Hamburger Macaroni Soup is a quick, brothy, one-pot dinner: browned ground beef and onion simmered in beef broth with diced tomatoes, Worcestershire, oregano and basil, with elbow macaroni and frozen mixed vegetables cooked right in the pot. It makes 8 servings in about 25 minutes.
How to make it: Brown the beef and onion, add garlic, and drain. Pour in the broth, tomatoes and seasonings, bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes. Add the macaroni and simmer about 8 minutes, until tender, then stir in the frozen vegetables and heat through.
Why You’ll Love It
- 25 minutes, one pot: the pasta cooks in the soup, so there is no second pot to wash.
- Freezer-aisle vegetables: a bag of frozen mixed vegetables does the chopping for you.
- Makes 8 servings: enough for dinner and lunch the next day.
- Easy to adapt: it also works in a slow cooker.
Ingredient Notes
Lean ground beef, onion and garlic: One pound of beef, a diced medium yellow onion and 2 cloves of garlic, browned and drained.
Beef broth: Six cups. Regular or low-sodium both work.
Diced tomatoes: One 14.5-ounce can, juice and all.
Worcestershire, sugar and herbs: A tablespoon of Worcestershire, a tablespoon of sugar (white or brown), and half a teaspoon each of dried oregano and basil. The sugar evens out tomatoes that taste sharp.
Elbow macaroni: One and a half cups, dry. It cooks in the soup.
Frozen mixed vegetables: One and a half cups, added at the end.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups beef broth
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni
- 1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
How to Make Beef and Macaroni Soup
1. Brown the beef. In a large soup pot, brown the ground beef and onion over medium-high heat until the beef is no longer pink (160°F). Add the garlic and cook another minute. Drain off any excess fat.
2. Add the broth. Add the broth, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire, sugar, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Cook the macaroni. Add the macaroni and simmer for about 8 minutes, until the noodles are tender.
4. Add the vegetables. Add the frozen vegetables and heat through. Taste and add salt or more seasoning if needed.
How to Keep the Macaroni from Going Mushy
There are three ways to handle the macaroni, depending on how you serve the soup.
Serving right away: cook it in the pot. Add the dry macaroni once the broth is simmering and give it about 8 minutes, just until tender. Then add the frozen vegetables and heat them through. Taste a noodle before you turn off the heat.
Planning leftovers: cook it separately. Boil the macaroni in its own pot, drain it, and stir it into the finished soup at the end just to warm it up. You can also keep the cooked pasta apart and add it to each bowl.
Slow cooker: add it last. Stir in the uncooked macaroni only for the final 20 to 30 minutes, on HIGH, and check it often so it does not overcook.
Tips for Success
- Drain the beef: pour off the fat after browning, before the broth goes in.
- Season at the end: taste after the vegetables heat through and add salt or herbs then.
- Taste a noodle: the macaroni is done as soon as it is tender.
Slow Cooker Hamburger Macaroni Soup
Brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic in a skillet and drain. Put it in the slow cooker with the beef broth, a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, frozen vegetables and the seasonings. Cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. For the last 20 to 30 minutes, switch to HIGH, stir in the uncooked macaroni, and cook until the pasta is tender.
Variations
- More vegetables: sauté 2 cups of chopped celery and a diced red bell pepper for 5 minutes after draining the beef.
- Tomato soup version: use a 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes, a 10.75-ounce can of condensed tomato soup, 4 cups of broth, thyme and bay leaves, simmer about 40 minutes, then stir in 2 cups of cooked macaroni.
- Toppings: a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheddar and chopped parsley.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Reheat soup to a rolling boil (FSIS), which brings it well past 165°F.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with crackers or a grilled cheese sandwich. For more beef soups, try beef and barley soup, creamy potato and hamburger soup in the crockpot or quick and easy taco soup, or a pot of slow cooker 15 bean soup. If you like beef and macaroni without the broth, there is old fashioned goulash and slow cooker poor man goulash.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of broth is best for macaroni soup?
Beef broth, regular or low-sodium. Taste at the end and add salt if it needs it.
What are the ingredients in old-fashioned hamburger soup?
Ground beef, onion, garlic, beef broth, canned tomatoes, Worcestershire, herbs, macaroni and mixed vegetables. The tomato soup variation above adds condensed tomato soup, thyme and bay leaves.
What is macaroni and ground beef called?
Without the broth, a thick dish of ground beef, macaroni and tomatoes is often called goulash, like our old fashioned goulash.
Can I add uncooked macaroni to the soup?
Yes. That is how this recipe works: the dry macaroni simmers in the soup for about 8 minutes, until tender.
Final Notes
Drain the beef, simmer the broth, and cook the macaroni only until tender. If you make it, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Hamburger Macaroni Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups beef broth
- 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 ounces, with juice
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar or brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni dry
- 1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, brown the ground beef and onion over medium-high heat until the beef is no longer pink (160°F). Add the garlic and cook another minute. Drain off any excess fat.
- Add the broth, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire, sugar, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the macaroni and simmer for about 8 minutes, until the noodles are tender.
- Add the frozen vegetables and heat through. Taste and add salt or more seasoning if needed.
