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A bowl of hearty Hamburger Macaroni Soup with ground beef, macaroni, and vegetables.

Hamburger Macaroni Soup

A cozy, meaty, and flavorful soup that combines ground beef, macaroni, and vegetables in a hearty broth. Perfect for busy weeknights and adaptable to whatever you have in your kitchen.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Comfort Food
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 pound ground beef, preferably 85 to 90 percent lean
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 14.5 ounces can diced tomatoes
  • 6 cups beef broth or stock
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika optional but tasty
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 to 1.5 cups dry elbow macaroni
  • to taste Salt and black pepper
  • as needed Olive oil for sautéing
  • to taste Fresh parsley for serving
  • to taste Grated Parmesan for serving

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Warm a large pot over medium heat with a little olive oil. Add ground beef and break it up as it browns. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon off extra fat if there’s a lot.
  2. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until the onion is soft and edges are a bit golden. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Stir in diced tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, paprika, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil.
  4. Reduce to a soft simmer for 10 to 15 minutes to let the flavors come together. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  5. Stir in the macaroni and cook until tender but not mushy. Most brands take 7 to 10 minutes. If the soup gets too thick, splash in a little extra broth or water.
  6. Remove the bay leaf, taste again, and stir in a handful of chopped parsley. Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan.

Notes

To speed up the process, you can prep the veggies and brown the beef a day ahead. Consider boiling the macaroni separately for better texture. This soup is versatile; feel free to adapt the vegetables and spices according to your preferences.