When the weather cools down, a big pot of hamburger soup is one of the easiest ways to get a warm, filling dinner on the table.

Ground beef, vegetables, potatoes, beans, pasta, and a flavorful broth can turn simple ingredients into a meal the whole family will happily eat.

These 25 hearty hamburger soup recipes are perfect for busy weeknights, cozy family dinners, and make-ahead meals.

You’ll find classic ground beef soups, cheesy versions, vegetable-packed bowls, and easy one-pot recipes that don’t take a lot of work.

Serve them with crusty bread, dinner rolls, or a simple salad for an easy ground beef dinner that feels comforting and satisfying.

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HAMBURGER SOUP RECIPES

1. Hamburger Soup With Barley

Barley turns plain hamburger soup into something closer to a stew. It’s chewy, a little nutty, and it soaks up all the beefy broth as it cooks.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups beef broth
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 2/3 cup pearl barley
• 1 tsp thyme, 1 bay leaf, salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Drain off the excess fat.
2. Add the broth, tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil.
3. Stir in the barley, reduce heat, and simmer covered for 35 to 40 minutes, until the barley is tender.
4. Remove the bay leaf, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

2. Hamburger Soup With Macaroni

This is basically goulash gone soupy. Tomato-forward, a little sweet from the tomato juice, and the macaroni gives it that nostalgic, school-cafeteria comfort.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 cups tomato juice (V8 works too)
• 1 cup elbow macaroni
• 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning, salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion, then drain.
2. Add garlic, tomatoes, broth, tomato juice, and seasoning. Simmer 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the macaroni and vegetables. Cook 10 to 12 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
4. Season and serve (the noodles keep soaking up liquid, so it thickens fast once it sits).

3. Hamburger Soup With Potatoes

The simplest version on this list, and honestly one of the best. Just beef, potatoes, and a tomato-beef broth doing all the work.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 medium potatoes, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp paprika, salt and pepper
• Fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion, then drain.
2. Add the potatoes, carrots, broth, tomatoes, and paprika.
3. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
4. Season, garnish with parsley, and serve.

💡 Tip: Dice the potatoes small (about 1/2 inch) so they cook through in the same time as everything else.

4. Hamburger Soup With Cabbage

Cabbage breaks down into something almost sweet once it’s simmered long enough. This one leans closer to cabbage roll soup than a classic beef soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cups chopped cabbage
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 5 cups beef broth
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion, then drain.
2. Add the broth, tomatoes, carrots, and Worcestershire. Simmer 10 minutes.
3. Add the cabbage and cook 15 more minutes, until wilted and tender.
4. Season and serve.

5. Hamburger Soup With Noodles

Egg noodles make this one feel more like beef noodle soup than a chunky vegetable version. It’s soft, mild, and about as kid-friendly as soup gets.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 6 cups beef broth
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 cups egg noodles
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder, salt and pepper
• Fresh parsley, for topping

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion, carrots, and celery. Drain.
2. Add the broth and tomato sauce, and season with garlic powder. Simmer 15 minutes.
3. Add the noodles and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until tender.
4. Top with parsley and serve (the noodles will keep swelling in the fridge, so add a splash of broth when reheating leftovers).

6. Hamburger Soup With Rice

Rice thickens this one up naturally, no flour or cornstarch needed. Closer to a stew by the time it’s done simmering.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 5 cups beef broth
• 3/4 cup uncooked long-grain rice
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning, salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion, then drain.
2. Add the broth, tomatoes, carrots, and seasoning. Bring to a boil.
3. Stir in the rice, reduce heat, and simmer covered 20 minutes, until the rice is tender.
4. Season and serve (this one thickens a lot as it cools, so plan on thinning leftovers with extra broth).

7. Hamburger Soup With Pasta

Small pasta shapes (ditalini or little shells) plus zucchini and basil push this one toward an Italian-American minestrone. Bright, not heavy.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 5 cups beef broth
• 1 cup small pasta (ditalini or shells)
• 1 tsp dried basil, salt and pepper
• Parmesan, for topping

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion, then drain.
2. Add the tomatoes, broth, and basil. Simmer 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the pasta and zucchini, and cook 10 minutes, until the pasta is al dente.
4. Top with parmesan and serve.

8. Hamburger Soup With V8 Juice

This is the old-school version, the one that shows up in vintage cookbooks and church potluck binders. V8 juice does double duty as broth and seasoning in one can.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 4 cups V8 juice
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup frozen or fresh green beans
• 1 bay leaf, salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion, celery, and carrots. Drain.
2. Add the V8 juice, broth, and bay leaf. Simmer 15 minutes.
3. Add the corn and green beans, and cook 10 more minutes.
4. Remove the bay leaf, season, and serve.

9. Hamburger Soup With Beans

Kidney beans add protein and heft, and a little cumin and chili powder push this in a chili-soup hybrid direction.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 5 cups beef broth
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder, salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion, then drain.
2. Add the tomatoes, broth, cumin, and chili powder. Simmer 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the beans and cook 10 more minutes to heat through.
4. Season and serve.

10. Hamburger Soup With Tomato Soup

Canned tomato soup as the base sounds almost too easy, but it gives you a smoother, slightly sweeter broth than diced tomatoes alone (a pinch of sugar rounds out the acidity even more).

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 cans (10.5 oz each) condensed tomato soup
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 tsp sugar, salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion, then drain.
2. Whisk in the tomato soup and broth. Add the carrots and sugar. Simmer 15 minutes.
3. Add the mixed vegetables and cook 10 more minutes.
4. Season and serve.

11. Classic Old Fashioned Hamburger Soup

This is the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink version. Potatoes, corn, green beans, carrots, the works. If you only make one recipe off this list, this is a solid pick.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 6 cups beef broth
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup frozen or fresh green beans
• 1 bay leaf, salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion, celery, and carrots. Drain.
2. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, broth, and bay leaf. Simmer 20 minutes.
3. Add the corn and green beans, and cook 10 more minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
4. Remove the bay leaf and serve.

⚠️ Budget Note: Frozen mixed vegetables work fine in place of buying corn and green beans separately, and they’re usually cheaper.

12. Cheesy Hamburger Soup

Think cheeseburger, in soup form. Potatoes, milk, and a big handful of cheddar make this one closer to chowder than broth-based soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 potatoes, diced
• 4 cups beef or chicken broth
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded cheddar
• 2 tbsp flour, salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion, drain, and set aside.
2. In the same pot, cook the potatoes in the broth until tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Whisk the flour into the milk, then stir it into the pot to thicken.
4. Return the beef to the pot and stir in the cheese until melted. Season and serve right away.

Fair warning on this one: if the heat’s too high when you add the cheese, it can turn a little grainy instead of smooth. Low and slow, and it stirs in fine.

13. Crockpot Hamburger Soup

Brown the meat, dump everything else in, and walk away. This is the one to make on a school night when nobody has time to babysit the stove.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef, browned
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 6 cups beef broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning, salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef, drain, and add it to the slow cooker with everything except the peas.
2. Cook on low 6 to 7 hours, or high 3 to 4 hours.
3. Stir in the peas for the last 15 minutes.
4. Season and serve.

14. Instant Pot Hamburger Soup

Same idea as the crockpot version, just fast. Sauté, pressure cook, done in under 30 minutes total (not counting the time it takes to come to pressure, which always feels longer than it is).

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 5 cups beef broth
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder, salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Set the Instant Pot to sauté and brown the beef with the onion, celery, and carrots. Drain.
2. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, broth, and garlic powder.
3. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
4. Quick release, stir in the corn, and let it sit 5 minutes to heat through.

15. Hamburger Vegetable Soup

Loaded with vegetables and light on starch. Good one to make when you’re trying to clean out the crisper drawer.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 cup green beans
• 1 cup corn
• 1 cup diced zucchini
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 6 cups beef broth, salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion, celery, and carrots. Drain.
2. Add the tomatoes and broth. Simmer 15 minutes.
3. Add the green beans, corn, and zucchini. Cook 10 to 12 more minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
4. Season and serve.

💡 Tip: Swap in whatever vegetables you have on hand (bell pepper, peas, and diced tomatillo all work) without changing the method at all.

16. Italian Hamburger Soup

Small pasta, wilted spinach, and a snowfall of parmesan on top. This one tastes like a shortcut version of wedding soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 5 cups beef broth
• 1 cup small pasta
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• Parmesan, for topping

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion and garlic. Drain.
2. Add the tomatoes, broth, and seasoning. Simmer 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the spinach until wilted. Top with parmesan and serve.

17. Southwestern Hamburger Soup

Black beans, corn, and diced green chiles give this one a taco-soup lean. Top it however you’d top tacos.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 5 cups beef broth
• 1 tbsp taco seasoning
• Sour cream and cilantro, for topping

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion. Drain.
2. Add the tomatoes, beans, corn, broth, and taco seasoning.
3. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Ladle into bowls and top with sour cream and cilantro.

18. Hamburger Soup With Corn

Sweet corn against smoky paprika and beef broth. Simple, but the flavor combination works better than it sounds on paper.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 5 cups beef broth
• 1 tsp smoked paprika, salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion. Drain.
2. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, broth, and paprika. Simmer 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the corn and cook 8 to 10 more minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
4. Season and serve.

19. Keto Low Carb Hamburger Soup

Cabbage and bell pepper stand in for the potatoes here, so it still feels like a full bowl of soup without the carbs. No one at the table will notice the swap, most likely.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cups chopped cabbage
• 1 cup diced bell pepper
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, no sugar added
• 5 cups beef broth
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning, salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion. Drain.
2. Add the tomatoes, broth, and seasoning. Simmer 10 minutes.
3. Add the cabbage and bell pepper, and cook 12 to 15 more minutes, until tender.
4. Season and serve.

⚠️ Budget Note: Bagged coleslaw mix is a cheap shortcut for the cabbage here and saves the chopping.

20. Hamburger Soup With Sweet Potatoes

A little sweetness against the savory beef, and sweet potatoes hold their shape better than regular ones if you’re planning on leftovers.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, diced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 5 cups beef broth
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (or a pinch of cinnamon), salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion. Drain.
2. Add the sweet potatoes, tomatoes, broth, and spice of choice.
3. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
4. Season and serve.

21. Spicy Hamburger Soup

Jalapeño and cayenne bring the heat. Start light on the cayenne and taste as you go; it’s much easier to add more than to fix a pot that’s too spicy.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño, diced
• 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 5 cups beef broth
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp chili powder, salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion and jalapeño. Drain.
2. Add the tomatoes, broth, cayenne, and chili powder.
3. Simmer 20 minutes, tasting partway through to adjust the heat.
4. Season and serve.

22. Hamburger Soup With Green Beans

Straightforward and light on the seasoning, which lets the green beans and potatoes actually taste like themselves. Good one for picky eaters.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 2 cups fresh or frozen green beans
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 5 cups beef broth, salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion. Drain.
2. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, and broth. Simmer 15 minutes.
3. Add the green beans and cook 10 to 12 more minutes, until tender.
4. Season and serve.

23. Creamy Hamburger Soup

Heavy cream instead of milk gives this one a richer, thicker body than the cheesy version above. Cheese is optional here, not required.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup shredded cheddar (optional), salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion, drain, and set aside.
2. Cook the potatoes in the broth until tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Whisk the flour into the cream, then stir it into the pot.
4. Return the beef to the pot and simmer 5 minutes, until thickened. Stir in cheese if using, season, and serve.

💡 Tip: Temper the cream with a ladle of hot broth before adding it to the pot so it doesn’t separate.

24. Hamburger Soup With Zucchini

Light, fast, and a good one for late summer when zucchini is everywhere and needs a home.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 zucchini, diced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 5 cups beef broth
• 1 tsp oregano, salt and pepper
• Parmesan, for topping

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion. Drain.
2. Add the tomatoes, broth, and oregano. Simmer 10 minutes.
3. Add the zucchini and cook 8 to 10 more minutes, just until tender (it turns mushy fast if you walk away too long).
4. Season, top with parmesan, and serve.

25. Loaded Hamburger Soup

A little bit of everything, and it makes a big batch (great for freezing half). This is the one I keep coming back to when the fridge needs cleaning out.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 1 cup corn
• 1 cup green beans
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 6 cups beef broth
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning, salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the beef with the onion, celery, and carrots. Drain.
2. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, broth, and seasoning. Simmer 15 minutes.
3. Add the corn and green beans, and cook 10 to 12 more minutes, until everything is tender.
4. Season and serve.