Slow-Cooker Hamburger Soup Recipe (2024)

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Winter has arrived and with it the bone-chilling, frostbiting cold. During these cold months, nothing is better than coming indoors to a warm bowl of soup. One of our favorites is this hearty and soul-warming old-fashioned hamburger soup!

Slow-Cooker Hamburger Soup Recipe (1)

This Hearty Vegetable Hamburger Soup originally published Nov 20, 2015. It has been updated with new tips, new photos and recipe updates for your convenience.

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Table of Contents hide

1 Soul Warming Hearty Hamburger Soup

2 Hearty Hamburger Soup to warm your soul

2.1 Ingredients

2.2 Instructions

2.4 LIKE OUR HOMEMADE HAMBURGER SOUP RECIPE?

2.5 BE SURE TO PIN AND SHARE THIS VEGETABLE HAMBURGER SOUP RECIPE WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY!

3 YOU ARE ALSO GOING TO LOVE:

Soul Warming Hearty Hamburger Soup

Our favorite homemade vegetable hamburger soup recipe is one that is tried and true, passed down from grandparents. My amazing sister-in-law then perfected it.

While visiting family before my Mother passed away, my sister-in-law served up a hearty pot of this hamburger soup with her fresh garlic twist bread.

The most amazing part is that my kids loved it! And then asked me to get the recipe. You see, my kids don’t like soup. And yet they ate seconds and thirds of this amazing hamburger soup! So obviously I had to add it to our collection.

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I make this soup year round. It is insanely easy to make and can be made on the stovetop or even in a slow cooker! And because it freezes well, I love to double the recipe and freeze half for an easy meal another day.

Simply pull it from the freezer, dump it into a pot and heat it up. Tada! Dinner is served in about 10 minutes! I like to pair it with fresh homemade Irish Soda bread. If you want a fun side or dessert, add an easy .

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Even though this is a nice warm soup, I still love to make it through the summer months. It is a perfect example of soul-warming comfort food from my childhood. Plus it’s a great way to get kids to eat some vegetables.

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It’s exceptionally amazing on cold days. Like those April days when Mother Nature is confused if it is Spring or Winter. Temperature 70 degrees one day and 32 and snowing the very next. You can bet I made this hearty Hamburger soup that day!

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The first step to making this hamburger soup is to brown the hamburger with the onions. I like to use my Mix N Chop tool to break up the hamburger easily.

We always use 93% lean hamburger. This way it has a better flavor freezes better and you don’t have to drain it after browning.

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Then you will chop the vegetables. You can choose to chop them into large chunks or very fine tiny chunks. Either way works well. For our family, I actually chop the vegetables very finely using my Cutting Edge Food Chopper.

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Then throw all ingredients (except the water) into a big pot and mix.

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If I’m not going to be around most of the day, I double the recipe (remember because it’s a great freezer meal) and dump it all into the slow cooker.

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Stir it to make sure it well mixed.

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Then slowly add the water to make sure it won’t overflow.

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Thank goodness we just got our new 7 quart slow cooker(aff link) so it all barely fit.

For Slow Cooking, cook it on low for 6 hours. Or on high for 3 hours.

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If I’m going to be around the house that day, then I cook this hamburger vegetable soup in a pot on the stove top. Simply bring it to a boil, and simmer for an hour and a half.

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That is the great thing about the hamburger soup, it is super easy to make and versatile in cooking methods. This easy homemade hamburger soup is just the basic recipe too. If you want, you can easily add other soup ingredients of your choosing. Great additions to this soup include:

  • Cubed Potatoes
  • Green Beans
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Beans
  • Barley
  • Lentils
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Cabbage
  • Bell Peppers
  • Garlic

As you can see, this hamburger souprecipe is really easy to cater to your specific family and their picky tastebuds.

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Pair it with Orange Fluffjello salad. Or freshly baked rolls or my favorite Irish Soda Bread. Another great idea ischeesy Garlic Breadsticks.

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When you add additional fillings into the soup, it helps to make the soup stretch even further. And adds additional nutritional value. My Mom oftenadded potatoes, barley, and Lentils and it was delicious. I usually make it as the original recipe because of picky eating kids. But you can decide what will fit best for your family.

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The hamburger soup is full of flavor and will warm you through and through on a cold winter night. It is also a great soup to bring to a potluck dinner!

Yield: 14 1 cup servings

Hearty Hamburger Soup to warm your soul

Slow-Cooker Hamburger Soup Recipe (18)

A heartwarming combination of hamburger and vegetables in a healthy tomato base makes the best delicious old-fashioned hamburger soup recipe that is easy to throw together in a slow cooker or stockpot on the stove for a cold day.

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound 93-95% lean ground hamburger
  • 1 cup chopped celery (optional)
  • 6 cubes beef bouillon
  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 can whole kernel corn
  • 3 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1-2 cup chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped white onion
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil

Instructions

  1. brown hamburger with onions in a medium skillet.
  2. In a stockpot or slow cooker combine all ingredients except water, and stir
  3. Add water
  4. In astockpot bring the soup to a boil.
  5. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 1 1/2 hours.
  6. In a crockpot cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.

Notes

  • 1 average serving is about 1 cup. This recipe makes approximately 14 servings. If you double it will make approximately 28 servings.
  • If you are cooking on the stovetop, an easy tip is to brown the hamburger in the large stockpot that you will be making the soup in. This way you only use one pan.

If you happen to be lucky enough to have leftovers, they store well in the fridge or freezer. And it reheats and tastes fresh just as if you just made it that day!

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Love Soups? You can also try this Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe!

LIKE OUR HOMEMADE HAMBURGER SOUP RECIPE?

Slow-Cooker Hamburger Soup Recipe (21)

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Slow-Cooker Hamburger Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Will raw ground beef cook in soup? ›

Can You Put Raw Ground Beef In Soup? If you cook it thoroughly in the liquid, yes you can. However I've found this beef takes better when it's cooked first and the broth and other ingredients are added after it's cooked.

What vegetables should not be added to a slow cooker? ›

Tender vegetables

Vegetables such as peas, asparagus and peppers can become a flavorless, mushy mess in a slow cooker.

How long can you leave soup in crockpot on low? ›

That varies by what's inside the slow cooker and also by the appliance's setting and model, the experts say. Most recipes for all-day cooking call for 6 to 8 hours on low. Quality- (and safety-) wise, another 1 to 2 hours in 'keep warm' mode won't mess things up.

Is it better to slow cook on low or high? ›

Certainly, foods will cook faster on high than on low. However, for all-day cooking or for less-tender cuts, you may want to use the low setting. It's safe to cook foods on low the entire time -- if you're leaving for work, for example, and preparation time is limited.

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.

Can you put uncooked ground beef in a crockpot? ›

Absolutely, which is why you should always adjust times and amounts as needed. Smaller amounts of slow cooker hamburger only need a few hours before they are done.

Do potatoes go on top or bottom of meat in a crockpot? ›

Place firm, slow-cooking root vegetables like potatoes and carrots at the bottom of the crock and pile the meat on top. Set the heat level: A general rule of thumb is that cooking on the low setting (170 degrees F for most models) takes about twice as long as cooking on high (280 degrees F on most models).

What are the disadvantages of a slow cooker? ›

Food texture changes: Canned foods, such as vegetables, can become too mushy in a slow cooker. It's better to use them fresh or frozen. But, frozen veggies tend to make the texture of the dish more “watery”. Defrosting and draining the extra liquid before cooking can help minimize this.

Is 4 hours on high the same as 8 hours on low? ›

A general rule of thumb from Luis Sanchez, senior category manager for the appliance manufacturer Breville: To go from "High" to "Low" (or vice versa), multiply (or divide) the original time by 1.5 to 2.5 hours. And as with the cooking times for specific ingredients, these times are approximate.

Can I leave soup in the crockpot overnight? ›

Leave it alone. Don't lift the lid. Don't jostle it. The soup will will be good for at least 12 hours just sitting like this.

Can I leave food in a slow cooker overnight off after? ›

Most appliances will automatically shut off after 20 or so hours on this setting, but you shouldn't leave food in a slow cooker for an extended length of time. The general rule of thumb is that 2-4 hours is the maximum length of time you can leave food in a slow cooker on warm.

What is the difference between a crockpot and a slow cooker? ›

A slow cooker and a Crockpot are the same thing, essentially. A slow cooker is an appliance of which there are lots of brands. Crockpot is one brand of slow cooker. Crockpot popularized slow cookers when they launched their version in the 1970s.

Is 3 hours on high the same as 6 hours on low? ›

Change cooking times depending on your schedule. One hour on HIGH generally equals two hours on LOW.

Should you stir a slow cooker? ›

Resist the urge. Every time you lift the lid, heat escapes and adds up to 30 minutes longer to your cook time. Slow cookers are made so you don't have to stir with the low cooking temperature, so relax. Leave it.

Is it safe to put raw meat in soup? ›

The simple answer is yes, but it might not be the safest idea (via Miss Vickie). While chicken might be the most commonly consumed meat in America, it often contains dangerous bacteria including Campylobacter and Salmonella, according to the CDC.

How long to cook raw beef in soup? ›

Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and cook until beef is tender, 1 to 2 hours; skim any foam that rises to the top.

Do you need to brown meat before making soup? ›

Probably not, but whatever you're making will taste better if you brown the beef before adding it to the soup. You season it & drain off the fat before adding it. To me it's more appealing if it's browned first.

How long does it take for beef to soften in soup? ›

After two hours, take the lid off then simmer low and slow for another 1-1/2 hours, or until the beef is tender and the sauce is has thickened.

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