This simple, healthy, and easy Hamburger Soup is pure comfort in a bowl, and it has stood the test of time for generations!
This simple, healthy, and easy Hamburger Soup is pure comfort in a bowl, and it has stood the test of time for generations! Best of all, the one pot meal can be made on the stovetop or in the slow cooker for a simple weeknight dinner!
My Great Aunt Bee has helped to carry on my grandmother’s memory by sharing with me some of the recipes that they enjoyed together. This Hamburger Soup recipe is probably the one dish that Aunt Bee has talked about the most, and she has continued to make it (along with her friends and family) long since my grandmother passed away.
That’s what’s so great about these classic recipes. They connect generations, foster memories, and help us all recapture a bit of the past every time we make them.
As I was standing in my kitchen chopping the vegetables for this soup, Spence was happily crawling around at my feet and the older boys were outside in the yard doing “jobs” with their dad. All that I could think about was my grandmother and Aunt Bee, hanging out together in the kitchen, and doing the same exact thing. Chopping veggies, kids playing nearby, and the aroma of sautéed beef and onion wafting through the house. Some things change, but many others do not!
How do you make homemade Hamburger Soup?
I’m going to show you how to make homemade Hamburger Soup in exactly the same way as my grandmother used to make it. These stovetop instructions come directly from the handwritten recipe card that Aunt Bee mailed me many years ago, so let’s get right to it!
First, brown ground hamburger meat and chopped onion in a big pot.
Drain the fat from the pot, and then add the vegetables: carrots, celery, canned diced tomatoes, green beans, and a bay leaf.
Pour in beef broth and water, bring to boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 20-30 minutes (or until the vegetables are tender). Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and your warm, cozy bowl of soup is ready! So simple, right?!
How to Make Hamburger Soup in the Crock Pot:
Okay, so here’s where I differ from my grandmother. The stovetop method that I explained above it obviously very straightforward and not too time consuming. Sometimes, however, you just want to dump everything in your slow cooker and come home to a warm meal that’s ready and waiting! Enter…the Crock Pot.
You can make the Hamburger Soup in the slow cooker by following the same basic steps. First, brown the beef and onion in a skillet. Drain, and transfer to a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients, cover, and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.
What can I put in Hamburger Soup?
My grandmother’s recipe is obviously very basic. I have tweaked it over the years on many different occasions, depending on the ingredients that I have on hand. Here are a few additional ideas to put in Hamburger Soup:
- Hamburger Soup with Cabbage: this is one option that my grandmother actually used regularly. You can see my Slow Cooker Cabbage Soup recipe here, which is really just a modified version of this soup.
- Hamburger Soup with Noodles or Pasta: for a heartier, more filling soup, try stirring in cooked egg noodles or a short pasta of your choice — like rotini or elbow macaroni.
- Hamburger Soup with Rice or Hamburger Soup with Barley: both of these short grains make a nice addition to the soup as well!
- Potatoes or turnips are another nice add-in, which my grandmother used regularly.
- Try adding more of your favorite seasonings, such as garlic, turmeric, chili powder, or even a dash of curry powder.
- Fresh herbs! You will notice that I have included a bit of fresh parsley in these photos, which is definitely not an accident. My memory of my grandmother’s food is that it was always garnished with fresh parsley, which adds a delicious bright flavor (and color) to the meal!
What to serve with Hamburger Soup:
- Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits
- 3-Ingredient Breadsticks
- Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins
- Old Virginia Plantation Spoon Bread
- No-Knead 3-Ingredient Beer Bread
Looking for even more cozy soup recipes to try this season? Check out these favorites:
- Easy Taco Soup
- Healthy and Easy Pumpkin Soup
- Slow Cooker Lentil Soup
- The Best Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
I will continue to share this recipe with my own loved ones, in the hopes that it continues to stand the test of time. Hamburger Soup is a healthy, gluten-free option to happily feed a crowd!
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!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean hamburger ground beef
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 ribs of celery, diced
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 2 cups green beans (I use frozen French cut green beans)
- 4 cups beef broth or beef stock
- 4 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional garnish: fresh parsley
Instructions
Brown the hamburger and onion in a large pot over medium-high heat. Drain, and return to pot.
Add carrots, celery, tomatoes, green beans, broth, water, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to LOW and simmer (uncovered) until vegetables are tender (approximately 20-30 minutes). Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Recipe Notes
How to Make Hamburger Soup in the Crock Pot:
First, brown the beef and onion in a skillet. Drain, and transfer to a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients, cover, and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.
What can I put in Hamburger Soup?
My grandmother's recipe is obviously very basic. I have tweaked it over the years on many different occasions, depending on the ingredients that I have on hand. Here are a few additional ideas to put in Hamburger Soup:
- Hamburger Soup with Cabbage: this is one option that my grandmother actually used regularly. You can see my Slow Cooker Cabbage Soup recipe here, which is really just a modified version of this soup.
- Hamburger Soup with Noodles or Pasta: for a heartier, more filling soup, try stirring in cooked egg noodles or a short pasta of your choice -- like rotini or elbow macaroni.
- Hamburger Soup with Rice or Hamburger Soup with Barley: both of these short grains make a nice addition to the soup as well! Cook the rice or barley before adding it to the pot at the end.
- Potatoes or turnips are another nice add-in, which my grandmother used regularly.
- Try adding more of your favorite seasonings, such as garlic, turmeric, chili powder, or even a dash of curry powder.
- Fresh herbs! They add a delicious bright flavor (and color) to the meal!
This post was originally published in November, 2014. It was updated in December, 2018.
I love soup, and this one looks so delicious! I love that it’s really cozy and comforting, but healthy too! It’s wonderful that have you have someone like Aunt Bee to keep memories of your grandmother alive and to share those things together!
Thanks, Sarah!
This looks incredibly comforting, delicious and packed full of flavours!
This looks so good! Pinning
Thanks, Karly!
Wow, this sounds almost like my hamburger soup! The only difference is that instead of the beef broth and the water, I use a large can of low-sodium tomato juice and a large can of low-sodium V8 juice. Oh, and 2 large diced potatoes…and no green beans…Okay, I DID say “almost” like mine! 🙂
Your version sounds delicious, too!!! Total comfort food, right?!
My grand mother made something like this only she added cooked elbo Macao just before serving other call it beef macaroni soup but we always called it hamburger doup alwah hit the spot after a day of sleddingor Ice hockey
The elbow macaroni is a perfect addition! 🙂
Hello!
I’m a brand new cook (like making ramen was the extent of my skills a month ago), and your simple, affordable meals and easy to understand directions are a life-saver. I was thinking that beans actually sound good to add to this stew (would they be???) and if I got a normal can of black/white beans at the store, how/when would I incorporate them into the meal? Would I drain and rinse them first? Also, I love these one-pot kind of meals, could you possibly post more of them/link a few of them if you get a chance to respond please? Thank you!
Hi, Alyssa! Congrats on learning to cook — you should be really proud of yourself for making the effort, and it will just continue to get easier!
Beans would be a great addition to this soup (any kind that you like is fine). Definitely drain and rinse them first. You can go ahead and add them to the pot at the same time as the carrots, celery, tomatoes, etc.
So many of the recipes on my site are made in one dish or one pot. You can use the search bar if you’re looking for something specific, or try browsing these links:
– Dump-and-Bake Recipes: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/?s=dump
– Slow Cooker recipes (these are often one-pot options): https://www.theseasonedmom.com/?s=slow+cooker
– One Pot: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/?s=one+pot
– Sheet Pan Dinners: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/?s=sheet+pan
Those should get you started! 🙂
Ah! I appreciate the fast response. Thank you so much for the links – I can’t wait to try them! You will probably be seeing me asking more newbie questions as I go. Thanks again and I hope you have a good day =)
What a delicious-sounding recipe and such a wonderful photo, those tiny hands are just adorable.:)
Thanks, Nicole! 🙂
I actually used 2lbs of ground beef, added 4 diced potatoes, an extra carrot and extra celery and 2 T of better than bouillon roasted beef base
… Delicious!!!
Yay! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, Leslie! Your additions sound perfect!
I’m curious about why you say to drain the tomatoes. I’m making it now. I thought there would be nutrients in the juice and would just add less water.
Hey, Barb! I drain the tomatoes because that’s how my grandmother did it! 🙂 Honestly, you can certainly use the juice in the can, if you like. I think it might water down the broth a bit, but it’s not going to make a big difference either way. Enjoy!
Hi Blair, so I didn’t drain the tomatoes, and it didn’t water down the soup at all because I just adjusted the amount of water I used. I added a teaspoon of curry to it as well. It was yummy! Thanks for the recipe. 🙂
Perfect! Thanks for letting me know, Barb!
I season this with just Herbs De Provence. and substitute broccoli for beans ….Ham soup… swap out hamburger, Herbs De Provence, and beef broth with ham, chicken broth, and nutmeg (1 tablespoon sounds like a lot but it is just right).
ps We loved Yoder’s when we lived in Lynchburg, VA. We now live in Iowa and miss VA.
do you take recipe suggestions?
Hi, Rae! We were practically neighbors when you lived in Virginia! 🙂
I love how you’ve adapted the recipe to make it your own. I bet your version is delicious.
And YES — I love when readers share their favorite recipes with me, make recipe requests or offer suggestions. Feel free!