Easy Hamburger Potato Soup

Aunt Joan handed me a 'care package' as we were walking out the door after that very first visit. But I had no idea what delight that margarine container held until I opened it the next day. "It's nothing fancy," she used to say. Oh but it was sooo much better than fancy; it was a warm refuge. It was this home-cooked Easy Hamburger Potato Soup recipe, adapted from the Best of Bridge recipe. You can't get full-on fancy anyway...

But unlike the Best of Bridge hamburger soup, this version has no barley and uses potatoes instead. It's an easy and Weight Watchers friendly hamburger soup @ 5 WW points. This Hamburger Soup with Potatoes is a great easy meal any time of the year but it's the perfect meal for a cold day. And if you are looking for more healthy cold weather day soups, check out this collection of Healthy Fall Soup recipes!

🥘 Ingredient Notes

This Easy Hamburger soup is a simple one-pot, hearty soup recipe, made with lean beef (hamburger), potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, and a delicious flavorful broth and one that the whole family will love!

• Extra lean ground beef. Extra lean ground beef is healthier, has lower fat, is full of flavor, and keeps this hamburger soup from getting 'greasy'.
• Carrots. I use grated carrots, as they are easier to prep, grate, and freeze, then add to soup. I will drop them straight into soup, frozen.
• Potatoes. You can use any potatoes you have on hand, but I prefer red potatoes. And peeling them is not necessary (see Top tip).
• Tomato soup. Use any brand of canned tomato soup.
• Canned tomatoes. I use canned tomatoes because they are economical and convenient.
• Thyme. Thyme melds perfectly with these ingredients, as it's an herb that has its own distinct and subtle flavor. Thyme has been described as earthy, minty, and citrus-laced, savory but also sweet, and slightly woodsy but also flowery flavor, with traces of a toned-down rosemary taste.

*please see recipe card for quantities

📖 Variations & Substitutions

• Ground Beef/hamburger- You can use regular or lean ground beef if necessary, but you need to drain it and squeeze out as much fat as you can through a sieve. You can also further lighten it up/make this soup more WW friendly by substituting ground turkey or chicken.
• Potatoes- you could use red potatoes, russet potatoes, Yukon potatoes, barley or macaroni instead.
• Vegetables -you could add different vegetables like green beans, bell peppers, peas, mixed frozen veggies, or zucchini. * I often keep 2-cup bags of frozen shredded zucchini in the freezer and drop them right into soups like this!
• Onions - you could use white or yellow onion
• Spicy - add a little chili powder or cayenne pepper to spice it up!
• Garlic - if you don't have fresh or jarred garlic, you can use garlic powder in a pinch

🔢WW Points

This Weight Watchers friendly hamburger soup is 5 WW points. You can also further lighten it up/make this soup more WW friendly by substituting ground turkey or chicken for the beef.

🌡️Storing This Easy Hamburger Potato Soup Recipe

Fridge: Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge

Freezer: This hamburger soup can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container.  

To Reheat: Reheat it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or over low heat on the stovetop.

🥗 What to serve with Hamburger Potato Soup

Crusty bread, or these Grandma Buns (shown), Old Fashioned Baking Powder Biscuits, and this Mandarin Orange Salad Recipe make great sides for Hamburger soup!