Ground Beef Vegetable Soup Recipe (2024)

This Ground Beef Vegetable Soup Recipe is a delicious, satisfying one-pot meal filled with hearty ground beef and tender vegetables in a rich and savory broth. Easy dinner recipe with delicious leftovers for lunch.

ground beef vegetable soup recipe in a white bowl

When the weather turns cool, it’s time to make comforting foods — like this Tuscan Kale Soup, Chicken Stuffing Casserole, and Chicken Chili.

This vegetable soup with ground beef and frozen vegetables is a satisfying meal that comes together with simple ingredients. In fact, you might already have everything you need to make this hearty soup.

Ground Beef Vegetable Soup is a great recipe because there’s very little prep involved.

Once you’ve chopped the celery, onion, and garlic, you can put the knife away and start opening up cans and a bag of frozen mixed vegetables.

It’s a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kind of soup with lots of ground beef and vegetables in a rich, savory tomato-based broth.

For the perfect meal, serve with a fresh green salad and some crusty bread to sop up the broth.

You’re going to love this

Delicious -- rich tomato broth, savory ground beef, and tender vegetables

Hearty one-pot meal the whole family will love

Great meal prep recipe -- the leftovers are even better the next day

Easy to make with simple ingredients

Ingredients

See recipe card for the full list of ingredients.

Ground beef. One pound of ground beef turns this simple vegetable soup recipe into a complete meal. You can substitute lean or extra lean ground beef or ground turkey.

Beef broth. Beef broth amps up the savory flavors. I like to use low-sodium beef broth.

Canned diced tomatoes with juice. Throw in the whole can of tomatoes, juice and all.

Condensed tomato soup. This easy pantry ingredient adds even more rich tomato flavor.

Worcestershire sauce. A tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce just makes beef taste beefier.

Italian seasoning. This handy seasoning combo usually has basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, parsley, and other savory herbs that flavors the broth.

Bay leaf. When bay leaves are steeped in the cooking liquid, they add warm aroma and flavor to the soup.

Mixed vegetables. This soup is the perfect use of frozen vegetables. As they simmer in the reduced broth, they absorb the flavors and become perfectly tender and flavorful. You can also use fresh vegetables, which may take a little longer to cook.

How to Make Ground Beef Vegetable Soup: Step-by-Step

Step 1

In a stock pot or large Dutch oven, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped celery and onion. Stir occasionally for 5-6 minutes until the vegetables have softened.

Step 2

Add the ground beef, garlic, and salt and black pepper. Cook until the hamburger meat is no longer pink, 6-7 minutes. Drain off any excess fat.

browned ground beef, onions, and celery in a Dutch oven

Step 3

To the same pot, add the broth, undrained tomatoes, tomato soup, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, and bay leaves. Simmer for 30-35 minutes to reduce the broth and concentrate the flavors.

ground beef vegetable soup in a Dutch oven

Step 4

Add the frozen mixed vegetables and simmer for 15 more minutes or until the vegetables are tender and to your liking.

ground beef vegetable soup in a Dutch oven

Pro tip: If the soup is too watery for your preference, let it simmer down a bit longer. If it reduces down too far, add a little more broth or some water.

Storage, Reheating & Freezing

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Freeze hamburger vegetable soup in a freezer-safe container or in zip top freezer bags for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator or microwave.

Recipe Variations

The flavors in this easy hamburger soup are savory and mild. If you prefer a zestier bowl of soup, here’s how to add more flavor to vegetable soup:

Fresh herbs — add some fresh herbs at the very end like fresh basil or fresh parsley

Seasonings and spices — sprinkle in some onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, curry powder, paprika, red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper

Parmesan — toss in a Parmesan rind and let it simmer away in the broth

Acid — add a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of vinegar

Salt — if your soup is bland, it might just need more salt

What to Serve with Ground Beef Vegetable Soup

Old fashioned vegetable soup with ground beef is a meal in itself, but is delicious with a fresh green salad and fresh-baked breadsticks or garlic bread.

Expert Tips

Reduce the broth. Letting the broth simmer and reduce for 30-35 minutes concentrates the flavors.

Make it more or less "soupy." This is a very chunky soup. If you like your soup a little thinner, go ahead and add more broth or a little water and let it simmer to warm through.

Taste for seasoning. Taste the broth. Does it need a little salt? Something spicy? It's best to add spices, dried herbs, and other seasonings as early as possible so they can simmer in the broth. Take a taste (careful, it's hot!) and decide if it needs a little more salt or something spicy, or maybe a dash of paprika or chili powder.

Check the veggies. Before you remove the soup pot from the stove, check the tenderness of the veggies. Carefully remove a few, let them cool, and check that they are as tender or crisp as you like them.

Recipe FAQs

Can ground beef vegetable soup be frozen?

Yes, this recipe freezes really well. Ladle the soup into a freezer safe container or place individual portions in zip top freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.

How long is vegetable soup good for?

You can keep leftover soup in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Which vegetables go into vegetable soup?

This easy vegetable hamburger soup recipe contains celery, onions, garlic, tomatoes, green beans, peas, corn, and carrots. You can add almost any kind of vegetable you like, such as potatoes, winter squash, cabbage, zucchini, leafy greens -- whatever you love!