This Hearty Italian Hamburger Soup is a comforting, one-pot meal that tastes like a cozy hug in a bowl. Loaded with savory ground beef, tender pasta shells, and plenty of vegetables in a rich tomato broth, it is a satisfying dinner that the whole family will love.
Simple to make and packed with flavor, this soup is perfect for busy weeknights when you need something warm, filling, and delicious on the table fast.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: A classic savory tomato base seasoned with aromatic Italian herbs and garlic, enriched by the beef broth and meat.
- Texture: The soup is thick and chunky, with tender pasta, soft vegetables, and hearty crumbles of ground beef in every spoonful.
- Time: 10 minutes prep, 45 minutes cook time.
- Difficulty: Easy. It is a straightforward dump-and-simmer recipe.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a large pot or Dutch oven to hold all the ingredients comfortably. A wooden spoon or spatula is essential for crumbling the beef. The ingredients rely on pantry staples like canned tomatoes, pasta, and broth, combined with fresh ground beef and frozen veggies for convenience.
Ingredient Notes
- Lean Ground Beef – Using lean beef (like 90/10) means less grease to drain, but any ground beef works as long as you drain it well.
- Yellow Onion & Garlic – These aromatics build the savory foundation of the soup. Cooking them with the beef infuses the meat with flavor.
- Canned Tomatoes – You will need both diced tomatoes (undrained) for texture and tomato sauce for a rich, thick base.
- Frozen Mixed Vegetables – A classic mix of peas, carrots, corn, and green beans adds color and nutrition without any chopping.
- Beef Broth – This provides a deeper, meatier flavor than water or chicken broth.
- Small Pasta Shells – These are perfect for catching the broth and meat bits. You can use any small pasta shape like ditalini or macaroni.
- Italian Seasoning – A generous 2 tablespoons gives the soup that signature herbal taste.
- Fresh Basil – Stirring this in at the very end adds a burst of freshness that lifts the heavy flavors.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Beans – For extra fiber and creaminess, add a can of drained kidney beans or cannellini beans.
- Spice – If you like a little heat, add red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce to the broth.
- Cheese – A sprinkle of parmesan or mozzarella cheese on top before serving is delicious.
- Meat – Italian sausage (casing removed) can be swapped for the ground beef for a spicier profile.
How to Make Hearty Italian Hamburger Soup
- Brown the Beef: Drop the ground beef into a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions to the pot and crumble the ground beef well as it cooks. Once the ground beef is fully browned and the onions are soft, drain the grease from the pot.
- Add Aromatics: Add the minced garlic, stir well, and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Build the Soup: Add the diced tomatoes (undrained), tomato sauce, and frozen mixed vegetables to the pot and stir well. Pour in the beef broth and stir again.
- Season: Add the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to the pot. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer: Reduce the heat to medium-low and leave the soup to simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Cook Pasta: After 10 minutes of simmering, add the dry pasta shells to the pot and stir well. Continue simmering the soup until the pasta shells are tender. This usually takes between 20 – 30 minutes depending on the pasta shape.
- Adjust and Finish: If the soup is too thick for your liking after simmering (the pasta absorbs a lot of liquid), you can add additional broth or water to thin it out. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the fresh chopped basil.
- Serve: Serve hot and enjoy!
Pro Tip: If you plan on having leftovers, consider cooking the pasta separately and adding it to individual bowls. Pasta tends to absorb liquid as it sits in the fridge, which can turn your soup into a thick stew by the next day.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t Overcook Pasta: Check the pasta frequently towards the end. Since it cooks in the hot liquid, it can go from perfect to mushy quickly.
- Drain Well: Make sure to drain the grease after browning the beef to prevent an oily film from forming on top of your soup.
- Simmer Gently: Keep the simmer gentle once the pasta is in. A violent boil can break up the pasta and vegetables.
FAQs
- Can I use fresh vegetables? Absolutely. Diced fresh carrots, celery, and green beans work great, but you may need to sauté them with the onions or simmer the soup a bit longer before adding the pasta.
- Can I freeze this soup? Yes, but pasta doesn’t freeze well (it gets mushy). Freeze the soup base without the pasta, then add fresh cooked pasta when reheating.
- Is this gluten-free? To make it gluten-free, simply use a gluten-free pasta shape or substitute rice.
Serving Suggestions
- Bread: A slice of crusty Italian bread or garlic toast is essential for dipping.
- Salad: A crisp Caesar salad pairs perfectly with the rich tomato flavors.
- Toppings: Fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese make beautiful garnishes.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Soup Base: You can make the soup up to the point of adding the pasta and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Bring the soup to a simmer on the stove and add the pasta 15 minutes before you are ready to eat.
Hearty Italian Hamburger Soup
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 Servings 1x
Description
This Hearty Italian Hamburger Soup is a comforting, one-pot meal that tastes like a cozy hug in a bowl. Loaded with savory ground beef, tender pasta shells, and plenty of vegetables in a rich tomato broth, it is a satisfying dinner that the whole family will love. Simple to make and packed with flavor, this soup is perfect for busy weeknights when you need something warm, filling, and delicious on the table fast.
Ingredients
The Beef & Aromatics
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 cup yellow onions, diced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
The Tomato Broth Base
- 4 cups beef broth
- 28 oz diced tomatoes (undrained)
- 29 oz tomato sauce (approx. two 15oz cans)
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, carrots, beans)
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
The Pasta & Finish
- 6 oz small pasta shells (or macaroni/ditalini)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- Water or extra broth (optional, to adjust thickness)
Instructions
Brown the Beef
Place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and diced onions.
Cook
Crumble the beef with a spoon and cook until fully browned and the onions are soft.
Drain
Drain the excess grease from the pot well.
Add Garlic
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Build the Soup
Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), tomato sauce, and frozen mixed vegetables. Pour in the beef broth.
Season
Stir in the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Simmer
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer gently for 10 minutes to let flavors meld.
Cook Pasta
Add the dry pasta shells directly to the pot. Stir well.
Cook
Continue simmering for 20–30 minutes (depending on shape) until the shells are tender.
Finish
The pasta will absorb a lot of liquid. If the soup is too thick, stir in a little extra water or broth. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh chopped basil.
Serve
Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
Notes
The “Mushy Pasta” Rule: If you plan on having leftovers, cook the pasta separately. Pasta left in the soup overnight will absorb all the broth and turn into a mushy stew. Add fresh cooked pasta to individual bowls as you serve.
Acidic Cooking Time: You might notice the pasta takes longer to cook in this soup than in plain water. The acidity from the tomatoes slows down the softening process of the starch.
Veggie Swap: Frozen veggies are used for convenience, but fresh diced carrots, celery, and green beans work great—just sauté them with the onions in step 1 to ensure they are tender.
Cheese Topping: This soup is delicious topped with freshly grated Parmesan or a sprinkle of Mozzarella.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: One Pot
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bowl
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: hamburger soup recipe, ground beef soup, italian vegetable soup, one pot pasta soup, easy winter dinner, family friendly soup, tomato beef soup
