Quick and Easy Ground Beef Vegetable Soup
This hearty ground beef vegetable soup comes together quickly, delivering a comforting and nutritious meal perfect for busy weeknights.
Why you’ll love it: Packed with fresh veggies and savory flavors, it’s a quick way to warm up and satisfy your hunger.
We wanted to make this meal as easy as possible, so we used frozen veggies to skip the time and effort of chopping. Using frozen vegetables also locks in peak-season freshness and nutrients, making this soup both convenient and wholesome.
Plus, the variety of veggies in the frozen mix means you get a colorful, hearty bowl without any extra hassle.
It’s quickly become one I keep in mind for low-energy days—and best of all, my whole family loves it!
Choosing the Frozen Vegetable Blend
A key part of this soup is the frozen vegetable soup mix. We love the variety of veggies we get without having to spend lots of time slicing or dicing.
The frozen mix we used contains
- carrots
- potatoes
- sweet corn
- green beans
- green peas
- lima beans
- okra
- celery
- onions
Our local grocery store is a Kroger franchise, so it’s easy for us to get. (Online the packaging shown is blue, but it’s still in the old brown packaging at our store.)
You can find similar vegetable soup blends at Publix, HEB, and Meijer.
Unfortunately, Walmart doesn’t carry a frozen vegetable soup blend. To get a similar result, I’d combine a cup of their Mirepoix Mix with a bag of Mixed Vegetable Blend and toss in a cup or two of frozen cubed hash brown potatoes or canned diced potatoes (drained). It won’t be quite the same, but it’ll be pretty close.
Tips for Making This Shortcut Vegetable Beef Soup
Drain the beef: In our first test, we tried making this soup without draining the beef of excess fat, just to make it more convenient. However, everyone in the family preferred the flavor and texture and look of the second test, where we drained the beef.
Use the steamer basket: The tall steamer basket with feet makes huge difference in the finished texture of the vegetables. You can still make this without it, but be aware the potatoes and lima beans will start to break down into the broth, so the texture isn’t nearly as pleasant.
By using the steamer basket, the vegetables cook suspended over the beef broth, so the flavor penetrates the veggies without affecting their shape.
We have had this basket for over a decade, and it is still in great shape. Plus, it folds down nicely to store.
Recipe Variations
We kept things simple with Italian seasoning, which is made up of basil, thyme, oregano, and sage. Feel free to substitute these individual seasonings if you’d prefer.
If you’d like to make this soup even heartier, you can add cooked macaroni or orzo pasta. (I prefer to add these to individual bowls since I don’t think leftover pasta freezes well.)
For more of a classic “Hamburger Soup” style, add a tablespoon of tomato paste and a little Worcestershire sauce prior to pressure cooking.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Allow the soup to cool, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, microwave on medium power, checking frequently, to ensure it’s heated through.
Since the soup has potatoes in it, I like to avoid freezing it. If you don’t mind the texture change, you can store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To defrost, transfer to the fridge the night before for best results.
What should I serve with Ground Beef Vegetable Soup?
We wanted this soup to be a full standalone meal. We like to serve it with a loaf of French bread or sourdough to sop up the extra broth.
If I’m feeding hungry kids, I’ll make some grilled cheese sandwiches to help stretch the meal.
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Ground Beef Vegetable Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 pound ground beef we used 90% lean
- 4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth divided
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
- 1 can petite diced tomatoes 14.5 oz
- 2 packages frozen vegetable soup mix vegetables 12 oz each (has carrots, peas, diced potatoes, lima beans; we used Kroger brand)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Select Sauté to preheat the pressure cooking pot. When hot, add the oil, then cook the ground beef until browned and crumbled, about 5 minutes. If desired, drain the fat from your ground beef.
- Add 1 cup beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to ensure no browned bits remain. Add the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, parsley, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Top with the petite diced tomatoes and DO NOT STIR.
- Place a steamer basket in the cooking pot. Add the frozen vegetable mixture. Lock the lid in place. Select High Pressure and set the cook time for 5 minutes.
- When the cook time ends, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then use a quick pressure release. Carefully remove the steamer basket from the cooking pot and set aside. Remove the bay leaves and discard.
- In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Add the slurry to the pot, stirring constantly until the broth thickens.
- Add the remaining beef broth and heat through, then return the vegetables to the pot and stir to combine. Serve immediately, garnished with freshly grated parmesan cheese and additional salt and pepper, to taste.
Nutrition
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