Cowboy Soup
Cowboy Soup is a hearty, healthy soup that can be made in just an hour and combines lean ground beef, plenty of vegetables, and a flavorful broth. This filling soup is a great “clean out the fridge” recipe and perfect for meal prep all week long!
As seen from the vast amount of soup recipes on the blog, it’s clear that this is my specialty! Next, try my Split Pea Vegetable Soup, a Creamy Wild Rice Soup, Sausage Vegetable Soup, and our favorite Chicken Tortilla Soup!
Hamburger Vegetable Soup
This was a true clean-out-the-fridge meal! I had ordered ground beef for burgers that didn’t happen and I cleaned the veggie drawer out too. I’m thrilled that I had everything I needed and was able to avoid a grocery store run, which is always a bonus!
Do you have a bunch of veggies that need to be used up too? Then give this soup a try. No need to follow my recipe exactly. You can tailor it to what you have in your refrigerator! There are tons of veggies in this, and you can use your favorites to make it your own.
If you are using potatoes, make sure you dice them up on the small side. Those were the last thing to get tender, so the smaller you slice them, the faster you’ll be able to dig in!
Why This Recipe Works:
- SIMPLE. This cowboy soup can be made in an hour or less. It’s just a matter of chopping up the veggies and throwing everything in one large pot! Don’t do what I did and crowd the pot. I had to simmer at a lower temp than usual because I overfilled it.
- HEARTY. I used two pounds of beef to make this an extra hearty beef soup. Add a bunch of veggies and you’ve got a filling, one-pot meal that your whole family will love.
- DELICIOUS. The flavor is all in the broth and seasonings, folks. I used fire-roasted tomatoes (don’t worry, it’s not spicy hot), tomato paste for extra flavor, a medley of seasonings to fit our tastebuds (use what you like, but don’t skimp), and Worcestershire sauce for a perfect Unami taste as well.
As always, taste taste taste. You’ve got to taste as you go. That way you’ll know if you need more seasonings. I’m fairly liberal with the salt, but I add in layers as I need it. Get that spoon out and make sure it’s flavored to your liking!
Ingredient Notes:
- Vegetables – You can use any variety/quantity of vegetables for this soup. I used cabbage, potatoes, onions, garlic, celery, carrots, corn, and green beans. The soup I made included about 13-14 cups of raw veggies. It was a VERY full pot of soup and could easily be adjusted.
- Ground Beef – I used 85% lean ground beef. Feel free to use a leaner cut, if desired.
- Seasonings – I used some onion powder, oregano, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and some kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. You can substitute other ingredients if you prefer others. Just make sure you use a fair amount of salt and pepper for flavor!
- Tomatoes – I recommend using a “salsa-style” diced tomatoes. If you can’t find that, you can use regular diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes. I prefer using fire-roasted tomatoes (always) for extra flavor and a tiny bit of heat.
How to make Cowboy Hamburger Soup:
Step 1
Sauté veggies. In a stock pot over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil, carrots, onion, celery, cabbage, and garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes.
Step 2
Add ground beef and seasonings. Add the ground beef and seasonings to the veggies and break the beef apart.
Step 3
Brown beef. Cook the veggies and beef, stirring occasionally until beef is browned and cooked through.
Step 4
Add liquids. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well to combine and bring to a boil. You may need more broth later on, so keep it handy.
Step 5
Add remaining veggies. Add the potatoes, green beans, and corn – and some additional salt and pepper to taste.
Step 6
Simmer. Simmer soup until potatoes are soft, approximately 25-30 minutes (depending on how large you chop the potatoes). Check seasonings and add as needed.
Step 7
Serve. Serve the hamburger soup with some saltines or crusty bread.
Possible Variations:
- Use ground turkey instead of ground beef. We love both, and they are interchangeable in this soup.
- Use other veggies. You can omit some of the veggies listed and add others (or more of one included).
- Play around with the spices. Feel free to adjust the spices according to what you like best. Next time, I may try using cayenne pepper (for more spice) and/or some Italian seasoning.
- Use more or less broth. If you like a thinner soup, use more broth. If you like a soup that’s more of a stew, use less!
- Try using other potatoes (like russet, red, or even sweet potatoes), canned beans, and canned corn. The sky is the limit.
Soup is so adaptable, so you can adjust it to the way you like it.
Recipe FAQs:
I used an 85% lean ground beef. You can use leaner beef if you want or just strain it after cooking it. I tend to like some of the fat in the soup for extra flavor.
You can use all canned and frozen veggies if you’d like. Canned beans, canned corn, and a frozen medley of carrots, peas, corn, etc. would work nicely too. If you don’t use fresh veggies, this soup will cook faster.
If you don’t like tomatoes, simply leave out the canned tomatoes and tomato paste. You can use all beef broth instead.
I recommend serving this soup with saltine crackers or crusty bread. Try my Chewy French Bread or my Overnight Sourdough Bread (if you are a baker)! A simple side salad would be nice too.
Storing & Freezing
- Storing – This soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. I like to put it in individual serving soup mugs for ease.
- Freezing – You can freeze this soup in an airtight container for up to two months. The veggies will not be quite as tasty as fresh, but still good. To thaw, transfer soup to the refrigerator for a few days.
Other Beef Soup Recipes:
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Cowboy Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 cups cabbage slaw mix
- 1 medium yellow onion – diced
- 3 stalks celery – chopped
- 3 large carrots – peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes – optional
- 30 oz. fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 3-4 cups lower-sodium beef broth – or more as needed
- 2-3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cups yellow potatoes – chopped
- 2 cups fresh green beans – or used canned
- 2 cups frozen corn
- bay leaves
Instructions
- Sauté veggies. In a stock pot over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil, the carrots, onion, celery, cabbage, and garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add ground beef and seasonings. Add the ground beef and seasonings to the veggies and break the beef apart.
- Brown beef. Cook the veggies and beef, stirring occasionally until beef is browned and cooked through.
- Add liquids. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well to combine and bring to a boil. You may need more broth later, so keep it handy.
- Add remaining veggies. Add the potatoes, green beans, and corn – and some additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer. Simmer soup until potatoes are soft, approximately 25-30 minutes (depending on how large you chop the potatoes). Check seasonings and add as needed.
- Serve. Serve the hamburger soup with some saltines or crusty bread.
Notes
- Use ground turkey instead of ground beef. We love both, and they are interchangeable in this soup.
- Use other veggies. You can omit some of the veggies listed and add others (or more of one included).
- Play around with the spices. Feel free to adjust the spices according to what you like best. Next time, I may try using cayenne pepper (for more spice) and/or some Italian seasoning.
- Use more or less broth. If you like a thinner soup, use more broth. If you like a soup that’s more of a stew, use less!
- Try using other potatoes (like russet, red, or even sweet potatoes), canned beans, and canned corn. The sky is the limit.
Was looking for an alternative meat other than ground turkey or chicken and this one was it. I love all the yummy veggies and the hamburger makes it seem more hearty. Love a good hot soup in this crazy hot weather we are having right now.
A delicious, hearty soup!! Comes together quickly and perfect for a chilly weeknight meal. My family loved it. Definitely going in the soup rotation this winter.
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, Kate! 🙂
A great way to get my veggies…. Love all of your soups. 👌