splattering. Cover the valve with a towel to prevent messes.
* **Adjust the Cooking Time:** Cooking times may vary depending on your Instant Pot.
Serving Suggestions for Hamburger Soup
Hamburger soup is delicious on its own, but here are some serving suggestions to enhance your meal:
* **Crusty Bread:** Serve with a side of crusty bread for dipping into the broth.
* **Grilled Cheese Sandwich:** A grilled cheese sandwich is a classic pairing with tomato-based soups.
* **Salad:** A simple green salad provides a refreshing contrast to the hearty soup.
* **Toppings:** Offer a variety of toppings for guests to customize their soup, such as shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, crumbled bacon, or hot sauce.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
* **Storage:** Store leftover hamburger soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
* **Reheating:** Reheat the soup in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat, or in the microwave. Add a little extra broth or water if the soup has thickened too much.
* **Freezing:** Hamburger soup freezes well. Allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers or bags. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Nutritional Information (Approximate, per serving)
* Calories: 300-400
* Protein: 20-25g
* Fat: 15-20g
* Carbohydrates: 25-30g
* Fiber: 5-7g
*Note: Nutritional information can vary depending on the specific ingredients and serving size.*
Conclusion
Hamburger soup is a versatile, affordable, and comforting meal that’s perfect for any occasion. Whether you stick to the classic recipe or experiment with different variations, you’re sure to create a delicious and satisfying dish that your family will love. From cheeseburger soup to spicy hamburger soup and everything in between, the possibilities are endless. So gather your ingredients, get cooking, and enjoy a warm bowl of homemade hamburger soup!