Hamburger Vegetable Soup

4.50 from 4 votes

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This hearty, comforting Hamburger Vegetable Soup recipe is the one to make all fall and winter long! Savory ground beef, a medley of vibrant vegetables, and macaroni in a rich tomato-infused broth create a balanced and satisfying meal the whole family will love! Perfect with crusty bread or pumpkin muffins on the side!

Hamburger Vegetable Soup in white Dutch oven with soup ladle.

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Why This Recipe is a Keeper!

This ground beef vegetable soup is one you’ll want to put on repeat! It’s a soup my soup-loving personal chef clients ask for frequently.

Besides being tasty, this Hamburger Vegetable Soup recipe makes a big batch, so it’s perfect for sharing with a friend or neighbor who could use some comfort. Of course, you can keep it all to yourself, too, and have a great meal in your refrigerator ready to roll all week or freeze some for ready-made comfort anytime!

This Hamburger Vegetable Soup recipe is:

Easy! Once you get the vegetables prepped, you add them in at various stages as you build the soup, so it’s one-pot, too!
Versatile! Vary the veggies. Use any small pasta shape such as ditalini, orzo, or no pasta at all, and use potatoes instead. Or, amp up the protein by replacing the pasta with beans.
Make-ahead! Soups tend to get better once the flavors have had a chance to get to know each other.
Freezer-friendly! Hamburger Vegetable Soup freezes great, so you can have ready-made comfort when needed!
Perfect for a potluck soup supper!

Let’s make it!

Hamburger Vegetable Soup in gray bowl with soup spoon.

How to Make Hamburger Vegetable Soup:

Recipe Ingredients:

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this Hamburger Vegetable Soup recipe, along with how to prep the ingredients. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.

Ingredients for Hamburger Vegetable Soup in glass bowls.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

Ground Beef: I like to use ground chuck for most of my recipes that call for ground beef. Ground chuck is ground chuck roast that comes from the shoulder and neck area of the cow. Because of that, ground chuck has a higher degree of marbling and a richer flavor profile when compared to regular ground beef. If you wish to cut some fat, use lean ground beef (usually labeled as 90% lean or higher), sirloin, ground turkey, or chicken.
Dry Red Wine: Red wine adds depth. Use a Pinot Noir, which is a lighter red wine. NON-ALCOHOLIC SUBSTITUTION: Use a tablespoon or two of balsamic or red wine vinegar.
Tomato Sauce: Tomato sauce is slow-cooked with herbs and spices, adding more flavor than tomato products such as crushed tomatoes. You can use crushed tomatoes, but you may need to add additional seasoning.
Petite Diced Tomatoes: Because the soup already has so much texture, petite diced tomatoes work well in this ground beef vegetable soup recipe. Petite diced tomatoes are half the size of conventional ones, so they cook down faster. They won’t get completely smooth, which adds another level of texture.
Beef Broth / Stock: Homemade broth or stock is always ideal but not always possible. This Hamburger Vegetable Soup recipe can use either beef broth or beef stock, as they’re interchangeable in most recipes. I highly recommend using low-sodium so that you’re better able to adjust the salt level to your taste.
Elbow Macaroni / Pasta: Use any small pasta shape such as elbow macaroni, mini penne or bowties, ditalini, or orzo.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

Gather and prep all the ingredients.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat.
Add the beef, reduce heat to medium, and cook, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon until the beef is browned and no longer pink.
Drain off any excess grease. Season the beef with a pinch or two of salt and black pepper. Transfer to a plate.

Heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until it softens.
Add the carrot and celery. Continue cooking for another 4 to 5 minutes or until soft.
Add the red bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until all the vegetables are tender, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook briefly, 10 to 15 seconds.

Cooked onions, carrots and celery in white Dutch oven with wooden spoon.

Cooked onions, carrots and celery in white Dutch oven with garlic added.

Add the beef back in, then add the basil, oregano, and thyme and stir.

Ground beef added to cooked onions, celery and carrots in white Dutch oven being stirred with wooden spoon.

Dried herbs added to cooked ground beef, onions, carrots and celery in white Dutch oven.

Add the red wine. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half.

Red wine added to cooked ground beef, onions, carrots and celery in white Dutch oven being stirred with wooden spoon.

Add the beef broth, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil.

Beef broth added to soup in process in white Dutch oven.

Add the green beans and cabbage. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until tender.
Add the elbow macaroni and cook 6 to 7 minutes or until cooked al dente.
Add the peas and parsley. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste.

Green beans and cabbage added to soup in process in white Dutch oven.

Elbow macaroni added to soup in process in white Dutch oven.

Let the hamburger macaroni soup rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Goodness done!

Hamburger Vegetable Soup in white Dutch oven with soup ladle and blue napkin.

Chef Tips and Tricks:

Browning the beef separately allows you to drain off the excess fat while preserving the flavor. If you brown the beef with the vegetables, you will drain off flavor when you drain off the fat.
Adding the dried herbs early in the cooking process allows their flavor to “bloom.”
Different brands of tomatoes vary in acidity. Although red wine adds depth of flavor, the combination of wine and tomatoes can be tangy if your tomatoes are acidic. If it is, add a teaspoon or two of sugar.
Allow the soup to simmer over low to medium heat. This slow cooking process melds the flavors together, resulting in a more flavorful soup.
Hamburger Vegetable Soup is versatile, so feel free to customize it to your taste by varying the vegetables and pasta. Add additional protein with beans.
When reheating leftover or thawed ground beef vegetable soup, do it slowly over low heat to avoid overcooking the pasta.

Hamburger Vegetable Soup in white Dutch oven and spooned in to two bowls.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can you make Hamburger Vegetable Soup ahead of time?

Absolutely! Soup tends to taste even better the next day as the flavors continue to meld. The flavor will be the best for the first two to three days, but Hamburger Vegetable Soup will keep in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Can you make hamburger soup with macaroni in a slow cooker?

Yes! Cook the ground beef as directed on the stovetop, then transfer it to a slow cooker. Cook the onions, carrots, celery, and red bell pepper as directed, then transfer to a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients except for the pasta. Simmer on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours or on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. Right before serving, cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Drain and add to the hamburger soup.

Do you have to cook macaroni before adding it to the Hamburger Vegetable Soup?

For the perfect outcome, the hamburger macaroni soup should be almost fully cooked prior to incorporating the pasta. Alternatively, cook the pasta separately and add it to the soup right before serving.

Bowl of Hamburger Vegetable Soup in gray speckled bowl.

Storage:

Store any leftovers of this ground beef vegetable soup in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
Freeze in airtight containers for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator or microwave. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Serve with:

More great hearty soup recipes you’ll love!

Get all my soup recipes at Soups and Stews – From A Chef’s Kitchen.

Hamburger Vegetable Soup

Why This Recipe is a Keeper!