Cowboy Hamburger Soup - The Recipe Critic (2024)

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Experience the wild west in a bowl with this Cowboy Hamburger Soup recipe! This comforting blend features seasoned ground beef, veggies, and a touch of Tex-Mex, simmered to perfection in a hearty beef broth.

I love a delicious and hearty soup all year long. Some of my other favorites are this yummy Lasagna Soup, this Slow Cooker Pasta e fa*gioli Soup or this classic Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup.

Cowboy Hamburger Soup - The Recipe Critic (1)

What is Cowboy Hamburger Soup?

There is nothing better than a hearty, delicious soup on a crisp or cold day. This cowboy soup has a blend of delicious flavors, and the best part about it is that you probably already have most of the ingredients at home, ready to go! It all cooks up in one pot, making it easy to make and even easier to clean up!

Hamburger soup is a tasty and filling dish made with ground beef, veggies, and broth. It doesn’t have a specific place where it comes from; it’s just a kind of soup that people make using common ingredients like beef and vegetables. People everywhere like it because it’s simple, and you can change the flavors based on what you like! In fact, once you try this, then you have to try the next level of this soup… Cheeseburger soup!

Ingredients in Hamburger Soup

This ingredient list is long, but the reason why is because every single flavor used is what makes this soup insanely delicious. It’s savory and hits the spot for lunch or dinner! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

  • Olive Oil: I use olive oil to cook all of the veggies in to get them nice and soft.
  • Onion: It gives the soup a good flavor and a nice smell.
  • Carrots: These are crunchy and sweet, adding to the taste.
  • Celery: It adds a bit of texture and makes the soup taste better.
  • Ground Beef: This makes the hamburger soup filling and satisfying to eat.
  • Garlic: It adds a tasty kind of spiciness to the soup.
  • Cumin: This spice makes the soup’s flavor warm and cozy.
  • Chili Powder: It adds a little bit of heat and makes the soup more interesting.
  • Oregano: This herb adds a nice smell and taste to the soup.
  • Kosher Salt: It balances the flavors and makes everything taste just right.
  • Ground Black Pepper: This adds a little bit of spiciness to the soup but not too much heat.
  • Canned Diced Tomatoes: These are tangy and juicy, adding some delicious flavor.
  • Canned Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies: These give the soup a bit of a spicy flavor.
  • Canned Chili Beans: They add more protein to the meal.
  • Canned Corn: This adds color and a nice texture.
  • Canned Green Beans: They bring more texture and flavor to the soup.
  • Yukon Gold Potatoes: I love adding potatoes to this hamburger soup because they make it nice and hearty.
  • Beef Broth: This adds flavor to the base for all of the ingredients.
  • Cilantro or Parsley: These are added at the end for a fresh look and taste.

How to Make Hamburger Soup

This soup may have a lot of ingredients but putting them all together is a breeze! Only a few simple steps and you will be enjoying this soup in no time!

  1. Cook the Raw Veggies: Add the olive oil to a large stock pot and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook until tender.
  2. Cook Meat: Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink.
  3. Add Seasonings: Next, add garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Stir in canned veggies and broth: Stir in the canned tomatoes, chili beans, corn, green beans, and potatoes in the pot, then cover with the beef broth.
  5. Simmer: Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and then simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
  6. Garnish: Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro or parsley and enjoy!

Can I Cook it in a Crockpot or Instant Pot?

Yes! This Cowboy Hamburger Soup can be cooked in both a slow cooker and an Instant Pot if that’s easier for you!

  • Crockpot Cowboy Hamburger Soup: Before adding your ingredients to the slow cooker, go ahead and brown your meat and sauté your onions in two tablespoons of oil. Once cooked, add those to your slow cooker along with all of your other ingredients and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
  • Instant Pot Cowboy Hamburger Soup: To cook this in the instant pot, add your meat and onions and sauté with two tablespoons of oil until the meat is browned and the onions are translucent. Then, add in the rest of the ingredients and cook on “manual” for 20 minutes. Then, do a slow release.
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Variations

Here are a few ideas on how you can easily switch up this soup. Depending on what ingredients you have on hand at home, this Cowboy Hamburger Soup can be different every time!

  • Use Different Vegetables: Switch this soup up easily by using different vegetables! Some that I like to add in are bell peppers, chopped zucchini, or peas!
  • Turn up the Heat: Red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or even tabasco sauce garnished on top would make it spicy!
  • Switch Up the Beans: I love the chili beans in this recipe because of the tomato sauce they come in. It adds so much flavor but feel free to use black or pinto beans.
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Make it Ahead of Time

You can definitely make this Cowboy Hamburger Soup ahead of time. In fact, soups often taste even better when their flavors have had time to meld.

  • In the Refrigerator: If you just want to make this soup a day or two ahead of time, then storing it in the fridge is the way to go! Once the soup has cooled, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
  • In the Freezer: After cooking and allowing the soup to cool down, transfer it to freezer-safe containers or resealable freezer bags. Be sure to leave some space at the top to account for expansion as the soup freezes. Then, label it with the date. The soup will last about 2-3 months.
  • To Reheat: When you’re ready to use the frozen soup, simply thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, you can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s heated throughout.
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More Delicious Soup Recipes

Soup is comforting, delicious and filling! I love when the seasons start to change and I can start adding it back into my meal rotations again! Check out a few more of my favorites that are hearty and delicious.

Soup

Award Winning Cheeseburger Soup

45 mins

Soup

Slow Cooker Pasta e fa*gioli Soup

7 hrs 10 mins

Soup

Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)

25 mins

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Cowboy Hamburger Soup

4.75 from 4 votes

By: Alyssa Rivers

Experience the wild west in a bowl with this Cowboy Hamburger Soup recipe! This comforting blend features seasoned ground beef, veggies, and a touch of Tex-Mex, simmered to perfection in a hearty beef broth.

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes, with juice
  • 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes with green chilies
  • 14 ounces canned chili beans, with juice
  • 14 ounces canned corn, drained and rinsed
  • 14 ounces canned green beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • cilantro or parsley, for garnish

Instructions

  • Add the olive oil to a large stock pot and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook until tender.

  • Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink.

  • Next, add garlic, cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes.

  • Stir in the canned tomatoes, chili beans, corn, green beans, and potatoes in the pot, then cover with the beef broth.

  • Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

  • Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro or parsley and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 19gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 961mgPotassium: 878mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2968IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 82mgIron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: American

Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Alyssa Rivers and the food blogger behind The Recipe Critic. The blog launched in 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family. Each recipe is tried and true, family-tested and approved.

Read More About Me

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Cowboy Hamburger Soup - The Recipe Critic (2024)

FAQs

Does cheeseburger soup freeze well? ›

Cheeseburger soup is not a soup you can freeze. Dairy can separate in the freezer.

How do you fix tough beef in soup? ›

I've struggled with tough beef in my soups, stews, and curries. So, I'm finally happy to say the trick to tender beef soup is to simmer it long enough, for about two and half to three hours and use beef chuck instead of stew meat. I trimmed the hard fat off the beef chuck and chopped it into mostly even size pieces.

What soup is New Orleans known for? ›

This is my take on yakamein (New Orleans-style noodle soup) that's famous only locally, but is one soup you'll want to know about. Known in New Orleans as a very effective hangover cure—its nickname is Old Sober—it is also a beautifully comforting and delicious thing to eat.

What is the name of cold Spanish soup made from peppers and tomatoes? ›

If you're not familiar with gazpacho, it's a chilled soup that originated in Andalucía, Spain. Traditional recipes call for tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and bread, which thickens the soup.

How long will hamburger soup last in the fridge? ›

How to Store and Freeze Hamburger Soup. Leftover soup will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, let the soup cool completely and then transfer to freezer-safe containers or bags, pressing out as much air as possible.

Which potatoes are best for soup? ›

Russets or all-purpose baking potatoes are high in starch and low in moisture. In soups, they will soak up the liquid and lose their shape. This makes them the ideal choice for making creamy soups or thickening a runny soup. Try using Russet potatoes to create the perfect Loaded Potato Soup.

What soups should not be frozen? ›

Soups with a creamy consistency, like potato or chowders, might not taste good after freezing because it affects the texture and makes potatoes mushy. Rice, beans, and noodle soups might also taste different or become mushy. Typically, broth-based soups will freeze well.

What liquid makes beef tender? ›

But the acid in milk is so mild that you can soak beef in it long enough to tenderize it effectively, without damaging the proteins on the surface. The calcium-rich properties of milk react with enzymes in the meat to gently soften the proteins.

Do you brown beef before making soup? ›

How to make Beef Soup. The key step here is to brown the beef well – aggressively is the term that I use. This adds a ton of flavour to the beef itself and the broth, from the brown bits on the bottom of the pot that dissolves into the broth.

What is the best beef to use in soup? ›

The best cut of meat for beef soup is either a chuck roast, chuck shoulder, chuck-eye roast or top chuck – with chuck roast being my personal favorite. These are the most tender cuts. Despite what the name suggests, stew meat is not your best choice in a beef soup recipe!

What is African peanut butter soup made of? ›

But essentially, the recipe is made up of ground peanuts (or peanut butter) with tomato paste and spices. The authentic name for peanut soup is granat soup. Granat is the krio term for groundnut – aka peanuts. While it's common practice to grind the nuts for making the recipe, any peanut butter you buy works well here.

What is cow stomach soup called? ›

In Mexican cuisine, Menudo, also known as pancita ([little] gut or [little] stomach) or mole de panza ("stomach sauce"), is a traditional Mexican soup, made with cow's stomach (tripe) in broth with a red chili pepper base.

What is the name of the soup in Louisiana? ›

Gumbo (Louisiana Creole: Gum-bo) is a stew that is popular in the U.S. state of Louisiana, and is the official state cuisine. Gumbo consists primarily of a strongly flavored stock, meat or shellfish (or sometimes both), a thickener, and the Creole "holy trinity" – celery, bell peppers, and onions.

What is Tom Yam soup made of? ›

The soup base depends on the exact sub-type but is generally water, coconut milk, or chicken or other broth. Various aromatic ingredients are sliced, roughly pounded, and simmered to extract their flavor. These include fresh ingredients such as lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, chilis, shallots, and garlic.

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