Hamburger Soup with Pasta
Hamburger soup with pasta is easy to make from scratch. It is a simple and filling soup loaded with healthy vegetables. It is a great meal to make for a family dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 150 grams (5.30 ounces / 1 medium) onions diced
- 70 grams (1 small) carrot diced
- 130 grams (2 small ribs) celery thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed and finely minced
- 700 grams (1.54 pounds) mince beef lean
- 70 grams (2.46 ounces / 4 level tablespoons) tomato paste
- 4 cups beef broth (beef stock) or water and beef stock cubes
- 2 x 400 gram (14 ounces) cans diced tomato
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Pinch of sugar
- 100 grams (3.5 ounces / ¾ cup) frozen peas or fresh peas
- 130 grams (4.5 ounces / 1 cup) frozen corn kernels or fresh corn kernels
- 100 grams (3.5 ounces / ¾ cup) frozen green beans or fresh beans
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 180 grams (6.34 ounces) uncooked macaroni or 400 grams (2 ½ heaped cups) of cooked macaroni.
Instructions
- In a large deep saucepan, heat the oil, add the onions, carrot, celery, and garlic, and fry over medium/high heat while constantly stirring until the onions turn translucent.
- Add the ground beef mince, turn the heat to high, and cook the mince for about 5 minutes or until it is no longer pink. As it cooks, use a wooden spoon or spatula to break it into smaller pieces.
- Turn the heat to medium, add the tomato paste, stir into the meat and cook for 1 -2 minutes.
- Add the beef stock, canned tomatoes, pinch of sugar, bay leaves, and dried basil, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Put the lid on, turn down the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the pasta (skip this step if using leftover cooked pasta). Cook the pasta as directed on the packet, drain and rinse under cold water. Put aside for later.
- Add the frozen peas, corn, and beans to the soup and bring it back to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 5 – 10 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add and stir the cooked pasta into the hot soup before serving and allow to heat through. Taste again for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Serve hot.
Notes
Cook the pasta separately from the soup and add it to the soup just before serving, especially if you are preparing the soup in advance.
The reason for this is that if pasta is kept in the soup for some time, like overnight in the case of leftovers, it will soak up the stock turning the soup starchy and very thick.
And when it comes to reheating, you will need to thin down the soup with extra stock or water and adjust the seasoning.
Storing and freezing:
Allow the soup to cool completely, then transfer it to an air-tight container. Store the soup covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing: This easy hamburger soup freezes well, but we recommend that you freeze it without the pasta.
If you have leftover cooked pasta for the soup, you can freeze this separately in serving-size bags and add it to the soup in the last few minutes of thawing to reheat.
Reheating: You can reheat the soup in a saucepan on the stove or in a microwave-safe dish in the microwave oven.
Don't forget to add cooked pasta in the last few minutes of reheating and allow it to warm through.