I made this soup the other day because I wanted something quick and easy and because I needed some comfort food on a rather cold early summer day. Hamburger soup fits and satisfies the need.
I love hamburger soup so much, because you can add whatever veggies you want. I think hamburger soup makes for a pretty healthy ground beef recipe. It is meaty, hearty, flavorful, and satisfying. Yummmmmm!!!! It feels sooooo good to eat this. I do a lot of cooking for my mom and she loved every single bite of this soup. It is so versatile and I tend to tweak it each time with different veggies and/or some noodles. You cannot miss with this soup. Cheers!!
Ingredients:
1 to 1/12 pounds of ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
6 carrots, diced
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups beef broth
1 cup short style pasta like Ditalini (optional)
Directions:
1. Add a little olive oil in a large Dutch Oven or stock pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the ground beef and brown. Stir the beef to break it apart as it browns.
2. Remove browned beef from pot and strain off the excess fat. I just pour it all into a strainer and let it sit.
3. Add more olive oil and add the diced onion, celery, carrots and cook till softened. Around 5 to 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to your taste and add the oregano at this point. Stir frequently.
4. Add the tomato paste. Stir to incorporate all the paste. Add the can of diced tomato with juices and add the beef broth. Stir. Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat to a simmer. Taste the soup and season as you need.
5. Let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes and then add the Ditalini if you are using pasta. Simmer until pasta is tender. If not using pasta, simmer for another 15 minutes or so.
6. Ladle into a bowl and let it sit a few minutes to cool down a wee bit before eating.
7. Serve with your favorite baguette or some fluffy biscuits, and some wicked good pickles!!
*NOTE: You can add any veggie you want: zucchini, mushrooms, green beans, corn, peas, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, rice, kidney beans, etc. You can also add a 1/2 cup of red wine when you add the beef broth. The list is endless. I adapt this soup to the taste of whom ever I am feeding.