Hamburger soup is an old-fashioned family favorite that is both easy and budget-friendly. Dry onion soup mix, tomato sauce, and beef stock make a flavorful broth, while the ground beef, pasta, and a variety of vegetables make it a nutritious, stick-to-your-ribs soup.
Feel free to use less pasta for a lower carb version, or replace the pasta and barley with extra vegetables or 2 to 3 cups of shredded cabbage.
This recipe for hamburger soup uses a 5-quart slow cooker. Serve this hearty soup with biscuits, cornbread, or crusty French bread.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 (16-ounce) package mixed frozen vegetables, carrots, cut green beans, lima beans, corn kernels
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can beef broth, or about 2 cups homemade beef stock, preferably low-sodium or unsalted
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1 envelope dry onion soup mix
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup barley
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, or 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 cup uncooked macaroni
Method
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Brown the ground beef in a skillet or sauté pan; drain off excess fat. You can reduce fat content even further by placing the beef in a colander and running hot water over it.
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Put the beef and all ingredients except the pasta into the slow cooker. Add water to within an inch or so of the top of the crock pot.
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Cover and cook the soup on low for 8 hours. Alternatively, cook the soup on high for about 3 to 4 hours.
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About 30 minutes before serving, cook pasta in boiling salted water; add to the crock pot and heat through.
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