Dinner

Easy Hamburger Vegetable Soup (Shortcuts and Variations) Recipe

Bynova cole December 13, 2025December 13, 2025

Introduction

This easy hamburger vegetable soup is a hearty and comforting meal that combines ground beef with a variety of fresh and canned vegetables. It’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or meal prep, with options for Instant Pot and slow cooker methods for added convenience.

A close-up of a large white pot filled with a colorful vegetable soup, showing a mix of green beans, yellow corn kernels, orange carrot slices, red tomato pieces, diced potatoes, and small bits of browned ground meat, all swimming in a clear, slightly orange broth; the pot's inside rim is slightly stained from cooking, and it sits on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

½ to ¾ pound lean ground beef
½ cup chopped onion
2 small round red or Yukon gold potatoes (about 12 ounces)
3 small carrots or 1 ½ cups baby carrots, sliced
3 ribs celery with leaves
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can cut green beans, drained
¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups vegetable, beef, or chicken broth
1 cup tomato juice or V-8 juice, or 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce (optional)
½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning or a mixture of oregano, thyme, and basil (optional) or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs

Instructions

Step 1: In an 8-quart pot, cook the ground beef and chopped onion over medium-high heat, stirring and crumbling the meat. If using leaner meat than ground chuck, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable or olive oil. Drain excess fat if needed.
Step 2: Meanwhile, chop the fresh vegetables and drain the canned vegetables. Add all the vegetables and herbs, if using, to the pot and stir well.
Step 3: Pour in the broth and tomato juice or V-8 juice. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Tilt the lid slightly to vent, then reduce heat and simmer for about 25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. You can simmer longer if desired.

Tips & Variations

For an Instant Pot, sauté the beef and onion in the insert pot, drain if needed, then add remaining ingredients. Cook on pressure cook/manual mode for 5 minutes with a natural release of 10 minutes.
To use a slow cooker, brown the beef and onion in a skillet, drain and transfer to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients, cover, and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
Russet potatoes can be used but may break down more easily during cooking.
Add extra herbs or spices to suit your taste, such as a pinch of crushed red pepper for heat.

Storage

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until steaming hot. This soup can also be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

How to Serve

A large white pot filled with a chunky vegetable soup sits on a white marbled surface. The soup has many layers of ingredients: bright orange carrot slices, green beans, yellow corn kernels, diced light yellow potatoes, small pieces of celery, and red tomato chunks all mixed in a light orange broth. The vegetables have a soft and cooked texture, and bits of ground meat or seasoning are scattered throughout. The inside rim of the pot shows some residue of soup splashes. The light reflects softly off the pot’s smooth surface, highlighting its dark outer edge. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef?

Yes, you can substitute ground turkey or chicken. You may want to add a little oil during cooking if the meat is very lean, and keep an eye on the cooking time as these meats can cook faster.

Is this soup suitable for freezing?

Absolutely. This hamburger vegetable soup freezes well. Allow it to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.