I grew up eating hamburger soup frequently. Despite the name, there aren’t any pickles or mustard involved in hamburger soup. It simply refers to using ground meat instead of stew meat. My mom’s version was simply a pound of ground meat (she generally used ground turkey), a few cans of vegetables, and a handful of dried pasta all simmered together in a little extra stock. When I moved out of the house, it was a cheap and healthful way to feed myself during those very broke early adult years.
When I make hamburger soup these days, I skip the cans and opt for frozen vegetables instead. They are just as convenient, with better texture and control over the sodium levels. This soup is so cozy, warming you through in the way that only nostalgia and a bowl of good soup can.
What Goes in Hamburger Soup?
Hamburger soup is very flexible. Other than the ground beef, an assortment of vegetables works well. This version goes heavy on the veggies and uses the following:
