No chilly day is complete without a big bowl of this ground beef vegetable soup!
Hearty, meaty, and savory, it will make your taste buds dance.
Not only that, but it’s freezer-friendly, budget-friendly, and 100 percent family-friendly too.
Ground Beef Vegetable Soup
Ground beef vegetable soup is the ideal winter soup. The hamburger meat, tender vegetables, and spices are like a warm hug in a bowl!
It’s insanely comforting, super easy, very versatile, and great for meal prepping.
Use canned, frozen, or leftover veggies. I make a big batch on the weekend just to portion out for the week.
Did I mention it’s also nutritious? So it’s good for your family and good for your wallet too!
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious soup:
- Ground beef: The star of the show. This is the main protein in the soup, providing a rich and savory flavor.
- Mixed vegetables: These are the vegetables in the soup, adding color, texture, and nutrition to the soup. Use carrots, celery, onion, potatoes, and any other kind you like. Cut them into small, diced, or cubed portions for a more consistent texture
- Canned vegetables: Add canned kernel corn, green beans, peas, tomato sauce, and crushed tomatoes to add more variety and flavor to the soup. They save time and still retain their nutritional value.
- Seasonings: A seasoning combo of ground black pepper, salt, bay leaf, and ground thyme. These seasonings give the soup a depth of flavor and a kick of taste.
- Water: Water helps to adjust the consistency and keeps everything moist and delicious. You can add as much or as little as you like to get the soup to the perfect consistency for you.
How to Make Ground Beef Vegetable Soup
- Brown the ground beef. Cook the ground beef over medium-high heat until evenly browned, about 7-10 minutes. Drain any excess grease.
- Add the carrots, chopped celery, and onion to the pot. Cook until the vegetables are tender, which should take around 5 minutes.
- Add some more veggies! Add the potatoes, corn, green beans, peas, tomato sauce, and crushed tomatoes. Season the soup with salt and pepper, and add a bay leaf and thyme for extra flavor.
- Simmer Soup. If needed, add 1/4 cup of water. Bring the soup to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 1 hour, occasionally stirring until the potatoes are tender.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Remove the bay leaf before serving. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
Are you looking to add a little extra zing to your ground beef vegetable soup? I’ve got you covered!
Here are a few tips to make it even more flavorful:
- Add some colorful veggies. Bell peppers, zucchini, and kale are just some suggestions. The more variety, the more texture and color it adds to the soup.
- Upgrade the flavor with high-quality meat. Chuck roast or chuck shoulder becomes fall-apart tender after simmering for a few hours. It just melts in your mouth! Short on time? Stick with ground beef. It’s cheaper too.
- For a richer flavor, brown the ground beef. Be sure to cook the beef until it’s fully browned. And don’t forget to drain off any excess fat. This will give your soup a deeper, more complex flavor.
- Let it simmer. Simmering lets the flavors meld and tenderizes the vegetables. About 20-25 minutes should do the trick.
- Brighten the soup with fresh herbs. I love adding fresh basil or parsley at the end of cooking. It complements all the savory notes with a bright, herby flavor.
- Give it a little kick with spices. Chili powder, curry powder, paprika, red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper add a spicy twist. You can also amp up the flavor with onion powder and garlic powder.
- Elevate the flavor with a cheese rind. Toss in a rind of Parmesan cheese while it simmers for a salty, nutty flavor.
- Add a pinch of salt. If your soup tastes a bit bland, add salt. An extra pinch or two is all it needs to enhance all the deliciousness.
How to Store Ground Beef Vegetable Soup
What I love about this soup is that it’s totally freezer-friendly. So you can add it to your list for meal prep day.
You can also refrigerate the leftover soup if you want to eat it sooner. Either way, it’s a fuss-free meal because it’s already made.
To Store: Place the cooled soup in an airtight container and refrigerate. The soup will stay fresh in the fridge for around 3-4 days.
To Freeze: Transfer the cooled soup to a freezer-safe container or resealable plastic bag. Don’t forget to label it, then freeze. The soup will last for up to 6 months frozen.
To Reheat: Place the soup in a pot and reheat on medium-low heat until thoroughly heated. Or reheat it in the microwave at 1 minute intervals until warm. Be sure to stir in between.
To Thaw: Let the soup sit in the refrigerator overnight or use the defrost setting on the microwave.
More Soup Recipes You’ll Love
7-can Soup
Buffalo Chicken Soup
Guinness Beef Stew
Cowboy Soup
Ground Beef Vegetable Soup (Easy Recipe)
6
servings20
minutes1
hour35
minutes598
kcalThis recipe for ground beef vegetable soup is one to put on repeat! Made with just a few simple ingredients, you’ll have a hot bowl of comfort food ready in no time.
Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef
4 carrot, diced
4 celery ribs, chopped
1 onion, diced
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 can (15.25 ounce) whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 ounce) green beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 ounce) peas, undrained
1 can (15 ounce) tomato sauce
1 can (14.5 ounce) crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf or more to taste
1/8 tsp ground thyme
1/4 cup water, as needed
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until cooked through, about 7-10 minutes. Drain any excess grease.
- Add the diced carrots, chopped celery, and onion to the pot. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the potatoes, corn, green beans, peas, tomato sauce, and crushed tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, and add the bay leaf and thyme.
- Pour in 1/4 cup of water, if needed. Bring the soup to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 1 hour, occasionally stirring until the potatoes are tender.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Remove the bay leaf before serving. Enjoy!
Hi Kim,
Are the soups good to make in the crockpot?
I cook just for myself and put the leftovers in the freezer for another day.
Thank you for the great ideas!!
Hi Patricia!
I’ve never done it, but if you want to try this in a slow cooker, here’s what I would do:
1. Brown the beef with diced onion in a skillet.
2. Add everything except the peas and corn to a slow cooker (make sure your pot it big enough to hold it all).
3. Cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or low for 4 to 6 hours (or until potatoes are fork-tender).
4. Add the corn and peas in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
You might also need to add extra liquid. 1/2 cup or water or beef broth, as needed.
Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Hi Kim,
I have two questions. Can you cook this soup in the microwave? I am cooking for just myself. I turn out the extra soup into “boil in the bag” meals. Make sure all sides are sealed , put into boiling water and enjoy a bowl of soup with a side of bakery bread. No clean up but a great meal!
Hi Patricia, you can certainly try it! You’ll want to cook the ground beef in the microwave first, then add the veggies and other items. It might honestly be easier to just make it on the stove and then save leftovers in bags as you described!
What soups can you make in the Crockpot?
Hi Pat, here’s a list of easy Crockpot soups! I love them all.
https://insanelygoodrecipes.com/crockpot-soup-recipes/