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!
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Aunt Joan was my husband's aunt and used to feed us then send us home with leftovers when we first moved away from home. I also happened to be a starving student and not much of a cook at the time, so WOW! That hamburger soup encapsulated every comfort food vibe in existence!
I prefer potatoes because it's like hearty meat and potatoes in soup form and therefore the ultimate in comfort food!
🥘 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
🔪How to Make Hamburger Potato Soup
- Step 1: Brown ground beef and onion in large pot or Dutch oven, over medium heat on the stove top, until browned and cooked through (meat thermometer should read 165 degrees F/74 degrees C). Drain and return to pot if you're not using extra lean (and your ground beef has more than 10% fat).
- Step 2: Add all other remaining ingredients to ground beef and onions.
- Step 3: Stir together. Then simmer covered for 1 hour or until potatoes are cooked through (a fork can easily go through).
I'm all about doing fewer dishes so being able to make a meal all in one pot is pure gold and another reason I love this soup! I use my Dutch Oven (affiliate link) because it browns meat better than a regular pot and I can continue cooking the soup in it!
If you are looking for a one-pot soup that’s delicious, hearty healthy, and economical (the reason why it's also known as "poor man's soup ", then you’ll love this one! It's also Weight Watchers friendly!
🔢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.
Top Tip
Why you don't need to peel your potatoes
As you can see from the photos, I don't peel potatoes for this hamburger soup. If you are peeling your potatoes, unless you really enjoy extra work, you can stop now!
The peel is the most nutrient-filled part of the potato so why would you want to peel all those nutrients away and add more unnecessary waste to the environment? Potato peels contain more iron than the flesh of the potatoes and they're also a good source of fiber, vitamin B, and vitamin C. . You can read more about why you don't need to peel your potatoes HERE
🌡️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!
I love soup with ground beef in it because it just makes the soup that much more filling so that it's an actual meal. My Carrot Soup and Shortcut Borscht are also soups made with ground beef so they’re a meal as well!
❔ Recipe FAQ's
Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
You'll want to drain your ground beef if it's more than 10% fat. If you use extra lean ground beef you don't need to drain it.
Yes, you can substitute vegetable or chicken broth (or stock) for beef broth.
So if you are looking for easy soup recipes, you'll love this Potato Hamburger soup. It's sure to become a family favorite!
🥣More Soup Recipes!
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📋Easy Hamburger Potato Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Dutch oven (or a large pot)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs extra lean ground beef
- 1 cup carrots, grated * or substitute chopped carrots
- 5 medium potatoes, chopped * I don't peel mine for this soup, but it's optional
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 6 cups beef broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 sticks chopped celery
- 10 ounce - can of tomato soup
- 1 clove garlic, minced * or use minced garlic from jar equivalent measure
- 28 ounce -can of diced tomatoes (with juice)
- 1 teaspoon thyme
Instructions
- Brown ground beef and onion in a large pot or Dutch oven, over medium heat on stove top, until browned and cooked through. (meat thermometer should read 165 degrees F/74 degrees C). Drain and return to pot if you're not using extra lean (and your ground beef has more than 10% fat).
- Add all other remaining ingredients to pot with cooked ground beef and onion and stir until combined.
- Simmer (covered) for 1 hour or until potatoes are cooked through (a fork can easily go through).
- Serve hot with bread and butter, buns or biscuits.
Ariella
Great for those nights that you just want a soup for dinner.
Terri Gilson
yes, it's perfect for those days!
colleen kennedy
Isn't that the best?? When you know your way around the kitchen well and someone excites you with their food that they give you or you taste at a gathering. Yay Aunt Joan!
Eileen Kelly
Thank you to your Aunt Joan for being a great aunt and sharing this wonderful soup. It is so nice to have great memories and the family love of food to continue always.
Carlos Leo
It's the first time that I heard of hamburger soup and I'm loving it!
All the goodness in one delicious bowl!
Sue Ringsdorf
My mom used to make a great hamburger soup and I miss it. So I'll be making this one SOON!
Caroline
What a lovely story - it's always great when recipes bring back memories, I think, and comfort foods are so often up there. This looks like it would be wonderfully filling and perfect as a hungry student!
Terri Gilson
thanks, Caroline!
Laura
Aunt Joan sounds like a wonderful person and a great cook.
Terri Gilson
She was - miss her!
farragio
What a lovely story about your Aunt Joan, and the recipe sounds delicious. I'm what I call a lazy cook so I, too, am all about doing less dishes and this recipe is right up my alley!
Terri Gilson
thanks - I hope you enjoy it!