Whole30 Hamburger Soup

This hamburger soup is a favorite recipe from our family archives! My mom made it for our church soup kitchen/potlucks, and it was always the first one gone! It’s hearty, budget-conscious, and time-friendly!

Soup should be a few things: filling, non-fussy, simple to make, and it should not break the bank, and this Whole30 Hamburger Soup fits the bill. It’s chock-full of affordable and easy-to-find ingredients that should be available at your local grocery store — no trips to a specialty grocery store needed.

We make hamburger soup about once a month through the winter, and it’s always comforting and satisfying. As the person doing the cooking, I like a filling and delicious recipe that I don’t have to spend a bunch of time on but will be happy to eat and have on hand for leftovers for a few days, too.

If that’s not enough of an argument in favor of this Whole30 Hamburger Soup, it also freezes like a dream, so it’s perfect as a make-ahead-and-stash recipe. (Although we usually just eat it every night until it’s gone!)

Whole30 Hamburger Soup

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

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Ingredients  

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 large onion diced
• 1 (28) oz can diced tomatoes drained
• 2 cans mushrooms drained
• 4 cups beef broth
• 3 large carrots diced
• 5 red potatoes diced
• 3-4 celery ribs diced
• 1 tsp parsley minced
• 1 tsp thyme leaves
• 1 tsp oregano
• salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste

Instructions

• BROWN ground beef. Drain excess fat if needed.
• ADD onions, celery, carrots and potato and mix together.
• ADD diced tomatoes, mushrooms, and seasonings.
• ADD beef broth (see note).
• BRING soup content to a boil and reduce to a simmer for at least 1-2 hours. The longer you allow the soup to simmer, the richer and deeper the flavor!

Notes

In our household, I make soup every Sunday from October to mid-May, and along the way, I’ve learned a few things about how to make a thick soup without using a traditional “thickener.” My first tip is to use red potatoes, which have a more creamy starch consistency when cooked. This starch naturally thickens the soup and gives it a really nice mouthfeel.

My second tip is to wait until ALL your ingredients are in the pot before adding any stock or broth, and then add only enough to just barely cover the meat and veggies. The veggies will soak up liquid while they cook, leaving you with a reduced and flavourful broth. Keep an eye on it while it simmers and add broth as needed – you may not need the full 4 cups. We prefer thick and stew-like soups, so if you do as well, try these two tips and let me know how it goes!