Description
This Hamburger Soup is a hearty, flavorful, and comforting meal featuring lean ground beef or turkey simmered with fresh vegetables and a rich tomato broth enhanced by smoky, spicy seasonings. Perfect for a quick, easy, and affordable weeknight dinner, it’s made on the stovetop and garnished with cheddar cheese, fresh parsley, green onions, and a dollop of sour cream for extra creaminess.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 medium carrots, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
- 3 stalks celery, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced (may substitute 1 tsp garlic powder)
- 3 cups red or Yukon gold potatoes, chopped into 1/2” chunks
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
Spices and Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Liquids and Sauces
- 5 1/2 cups reduced sodium beef broth
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon yellow deli mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke (optional)
- 2 teaspoons granulated beef bouillon or 2 crushed bouillon cubes
Garnishes
- Cheddar cheese (highly recommended)
- Parsley
- Green onions or chives
- Sour cream
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables and meat: Chop onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, and green bell pepper; mince garlic. In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, brown the ground beef or turkey until fully cooked and no longer pink, breaking it apart as it cooks.
- Sauté aromatics: Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pot with the browned meat. Cook for about 5 minutes until vegetables soften and onions become translucent.
- Add spices and seasonings: Stir in chili powder, ground cumin, salt, dried basil, parsley, oregano, smoked paprika, and pepper to evenly coat the meat and vegetables. Cook for 1-2 minutes to release the flavors.
- Add liquids and main ingredients: Pour in the reduced sodium beef broth, fire roasted diced tomatoes with juices, tomato sauce, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, liquid smoke if using, and granulated beef bouillon. Stir well to combine.
- Simmer the soup: Add the chopped potatoes and green bell pepper to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 20-25 minutes until potatoes and carrots are tender.
- Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste the soup and adjust salt or seasonings as desired. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, fresh parsley, chopped green onions or chives, and a dollop of sour cream for extra richness.
Notes
- This soup is make-ahead friendly and can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- Use lean ground turkey as a lower-fat alternative to beef.
- Liquid smoke is optional but adds a delicious smoky barbecue flavor.
- Adding a dollop of sour cream and cheddar cheese enhances the creaminess and richness.
- You can prepare this soup in a crockpot by browning the meat and sautéing vegetables first, then combining all ingredients and cooking on low for 6-8 hours.
- Feel free to customize vegetables based on preference or seasonality.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
