Here is a tasty, nutritious Hamburger Soup recipe that’s both inexpensive and flexible. It’s ideal for using ingredients you already have on hand while still delivering a flavorful, satisfying one-pot meal.
Budget-Friendly Hamburger Soup
As grocery prices rise, simple, affordable recipes are essential. Ground beef offers a good balance of nutrition and cost — it’s versatile and provides protein, vitamins, and minerals while stretching your food budget.
This recipe uses an 85/15 ground beef blend (85% lean, 15% fat). That ratio is wallet-friendly and delivers flavor and richness. To prevent the soup from becoming overly greasy, there’s a helpful tip in the recipe that uses potatoes to absorb some of the fat released while browning the meat. The potatoes also add body and flavor to the final dish.
Keep the beef fat when possible — it contains nutrients that are often limited in modern diets. If you prefer, you may use leaner beef, but the 85/15 blend contributes to the soup’s satisfying taste and texture.
Make Your Ingredients for Hamburger Soup
Most ingredients for this soup are pantry staples. If you keep a well-stocked pantry of homemade or quality store-bought basics, you’ll find the recipe quick and straightforward.
If you’re interested in making more ingredients from scratch, consider preparing your own Italian seasoning or marinara sauce and canning tomatoes when they’re in season. Homemade staples save money and let you control ingredients and flavor.
Homemade Beef Bone Broth for Hamburger Soup
You can use plain water, but homemade beef bone broth adds deep flavor and extra nutrition. Bone broth is easy to make and can be prepared in several ways — Instant Pot, slow cooker, or stovetop — depending on your preference and available equipment. Using broth instead of water enriches the soup’s taste and mouthfeel.
Hamburger Bun Croutons (Optional)
Crispy croutons made from hamburger buns make a lovely crunchy topping for this soup. They’re optional, but they add texture and make the meal feel special. Croutons can be made from fresh homemade buns, day-old bread, or any bread you have available.
To make bun croutons: cut buns into bite-sized cubes, warm 2 tablespoons of a flavorful fat (butter, olive oil, lard, tallow, or other animal fat) in a pan, toss the cubes in the fat, season with salt and Italian seasoning, and toast until golden, about 5–10 minutes.
Use Nutrient-Dense Animal Fats to Make Croutons
Making croutons with rendered animal fats like lard, tallow, or schmaltz adds savory depth and supplies fat-soluble nutrients. If you roast duck or goose, save and use the rendered fat for excellent croutons and other dishes.
Using a Portable Countertop Burner
A portable countertop burner is useful in recipe videos and for extra cooking capacity when your main range is full. It’s a practical addition to a busy kitchen and handy for demonstrations or small kitchens.
More Hamburger Recipes
Ground beef is versatile. Try other budget-friendly meals such as sloppy joes, hamburger casseroles, or fried cabbage with kielbasa for variety and value. These recipes stretch ingredients and feed families with hearty, comforting meals.
Looking for Grass-Fed and Grass-Finished Ground Beef?
If you prefer grass-fed, finished, or specialty ground beef blends, look for reputable suppliers that offer quality meats, including ground beef blended with organ meats to increase nutrient density. Using a higher-quality ground beef can elevate flavor and nutrition, especially in simple soups and stews.
Download a Traditional Foods Pantry List
Building a pantry of staples — stocks, canned tomatoes, seasonings, grains, and rendered fats — makes meals like this Hamburger Soup quick to prepare and economical. A printable pantry list or guide can be a helpful planning tool when stocking your kitchen.
Join a Community for More Traditional Foods Resources
If you enjoy traditional cooking techniques and from-scratch recipes, consider joining a cooking community or following creators who share step-by-step videos, tips for preserving food, and recipes that emphasize nourishing, budget-friendly cooking.
Hamburger Soup Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large soup pot
Ingredients (Serves 8)
- 1 lb ground beef (85% lean, 15% fat recommended)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 large potatoes, cubed
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 8 cups liquid (beef broth, stock, bone broth, or water)
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 16 oz chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
- 16 oz frozen mixed vegetables, defrosted
Instructions
- Place ground beef in a bowl, sprinkle with baking soda, and mix. Set aside.
- Heat butter and olive oil in the soup pot. When sizzling, add the ground beef and brown for 5–7 minutes.
- Stir in salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (if using), and Italian seasoning.
- Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 1–2 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1–2 minutes.
- Add the cubed potatoes and sauté briefly so they absorb some fat and release starch, about 2 minutes.
- Add the liquid and bay leaves. Bring to a medium simmer and cook until potatoes are almost tender, approximately 10 minutes (time depends on potato size).
- Add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste, stirring to combine.
- Add the spinach and mixed vegetables, stir to incorporate, and simmer until everything is heated through.
- Serve hot, topped with optional hamburger bun croutons.
- Store refrigerated for 3–4 days or freeze for 2–3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop.
Notes
Fresh vegetables: If using fresh vegetables, add them after the potatoes according to their cooking times.
Hamburger Bun Croutons: Cut 4 hamburger buns into cubes. Warm 2 tablespoons of fat (butter, olive oil, lard, or tallow) in a pan until sizzling, add the cubes, season with salt and Italian seasoning, and toast until golden, about 5–10 minutes.
Video
This Hamburger Soup is an adaptable, nourishing recipe that is easy to prepare, economical, and family friendly. Make it with pantry staples, enrich it with homemade bone broth if you have it, and add croutons for a pleasing crunch. Enjoy a warm bowl that stretches your budget without sacrificing flavor or nutrition.