Slow Cooker Hamburger Soup

Slow Cooker Hamburger Soup is easy to make and tastes delicious. Letting the seasonings, vegetables and beef cook low and slow all day lets the flavors meld to create a rich and savory broth that you'll find irresistable. It's made with simple pantry staple ingredients and savory spices that marinate together perfectly.

Crockpot soups are one of my favorite meals not just when the weather is cool but all summer too. There's nothing better than coming home to dinner without having to do much work. From a creamy loaded baked potato soup and unraveled chicken parmesan in the winter to a summer sweet corn and chicken soup when corn is at it's freshest, we can't get enough soup!

To make hamburger soup in a slow cooker you need at least a 6 quart crockpot and the following ingredients:

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 small white onion
• 1 russet potato
• 3 medium carrots
• 2 celery ribs
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup frozen green beans
• 3 cloves garlic
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes, with the juices
• 1 can (15 ounce) tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• Fresh parsley for garnish
• Shredded cheddar cheese for serving

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown the ground beef, about 5-7 minutes. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the onion to the skillet. *Skip this step for a true dump and go recipe.
2. Drain the excess grease and add the beef and onion mixture to the slow cooker.
3. Add all of the vegetables, diced potatoes, carrots, celery, corn, green beans, garlic, beef broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir well. Add the bay leaf on top.
4. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
5. Serve right away with some shredded cheddar cheese and a sprinkle of chopped parsley. It's delicious served with toasted white bread or garlic bread for dipping.

Recipe Modifications

• If you want to make this lighter, you can use ground turkey or chicken.
• Consider mixing in Italian sausage with the beef to make it even more flavorful or do a total substitution.
• Add cooked or dry pasta to make it even more hearty, like is done in this vegetable soup. If adding dry pasta, add a few more cups of water or broth and 8 ounces of pasta during the last 60 minutes of cooking. You can also add already cooked pasta at the very end just to warm it through.
• To add rice, put 1 cup uncooked rice and another 2 cups of water into the slow cook during the last 2 hours. Add already cooked rice at the end, just to warm it through.
• You can really add a variety of vegetables to hamburger soup. Broccoli, cauliflower, chopped spinach or kale, asparagus and peas are great additions. You can even add some green chilies or diced pickles for extra flavor.
• To make this creamy, add a splash of heavy cream right before serving when it’s off the heat so the cream doesn’t separate.

How To Store

Slow cooker hamburger soup keeps well covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and freezes for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat either on the stove, microwave or even back in the slow cooker until warmed through.