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Grandmother's Hamburger Soup

This simple, healthy, and easy hamburger soup is pure comfort in a bowl, and it has stood the test of time for generations!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 18 cups
Calories: 163 kcal
Course: Lunch , Dinner
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. ground beef
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 3 ribs of celery, diced
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, not drained
  • 2 cups green beans (I use frozen cut green beans)
  • 4 large red potatoes (about 1½ lbs. total), diced into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 cups beef broth or beef stock
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • Pinch crushed red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Brown the beef, onion, and garlic in a large pot over medium-high heat. Drain, and return to pot.
  2. Add carrots, celery, tomatoes, green beans, potatoes, tomato paste, broth, water, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender (approximately 15-20 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in parsley. Season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Notes

  • Extra veggies: while my grandmother didn't necessarily add these additional vegetables, I often like to throw in some diced zucchini, frozen corn kernels, and/or sliced fresh mushrooms (all shown here). Frozen peas are also easy to toss in at the end. She often included chopped cabbage, too.
  • Noodles or Pasta: in lieu of the potatoes, add a few cups of cooked macaroni, egg noodles, rotini, or other pasta of choice.
  • Rice or Barley: both of these short grains make a nice addition to the soup as well! Stir in a few cups of cooked rice or barley at the end of the cooking time.
  • Add more of your favorite seasoning, such as turmeric, paprika, chili powder, or even a dash of curry powder. A dash of Worcestershire sauce also pairs nicely with the beef.
  • Fresh herbs! A bit of fresh parsley is the perfect way to brighten up the soup at the very end. My memory of my grandmother's food is that it was always garnished with fresh parsley! Feel free to use chives, rosemary, or other fresh herbs of choice.
  • Cut the carrots into a fine dice so that they're soft by the time the potatoes are done. You don't want hard, crunchy carrots in your soup, but you also don't want to have to overcook the potatoes in order to give the carrots time to finish.
  • Simmer the soup just long enough for the potatoes to become tender. This typically takes about 15-20 minutes. If you simmer too long, they can become mushy.
  • Adjust the heat by using more or less red pepper flakes.
  • Depending on the broth that you use, you might need more (or less) salt and pepper. Just taste and season until it's exactly how you like it!

Nutrition Information

Serving 1cup Calories 163kcal (8%) Carbohydrates 16g (5%) Protein 13g (26%) Fat 5g (8%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Cholesterol 33mg (11%) Sodium 175mg (7%) Potassium 749mg (21%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 1916IU (38%) Vitamin C 11mg (12%) Calcium 30mg (3%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 18cups

Amount Per Serving

Calories 163

% Daily Value*

Serving 1cup
Calories 163kcal 8%
Carbohydrates 16g 5%
Protein 13g 26%
Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 33mg 11%
Sodium 175mg 7%
Potassium 749mg 16%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 1916IU 38%
Vitamin C 11mg 12%
Calcium 30mg 3%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.