Packed with protein and veggies, this comforting and hearty hamburger soup is a perfect one-pot meal. When you’re uninspired to cook on a busy weeknight, whip up this nomtastic soup on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot!
On the lookout for a simple, nourishing, and delicious meal that’s easy on the budget? This hamburger soup’s for you!
Table of Contents
What is hamburger soup?
Hamburger soup features ground beef (a.k.a. hamburger meat) and assorted vegetables like carrots, onions, celery, tomatoes, and potatoes—all cooked in a seasoned tomato-based broth. It’s a cinch to prep: just brown the ground beef in a large pot, add veggies, broth, and seasoning, and simmer the soup until the flavors meld and the vegetables are tender. Some non-paleo versions of hamburger soup also include barley, macaroni, pasta, corn, or beans, and they’re often served with crusty bread or crackers. But this is a paleo recipe site, people!
Why should you make my paleo version of hamburger soup?
My hamburger soup recipe strikes the perfect balance between simplicity and deliciousness. I utilize inexpensive ingredients (e.g., ground beef, frozen vegetables, canned tomatoes, potatoes), but I’m also maximizing flavors by combining ingredients that are packed with umami—including tomato paste, ground beef, canned fire-roasted tomatoes, Magic Mushroom Powder, and potatoes. This soup tastes exponentially better than the sum of its parts—and it requires minimal effort!
Can you make this hamburger soup in an Instant Pot?
Yes! It won’t save you a ton of total cooking time, but you can definitely make Instant Pot hamburger soup if you don’t feel like babysitting the soup on the stovetop. I’ve included complete Instant Pot instructions in the recipe card below. You’re welcome!
Ingredients
- Lean ground beef: I use 90% lean ground beef because there’s no excess fat to drain when you’re making the soup. You can substitute ground turkey, lean ground pork, or ground chicken in place of beef (but come on: this is Hamburger Soup, not Ground Turkey Soup).
- Onion
- Garlic cloves
- Tomato paste
- Chicken or beef broth: Always remember that if you want to make a tasty soup, you must start with a high quality broth. I recommend making your own bone broth or using a fab store-bought one like Roli Roti’s Butcher’s bone broth.
- Yellow potatoes: The slowest-cooking vegetables in this recipe are the potatoes, so make sure to cut them into uniform ½-inch cubes so they finish cooking relatively quickly. I like the sturdier texture of yellow potatoes, but feel free to substitute russet potatoes or red potatoes. Want a lower carb version? You can substitute cauliflower florets, zucchini, or turnips.
- Canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes: Canned tomatoes have more umami than fresh ones—and fire-roasted canned tomatoes add even more flavor!
- Dried oregano
- Dried bay leaf
- Frozen mixed vegetables: I love using frozen mixed vegetables in this soup; that way, I don’t have to wash or cut anything. My favorite blend of veggies is green beans, peas, and carrots, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
- Magic Mushroom Powder: I recommend using my one-of-a-kind, indispensable seasoning blend because it incorporates salt, porcini mushroom powder (more umami!), and pepper—all the things that’ll make this soup pop with flavor. You can make your own Magic Mushroom Powder or buy it online at The Spice Lab or on Amazon. No MMP? You can use Diamond Crystal kosher salt and a dash of Worcestershire sauce or fish sauce for a boost of umami.
- Freshly ground black pepper
How to make Hamburger Soup
Heat a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the beef and onions when the pot is hot. No need to add any oil because the fat should render from the ground beef!
Cook, stirring frequently, breaking up the beef with a spatula.
Sprinkle on ½ teaspoon of Magic Mushroom Powder or Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Cook until the beef is no longer pink and the onions have softened.
Stir in the tomato paste and minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the potatoes, tomatoes, and broth and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom. Stir in the dried oregano and bay leaf.
Cover the pot, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Then, take off the lid and decrease the heat to maintain a simmer. Use a spoon to skim off any scum at the top.
Simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife. Add the frozen vegetables and increase the heat as needed to bring the soup back to a simmer. Continue simmering for another 3 to 5 minutes or until the frozen vegetables are cooked through. Taste for seasoning and add Magic Mushroom Powder, salt, and pepper as needed.
Ladle up the soup and enjoy!
How do you save leftovers?
Store the soup in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Hearty Paleo Soups
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022)
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Easy Hamburger Soup (Stovetop or Instant Pot)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef 90% lean
- 1 small onion finely diced
- Magic Mushroom Powder or Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ pound yellow potatoes cut into ½-inch cubes
- 14 ounce canned diced roasted tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken broth or beef broth
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the beef and onions.
- Sprinkle on ½ teaspoon of Magic Mushroom Powder or Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the beef is no longer pink and the onions have softened.
- Stir in the tomato paste and minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the potatoes, canned tomatoes, and broth and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom. Stir in the dried oregano and bay leaf.
- Cover the pot, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Then, take off the lid and decrease the heat to maintain a simmer. Use a spoon to skim off any scum at the top.
- Simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife. Add the frozen vegetables and increase the heat as needed to bring the soup back to a simmer. Continue simmering for another 3 to 5 minutes or until the frozen vegetables are cooked through.
- Taste for seasoning and add Magic Mushroom Powder, salt, and pepper as needed. Ladle up and enjoy!
Instant Pot instructions
- Turn on the saute function and add the ground beef and onions. Add ½ teaspoon of Magic Mushroom Powder or Diamond Crystal kosher salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the beef is no longer pink and the onions are slightly softened.
- Stir in the tomato paste and minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the potatoes, canned tomatoes, and broth and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom. Stir in the dried oregano and bay leaf.
- Lock on the lid and program the Instant Pot to cook for 3 minutes under high pressure.
- Release the pressure manually when the soup is finished cooking. Open the lid and add the frozen vegetables. Turn on the saute function and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the frozen vegetables are cooked through.
- Taste for seasoning and add Magic Mushroom Powder, salt, and pepper as needed. Ladle up and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can you do this in the slow cooker?
You could. Start with cooking the meat and veggies on the stove and then transfer to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
This is pretty much my basic recipe that I’ve used for years. In recent years I’ve even been known to do it in the Instant pot! It’s a standby in our house.
This is like an emergency stir fry but for cold weather! Love it. Perfect for today, brrrr!
This was super easy to make and my kids slurped it up!
Yum!! I made this last night for dinner, since hubby was feeling under the weather and oh wow!! I’ve had other hamburger soups before, but this was amazing in it’s simplicity. I made ours in my instant pot and I did cook it for 10 minutes, mainly because I used frozen crinkle cut carrots in mine and I cooked them with the rest of the soup. I stirred in peas at the end and let it sit for about 5 minutes. I also had a lonely zucchini in the fridge that I added also. The rest of the fam had it with French bread, but I resisted! It was so good, I am going to make another batch tonight for dinner!
That’s awesome Karen! I love how you added so many flavors to it!
I made the recipe this evening and it was a hit with my husband and picky teen daughter. She even wants it for school lunch tomorrow. That says a lot. Thanks for a great recipe. Here on Guam there’s a similar recipe with vermicelli noodles, no potatoes.
This was so easy (especially using frozen veggies…no chopping!). I subbed ground turkey for beef because that’s what I had in the fridge. I made your magic mushroom powder a while ago & keep it in a cabinet with other spices. I loved being able to pull that out & use it. I think the beauty in this soup is it’s simplicity in preparation without sacrificing flavor. Next time I’ll try making it with ground beef & beef broth/stock, which I suspect will produce a richer flavor. Thanks!
Thank you Janet!
Delicious! Great for a quick weeknight dinner. Would be great with a little chard or kale added to it for some extra veggies.
This is SO good! I will definitely be making it again. My nine year old, who doesn’t eat soup, even ate her fair share. Leftovers also didn’t disappoint
Yahoo!
My husband and I love this hearty, simple and economical soup. It is on regular rotation in our house once the weather cools down.