Cowboy Soup Recipe

4.67 from 6 votes

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!

Course Main Dish, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword hamburger soup with vegetables

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 460kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

For the beef and veggies:

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

The remaining:

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.
3 large carrots, 1 medium yellow onion, 3 stalks celery, 2 cups cabbage slaw mix, 3 cloves garlic
Add ground beef and seasonings. Add the ground beef and seasonings to the veggies and break the beef apart.
2 pounds ground beef, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
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, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves (optional). Stir well to combine and bring to a boil. You may need more broth later, so keep it handy.
30 oz. fire-roasted diced tomatoes, 3 Tablespoons tomato paste, 3-4 cups lower-sodium beef broth, 2-3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves
Add remaining veggies. Add the potatoes, green beans, and corn – and some additional salt and pepper to taste.
3 cups yellow potatoes, 2 cups fresh green beans, 2 cups frozen corn
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

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.

Nutrition