Instant Pot Hamburger Soup
Instant Pot Hamburger Soup is a healthy comfort food favorite. This soup is loaded with tender ground beef, a tasty tomato sauce, fresh veggies, and one of my favorite time-saving secrets: frozen veggies from the bag (I'm guessing you have one right now that you need to use up!)
I love how budget-friendly this pressure cooker hamburger soup is. We call this busy day soup because of how easy it is to make, too! I suggest making it with my Homemade Vegetable Stock as the base.
This is one of my favorite instant pot soup recipes, along with Creamy Northern Bean Soup and Chicken Minestrone Soup.
Why This Instant Pot Ground Beef Soup Recipe Rocks!
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Lean Ground Beef: I go for 90/10 or 85/15 for this recipe so there’s less oil to drain off. Ground chicken or ground turkey could also work although it’s not quite as rich of a flavor and you may want to add a bit of olive oil to the pot to help saute the veggies.
- Fresh Veggies: Onion, bell pepper, garlic, and potatoes make up the fresh vegetables in this dish. They’re quick to chop up and saute.
- Frozen Mixed Vegetables: You’ll need a 12-14 ounce package of frozen veggies. I like one with peas, carrots, corn, and green beans, like you’d use for shepherd’s pie.
- Diced Tomatoes and Tomato Paste: The acidity of the tomatoes and tomato paste really bring out the richness of the beef.
- Broth: Beef, chicken, or vegetable broth all work for this recipe. Want broth that's better than store bought? Use my homemade Instant Pot Vegetable Broth or Rotisserie Chicken Broth!
- Worcestershire sauce: One tablespoon is enough to add depth of flavor to the instant pot hamburger vegetable soup. Be sure to include it!
- Spices: Italian seasoning, bay leaf, smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper. Delicious.
Check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and quantities of each one.
How to Make Hamburger Soup in the Instant Pot
Here’s how to make hamburger soup in four straightforward steps.
Step 1: Sauté the Beef, Onion, and Bell Pepper. Cook the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper until the beef is browned and the onions are soft and translucent. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks. If there’s excess grease, drain it off. Add the minced garlic during the last minute.
Step 2: Pressure Cook with Potatoes and Tomatoes. Add the diced potatoes, canned tomatoes (with juices), tomato paste, broth, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf to the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 7 minutes. Release the pressure, then carefully remove the lid.
Step 3: Add the Vegetables and Seasonings. Stir in the frozen mixed vegetables, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika. Let the soup sit for five minutes.
Step 4: Season to Taste. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed by adding salt, black pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper for a little heat. Enjoy.
Handy Tip: Instant Pot Soup Tip
When using your Instant Pot to make instant pot hamburger potato soup, make sure the tomato ingredients aren't sitting on the bottom. Put them in last, so they sit as high as possible. Don't fill past the max fill line.
Alternate Cooking Methods
You can also make this instant pot hamburger soup recipe in the slow cooker or on the stove.
- Slow Cooker: Brown the beef, onion, and bell pepper in a skillet on the stove. Place them in the Crock Pot with all of the ingredients except the frozen vegetables. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8, then add frozen veggies during the last 30 minutes of the cooking time.
- Stove Top: Brown the beef, onion, and bell pepper in a pot. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the frozen veggies and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Stir in frozen veggies and cook for 5-8 minutes before serving.
Dietary Modifications & Variations
- For a Plant-Forward Option: Replace half the beef with 1-2 cups of cooked lentils for added fiber! The lentils blend perfectly with the ground beef.
- Make It Vegetarian: Swap all the beef for cooked lentils and be sure to use vegetable broth.
- Use Ground Chicken or Ground Turkey: Instead of ground beef, use ground chicken or turkey for a leaner protein. Be sure to add some olive oil to the pan when browning these ground meats as they are much leaner.
- Add More Veggies: Stir in kale, spinach, or other leafy greens towards the end of cooking.
Soup-er Toppings & Serving Suggestions
This soup is the perfect cozy dinner on a cold, rainy night and makes great leftovers the next day, too.
- Enjoy it as a main dish! Serve it with fresh rolls, garlic bread, or biscuits and a simple side salad.
- Make it cheesy! Sprinkle grated parmesan or cheddar cheese over the top!
- Add a splash of color! Garnish the top of the soup with fresh herbs. Parsley, thyme, and oregano work great.
- Give it some crunch. Top your bowl of soup with Cornbread Croutons for an added crunch.
Expert Tips
- Season the Beef: You can add salt and pepper to the beef while sauteing it, to bring out more flavor.
- Deglaze the Bottom of the Instant Pot: After you saute, be sure to scrape off any excess food stuck to the pot before you pressure cook, otherwise it could burn.
- Add the Tomato-Based Ingredients Last: When layering in the ingredients of the soup, put in the diced tomatoes and tomato paste last because they can cause a burn warning if they touch the bottom of the Instant Pot. Don't mix them in until after pressure cooking.
- Storing and Reheating: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze the soup for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave on medium heat for 30-60 second intervals until it is heated through. If frozen, thaw it out in the fridge overnight before reheating.
More Instant Pot Soup Recipes
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Instant Pot Hamburger Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 small onion diced small, about 1 cup
- 1 small red bell pepper diced small, about 1 cup
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large potatoes diced in small cubes, about 4 cups
- 1 14-ounce can petite diced tomatoes with juices
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 6 cups beef broth chicken, or vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 12-14-ounce package frozen mixed vegetables 400 grams
- 1 ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook ground beef, onion, and bell pepper using saute setting until meat is browned and onions soft and translucent, about 7-8 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat as it cooks. Stir in the garlic in the last minute of cooking. Drain off any excess grease if there’s a lot in pot.
- Add potatoes, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf to Instant pot. Cover with lid and cook under high pressure for 7 minutes. When finished use quick release and remove the lid.
- Add frozen vegetables, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika. Stir into soup. Allow to sit for five minutes. The residual heat in the soup will cook and heat veggies. Taste and add salt, black pepper to taste, and crushed red pepper.
Recipe Tips
- Season the Beef: You can add salt and pepper to the beef while sauteing it, to bring out more flavor.
- Deglaze the Bottom of the Instant Pot: After you saute, be sure to scrape off any excess food stuck to the pot before you pressure cook, otherwise it could burn.
- Add the Tomato-Based Ingredients Last: When layering in the ingredients of the soup, put in the diced tomatoes and tomato paste last because they can cause a burn warning if they touch the bottom of the Instant Pot. Don't mix them in until after pressure cooking.
- Storing and Reheating: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze the soup for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave on medium heat for 30-60 second intervals until it is heated through. If frozen, thaw it out in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Nutrition
