Just Add Grace

Hamburger Soup

Morgan Schlesinger -

Hamburger soup.
This is one of those foods that takes me straight back to childhood. My mom would make it regularly and it was always such a comfortable food. At this time of year soup is constantly running across my stove as it is so damp here on Vancouver Island during the winter months. So I thought I'd give you all a basic recipe that I honestly have just made up on my own with the know how I have from my mom as well as many other people who's recipe books contained soups.

This soup is so versatile, you can use it to rally all your left over veggies and create something so healthy and delicious!!

Hamburger Soup
Ingredients:
(This will vary a bit on what you have on hand, if your family has allergies, and if you prefer different seasoning to my family. It's a great soup to play around with and find you knack!)
1.6-8 Cups of Vegetable broth (you can also use beef if you prefer)
2.5-6 Carrots, chopped
3.1/2 Red Cabbage
4.2 tbsp. Garlic, minced
5.5-6 sticks Celery, chopped
6.1 Onion, diced
7.1 Can Tomato Paste
8.2lb extra lean Ground beef
9.1 large can diced Tomatoes
10.3 Cups dried pasta (you could also use rice, potatoes or quinoa in place of the pasta)
11.2Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
12.Oregano, to taste (as a rule I'll usually start with a tbsp of each spice and the add more as needed later on as the soup has simmered for a bit and you can know how the flavor is.)
13.Pepper and Salt, to taste
14.Thyme, to taste, same as the oregano
15.1 large can Kidney Beans
This is where I start. It's really an outline of ingredients. If you prefer subs for any of the veggies or even spices, it's easy to give it a different twist too. But this is what I prefer.

Directions:

  1. In a large soup pot brown your ground beef.
  2. Add your veggies and salt and pepper, worcestershire sauce, and seasonings at this point to the beef. Stirring and letting it all begin to meld together.
  3. Add your broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and beans.
  4. Bring the batch to a boil then cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until your vegetables are all cooked through.(roughly 30 minutes)
  5. If using pasta as I like to, add this after the veggies are cooked and once the pasta is done, dinner is served!
    Note* If you are using rice or potatoes or quinoa in place of the pasta, be sure to add it after the broth is in, along with the rest of step 3.