Simple and hearty, slow cooker hamburger soup is loaded with vegetables and ground beef, and can be simmered all day in the slow cooker or made in 35 minutes on the stovetop.

closeup of a white bowl filled with soup on a blue background with blue striped napkin

5 star review

“Easy to make and delicious! My kids love it and I especially love that it’s a healthy dinner that everyone will eat. We will definitely be saving this recipe to do again and again. ”

– Brooke
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This Slow Cooker Hamburger Soup Recipe is So Simple + Delicious!

Chillier temperatures mean one thing: it’s soup and stew season! The inspiration for this recipe was to make a slow cooker version of The Pioneer Woman’s Hamburger Soup. I love making soups in the crockpot because they cook low & slow all day, which really lets the flavors deepen & meld together.

I knew I wanted to do an easy gluten-free, dairy-free version but one that kept all the flavor of the original too. So I put a wholesome spin on this easy soup recipe by slightly decreasing the amount of beef and upping the amount of vegetables. And now we’ve got a new family favorite recipe we can make again & again!

closeup of ingredients for slow cooker hamburger soup in a black crockpot

Process & Tips

The beauty of this recipe is that it can be made in the slow cooker or stovetop. Which keeps your options open on busy weeks. After you saute your ground beef and onions in a hot pan and add everything to your slow cooker, this is essentially a hands off recipe. Once it’s done cooking, you add a bit of red wine vinegar to lift and brighten up the flavors. Then you’re ready to dig into a hearty, cozy bowl of homemade hamburger soup!

Getting creative with the toppings is my favorite part of this soup! Serve it with green onions, grated cheese (traditional or dairy-free), fresh parsley or even cornbread muffins or garlic bread on the side for dipping.

ladle full of slow cooker hamburger soup being dished from a black crockpot

Ingredients & Modifications

Ground beef: I used lean grass-fed, ground beef for this recipe but you could use regular ground beef too. In either case, be sure to drain off the excess grease before adding to your slow cooker for the best results.

Bell peppers: I used a combination of red and yellow bell peppers for this recipe, but you could use any combination of bell peppers that you like.

Chicken Stock: You can substitute chicken bone broth or homemade chicken stock for a richer flavor. You can also swap in beef broth in its place.

Onion: The classic trio of onion, carrot and celery adds so much flavor to homemade soups. But if you don’t like or can’t eat onions, feel free to skip them in this recipe.

Carrots: Whole, chopped carrots yield the best flavor for this soup.

Celery: chopped fresh celery works best.

Potato: We like waxy yellow potatoes, but russet, sweet potato, or even butternut squash would also work well.

Olive oil: I like the flavor of olive oil best in this recipe. But any neutral oil will work in this soup, such as avocado oil, vegetable oil or canola.

Kosher salt: Look for kosher salt with the regular iodized salt at the grocery store (it has a subtler flavor). Use less iodized salt if that’s what you have on hand.

Tomato paste: Tomato paste adds delicious concentrated tomato flavor to the soup without watering it down (like canned diced tomatoes might).

closeup of a white bowl filled with soup on a blue background with blue striped napkin

how to store & freeze leftovers

Slow cooker hamburger soup tastes even better the next day, and leftovers make a great lunch! It keeps well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, in a sealed container. This soup also freezes beautifully, either in a gallon ziplock bag, or individually in mason jars. You can store it in a sealed freezer friendly container for up to 2-3 months.

this recipe is…

closeup of a white bowl filled with soup on a blue background with blue striped napkin
4.92 stars (37 ratings)

Slow Cooker Hamburger Soup

by Robyn Conley Downs
Servings: 6
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 8 hours 9 minutes
Total: 8 hours 19 minutes
Simple and hearty, slow cooker hamburger soup is loaded with vegetables and ground beef, and can be simmered all day in the slow cooker or made in 35 minutes on the stovetop.
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Ingredients

  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 5 large carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 4 waxy yellow potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon no-salt added Italian seasoning
  • 3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 quart chicken stock, or beef broth
  • 1 cup water

To Add at the End

  • 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Equipment

Instructions 

Slow Cooker Instructions

  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ground beef, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, and cook until browned and no longer pink. Drain any excess grease.
  • To a 6-quart slow cooker, add the cooked onion and ground beef, celery, carrots, bell pepper, potatoes, tomato paste, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, 2 teaspoons salt, pepper, chicken stock, and water, stirring until well combined.
  • Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours, or until the vegetables are tender and cooked through. Uncover and add the red wine vinegar, stirring to combine. Taste and add additional salt, vinegar or pepper to taste. Serve with toppings of your choice.

Stovetop Instructions

  • Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ground beef, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, and cook until browned and no longer pink. Drain any excess grease.
  • Add the celery, carrots, bell pepper, potatoes, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, pepper and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and water, stirring until well combined.
  • Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 30-35 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Uncover and add the red wine vinegar, stirring to combine. Taste and add additional salt, vinegar or pepper to taste. Serve with toppings of your choice.

Notes

  • This soup is intentionally not spicy. For more of a kick, add more black pepper or red pepper flakes along with the salt.
  • Optional serving suggestions: chopped green onion, chopped parsley, grated cheese.
  • This recipe was inspired by The Pioneer Woman’s Hamburger Soup.
  • Nutrition information calculated using lean ground beef and chicken stock.
  • For more ingredients & substitutions, see blog post above.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 (of 6), Calories: 415kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 98mg, Sodium: 784mg, Potassium: 1486mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 9228IU, Vitamin C: 89mg, Calcium: 69mg, Iron: 5mg
Nutrition disclaimer
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