15 Ground Beef Soup Recipes for Easy Weeknight Dinners (2024)

Ground beef is an essential staple for most home cooks. After all, the perennially popular cut is inexpensive, easy to work with, incredibly versatile, and a little goes a long way. Since it breaks down into bite-sized crumbles, it can be stretched into all manner of big batch recipes. One of those just happens to be soup.

As opposed to stew meat, which requires hours to slowly cook down and tenderize, ground beef is ready in minutes. On the other hand, it can simmer as long as needed — giving flavors time to meld, and the other ingredients an opportunity to catch up — without getting dry and tough. That's why we're saying "Soup, there it is!" by taking ground beef beyond hamburgers and chili in these fast and flavorful ground beef soup recipes.

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Hamburger Soup

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15 Ground Beef Soup Recipes for Easy Weeknight Dinners (1)

Why bother with buns? Everyone's favorite sandwich gets deliciously (and wholesomely) transformed into a spoonable ground beef soup, flecked with bits of chopped onion, carrots, and celery. And yes, you better believe that there's ketchup in the broth.

  • 22 Deliciously Different Things to Do with 1 Pound of Ground Beef

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Mama's Italian Wedding Soup

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We'd gladly pledge a lifetime of loyalty to this celebratory Italian American soup, brimming with bouncy miniature meatballs, lovingly intertwined with toothsome pasta and spinach.

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Instant Pot Keto Hamburger Soup

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So many magic words in a single recipe title! Instant Pot enthusiasts will love the automated ease of simmering up a pot of ground beef and pork sausage-rich soup. And keto adherents will appreciate that it's totally diet approved — and boy, do we love diets that allow for a broth made from whipping cream, cheddar cheese and cream cheese.

  • Browse more Instant Pot Recipes.

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Venus de Milo Soup

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"This is my version of a popular soup served at a well-known banquet facility in southeastern Massachusetts," explains contributor Elizabeth Cornell Chedid. "It is simple to prepare using common ingredients you may already have on hand in your pantry and freezer. Feel free to vary the basic recipe with in-season fresh veggies and low-fat turkey or veggie-soy burger for the ground beef."

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Albondigas

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Italian recipes don't get exclusive bragging rights to meatballs — nor even meatballs swimming in soup. The winning combination is equally beloved in Mexico, as delightfully referenced by this delectable ground beef soup recipe, boasting a salsa broth brightened with fronds of verdant cilantro.

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Black-Eyed Pea Soup

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Did you know that black eyed peas are considered lucky? Resembling coins, they're believed to bring prosperity to the consumer. That's why they're so often served on New Year's Day. That said, there's no reason you can't court a bit of luck year-round with this hearty soup of black eyed peas, ground beef, and pork sausage sweetened with molasses, spiced with cumin, and simmered in bouillon, diced tomatoes, and green chili peppers.

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Instant Pot Lasagna Soup

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"Ever wondered what to do with that last little bit of marinara sauce or those broken lasagna noodles?" asked recipe contributor Bren. "Well, I've got you covered! This soup has all of the flavors of lasagna without all of the hours in the kitchen. I've made it with fairly simple ingredients but feel free to add ground fennel seeds or herbs."

  • 16 Hearty and Healthy Fall Soups for the Instant Pot

Alphabet Soup

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Instead of being condensed in a can, this childhood favorite gets a preservative-free upgrade. Think ground round, beef bouillon, spicy vegetable juice co*cktail, frozen mixed vegetables, and dried alphabet pasta — no more, no less.

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Instant Pot Cabbage Roll Soup

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Love cabbage rolls, but not a fan of all the fussy work that goes into constructing them? This rib-sticking soup contains all of the traditional sweet and sour elements of the Eastern European staple, including ribbons of cabbage, crumbles of ground beef and rice, in a tomato-based broth seasoned with bay leaves, black pepper, apple cider vinegar, and black pepper. And since it's prepared in an Instant Pot, it requires just a fraction of the work.

  • Our Most Popular Cabbage Recipes

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Hamburger Corn Soup

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"This is my grandmother's recipe by way of my mother," shares contributor Meemps of this creamed corn-enriched soup. "It's easy and tastes great. Origins of this recipe come from the Pennsylvania Dutch of Central PA."

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Italian Vegetable Soup

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One of the things we adore about ground beef is that it plays so well with other ingredients. In fact, it's not afraid to let vegetables share the stage, by creating a delicious duet with carrots, diced tomatoes, cabbage, corn, and green beans.

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Taco Soup with Green Chilies

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This is our one-pot answer to taco night — a beef-and-bean soup flavored with diced tomatoes and green chilies, thickened with corn, and made indulgently creamy with tangy and rich Velveeta cheese.

  • 16 Dinners That Start With a Packet of Taco Seasoning

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Saskatchawan City Steak Soup

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"I had a soup when I was on holidays this summer and loved it," said aptly named contributor, Souper_Sasker. "So, when I got home and the weather changed a little, I decided to try to re-create it. What I came up with is the delicious, thick soup that is really more like a stew. It's amazing with dumplings dropped on top."

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Spicy Potato Soup

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Enlivened with a healthy dash of hot pepper sauce, sweetened with tomato sauce, and bulked out with ground beef, this ground beef soup recipe is so much more than a bowl of mashed potatoes (not that there's anything wrong with that).

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MeMe's Pasta fa*gioli

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"White cannellini beans, ditalini pasta with vegetables, lean hamburger, and herbs are simmered in vegetable juice and chicken broth," said contributor Karyn Osborne. "It is like an Italian chili like Olive Garden's Pasta fa*gioli and even better the second day."

  • Browse more Soup Recipes.
15 Ground Beef Soup Recipes for Easy Weeknight Dinners (2024)

FAQs

Can I add raw ground beef to soup? ›

Can you put raw ground beef in soup? Yes you can, but at the start so that the meat has enough time to cook thoroughly, since cooking soup doesn't require too much time. Dry cook the meat with veggies & flavoring before adding the stock/water & leave to cook/simmer.

What to do with extra ground beef? ›

Cooked burgers are an even quicker shortcut: Just crumble them and reheat, stirring in some seasoning, to make a quick filling.
  1. Spicy Chipotle Beef Enchiladas.
  2. Spicy Eggplant & Beef Chili.
  3. Kitchen Sink Hamburger Soup.
  4. Big Batch Shepherd's Pie.
  5. Beef & Mushroom Skillet Lasagna.
  6. Mini Meat Pies.

How to cook large amounts of ground beef at once? ›

Bulk Cooking Ground Beef in a Slow Cooker
  1. Break ground beef up into smaller pieces in the slow cooker.
  2. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. ...
  3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. ...
  4. Drain. ...
  5. Let cool and package into smaller portions into freezer bags (don't forget to label the bags).
Feb 18, 2016

How do you add richness to beef soup? ›

Pack in umami flavor.

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says.

Should beef be cooked before adding to soup? ›

Any perishable ingredients in the soup/stew should be thoroughly cooked, particularly things like raw meat, etc., which need to be cooked enough to destroy any residual bacteria.

Do you have to cook hamburger before putting in soup? ›

Brown the hamburger first, and then use the fat released by the meat to cook the vegetables. This gives the veggies great flavor! Finally, simmer the soup with broth and diced tomatoes for just twenty more minutes and you're done.

What does adding milk to ground beef do? ›

The calcium-rich properties of milk react with enzymes in the meat to gently soften the proteins. Whole milk (not reduced fat), buttermilk, and yogurt all get the job done – with a special nod to buttermilk and yogurt for their optimal tenderizing acidity levels.

How many meals can a pound of ground beef make? ›

One pound of ground beef can go a long way if you're cooking for one. In fact, we can get at least four single serving meals out of just one pound.

What meals can be made from ground beef and rice? ›

Mexican Ground Beef and Rice Casserole
  • Mexican Ground Beef and Rice Casserole.
  • Shepherd's Pie.
  • One-Skillet Enchilada Ground Beef Casserole.
  • 30 Minute Skillet Beef Pot Pie.
  • Cheesy Enchilada Chili.
  • Taco Pinwheels.
  • World's Best Chili (Made in an Instant Pot!)
  • Instant Pot Taco Soup.
Feb 26, 2024

How many pounds of ground beef do you need to feed 10 people? ›

In other words, if you're cooking for 10 people, you'll want at least five pounds of meat total. For 20 people, plan to purchase 10 or more pounds of meat.

How to cook 5 lbs of ground beef? ›

All you do is add up to 3 pounds of ground beef to your crock-pot (I have done as many as 5 lbs. at one time). Break up the beef and add ¼ cup water (per pound of beef). Turn your crock-pot on and cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or LOW for 4-6 hours.

Do you drain the fat after cooking ground beef? ›

According to Dr Julie Garden-Robinson, PhD, RD, from North Dakota State University, the answer is a resounding yes. However, there are some factors you need to be conscious of as well. “Cooking and draining ground beef significantly reduces fat and calorie content,” Dr. Garden-Robinson said.

What gives soup more flavor? ›

Go Bold. A punch of flavor at the end of cooking can make your soup a standout. Mix herbs like parsley, thyme, and oregano, or spices such as cumin, coriander, and cardamom, into some olive oil, and let it infuse for at least an hour or two. Pour it over soup just before serving.

How do I add flavor to bland beef soup? ›

What do I do if my vegetable beef soup tastes bland? The best way to ensure a flavorful soup is to brown the beef and onions in the beginning. If the soup tastes bland at the end of cooking, add more spices and herbs. After adding, allow the soup to cook a little longer so the flavors to meld together.

What spices are good in soup? ›

To season it, we recommend starting with our Vegetable Soup Mix. It contains celery salt, parsley flakes, garlic powder, sea salt, summer savory, marjoram, thyme, black pepper, turmeric and sage, which are all excellent with root vegetables, so you can incorporate things like carrots or potatoes into the soup.

Do you need to brown meat before making soup? ›

Brown your ingredients

Also, brown your meat before you stew! It's not as necessary for soup, but if you want your meat to stay moist, taste nuanced, and impart maximum flavor, unlock the power of the Maillard reaction.

Can you add raw beef to stew? ›

You should never throw your raw cubes of beef into the stew pot. You must sear the cubes first in a pan to brown them and begin building that rich flavor. It's important not to brown them too lightly—sear them until there's a dark crust on each side of the meat cubes.

How do you make raw ground beef safe to eat? ›

COOK.

To destroy harmful bacteria, cook ground beef to a safe minimum internal temperature of 160°F (71.1°C) as measured with a food thermometer.

Can you boil raw ground beef? ›

Boiling your ground beef is a great idea if you want to cook with leaner, less fatty meat. This is a simple, quick, and easy-to-clean process where you cover the meat in water and brown it on medium heat for for 3-5 minutes or so. Boiled beef is also often used to feed dogs, as it is a great form of protein.

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