Hearty Ground Beef, Tomato & Vegetable Soup

Based on the photo, this dish looks like a thick, rustic ground beef and vegetable tomato soup, somewhere between a hearty vegetable soup and a chunky chilli. It has a rich red tomato broth, browned ground beef, sweet peppers, tomatoes, onions, and other vegetables. It is especially comforting when served piping hot in large mugs or bowls.

The recipe below recreates that style while keeping it flexible enough for you to adjust the vegetables and seasonings to your taste.

Servings: 6–8
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45–55 minutes
Total time: About 1 hour 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Ingredients

For the soup

• 1 lb (450 g) ground beef, preferably 80–90% lean
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, if needed
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 can (14–15 oz/400 g) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz/425 g) tomato sauce
• 4 cups (950 ml) beef broth or vegetable broth
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
• 1 cup kidney beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon chili powder, or more to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1–1½ teaspoons salt, adjusted to taste
• ½ teaspoon sugar, optional, to balance acidic tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, optional
• 1–2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or coriander
• 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice, optional

Optional vegetables

For a soup that looks even more like the colourful one in the photograph, you can add the following:

• ½ cup chopped celery
• ½ cup chopped mushrooms
• ½ cup chopped green beans
• 1 small potato, diced
• ½ cup chopped cabbage
• 1 small jalapeño, finely chopped

For serving

• Fresh parsley or cilantro
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• Chopped green onions
• Crusty bread, cornbread, or crackers
• Fresh lime wedges
• A little grated Parmesan, if desired

Instructions

1. Prepare the vegetables

Wash and prepare all the vegetables before beginning. Dice the onion, bell peppers, carrots, zucchini, and fresh tomatoes into relatively small pieces.

Keeping the pieces similar in size helps them cook evenly and makes every spoonful of soup pleasantly chunky.

If you’re using jalapeño, remove the seeds for a milder soup or leave some seeds for extra heat.

2. Brown the ground beef

Place a large heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Add the ground beef and cook for approximately 6–8 minutes, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks.

Continue cooking until the meat is browned and no longer pink.

If there is a large amount of excess fat, carefully drain some of it. Leave a small amount behind because it contributes flavour to the soup.

If your beef is very lean, add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

3. Sauté the onion and peppers

Add the diced onion to the browned beef.

Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the green and red bell peppers and continue cooking for another 3–4 minutes.

The vegetables should begin to soften but don’t need to be completely cooked at this stage.

Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds.

Be careful not to burn the garlic.

4. Add the tomato paste and seasonings

Stir in the tomato paste.

Add the paprika, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, chilli powder, and black pepper.

Cook everything together for approximately 1 minute.

This small step is important because cooking the tomato paste and spices briefly in the beef mixture develops a deeper, richer flavour.

5. Add the tomatoes and broth

Add the chopped fresh tomatoes, canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and broth.

Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits.

Add the Worcestershire sauce if using.

Drop in the bay leaves.

At this point, the soup may look somewhat thin. Don’t worry. The vegetables, beans, and tomato paste will thicken it as it cooks.

6. Add the remaining vegetables

Stir in the diced carrot and zucchini.

Add the corn and drained beans.

If you’re using celery, mushrooms, green beans, potato, or cabbage, add them now as well.

Bring the soup to a gentle boil.

Once bubbling, reduce the heat to low or medium-low.

7. Simmer

Cover the pot partially with a lid and allow the soup to simmer for 30–40 minutes.

Stir every 10 minutes or so.

The soup is ready when the carrots are tender, the vegetables are cooked through, and the broth has become rich and slightly thick.

For an even thicker, chilli-like consistency, simmer uncovered during the final 10–15 minutes.

For a more traditional soup consistency, keep the lid partially covered and add a little extra broth if necessary.

8. Taste and adjust

Remove the bay leaves.

Taste the soup carefully.

Add additional salt, black pepper, chilli powder, or paprika as needed.

If the tomatoes taste particularly acidic, add ½ teaspoon of sugar. You don’t want the soup to taste sweet—the tiny amount simply balances the acidity.

For brightness, stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon or lime juice immediately before serving.

9. Finish with fresh herbs

Turn off the heat and stir in chopped parsley or cilantro.

Let the soup rest for approximately 5 minutes before serving.

This brief resting period allows the flavours to settle together.

How to Serve

Ladle the hot soup into large bowls or mugs, just as shown in the photograph.

For a creamy contrast, add a spoonful of sour cream or Greek yoghurt.

Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and chopped green onions. A little fresh cilantro or parsley adds colour and freshness.

For a complete meal, serve it alongside warm crusty bread, garlic bread, cornbread, toasted baguette, or crackers.

A squeeze of fresh lime over the top is particularly delicious if you’ve made the soup spicy.

Recipe Notes

Make it thicker

If you prefer something closer to chilli, reduce the broth to about 3 cups and simmer uncovered until the desired consistency is reached.

You can also mash a small portion of the beans against the side of the pot. Their starch naturally thickens the soup.

Make it thinner

Add additional beef or vegetable broth, ½ cup at a time, until you reach your preferred consistency.

Use different meat

Ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork can replace the beef.

For a vegetarian version, omit the meat and use an additional can of beans, lentils, mushrooms, or a plant-based ground meat substitute.

Adjust the spice

For mild soup, use only ¼ teaspoon of chilli powder and omit the jalapeño.

For medium heat, use 1 teaspoon of chilli powder plus a little jalapeño.

For a spicy version, add cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, or a chopped hot pepper.

Make it richer

A small amount of Worcestershire sauce, beef bouillon, smoked paprika, or roasted tomatoes gives the soup extra depth.

Let it rest

This soup actually tastes even better after sitting for several hours because the spices and vegetables have more time to blend with the tomato and beef broth.

Storage and Reheating

Allow leftover soup to cool before transferring it to airtight containers.

Refrigerate for up to 3–4 days.

For longer storage, freeze the soup in individual portions for approximately 2–3 months for best quality.

Thaw frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat gently on the stovetop.

You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave. Stir occasionally to distribute the heat evenly.

If the soup becomes too thick after refrigeration, add a splash of broth or water while reheating.

Approximate Nutritional Information

The following values are estimates for one serving when the recipe makes 8 servings, without cheese, sour cream, or bread:

Actual nutrition will vary according to the ground beef, broth, beans, vegetables, and amount of salt used.

Potential Benefits

This soup provides a useful combination of protein, vegetables, fibre, and carbohydrates.

Ground beef supplies protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. Choosing leaner beef can reduce the overall fat content.

Beans contribute plant-based protein, fibre, folate, and minerals. They also make the soup more filling.

Tomatoes provide vitamin C and the antioxidant lycopene. Cooking tomatoes with a small amount of fat can help make lycopene more available to the body.

Bell peppers add vitamin C and colourful plant compounds.

Carrots contribute beta-carotene, which the body can convert into vitamin A.

Zucchini, onions, corn, and other vegetables increase the variety of nutrients and fibre while adding flavour and texture.

Because this is a hearty soup containing vegetables, beans, and protein, it can be quite satisfying as a main meal.

These are general nutritional benefits rather than medical claims, and individual nutritional needs vary.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I make this soup without beans?

Absolutely. Simply leave them out. If you want to maintain the hearty texture, replace them with extra vegetables or potatoes.

2. Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes?

Yes. Use approximately 4–5 medium ripe tomatoes in place of the canned diced tomatoes and adjust the amount of broth according to the desired consistency.

Canned tomatoes generally provide a more consistent flavour, particularly when fresh tomatoes aren’t in season.

3. Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yes. Brown the beef and sauté the onions, peppers, and garlic first. Transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on LOW for about 6–7 hours or HIGH for about 3–4 hours.

Add zucchini and other quick-cooking vegetables during the final hour if you prefer them to retain more texture.

4. Can I make it in an Instant Pot?

Yes. Brown the beef using the sauté function. Add the vegetables, tomatoes, seasonings, beans, and broth.

Cook under high pressure for approximately 8 minutes, followed by a natural release for about 10 minutes. Always follow your pressure cooker’s safety instructions.

5. Why is my soup too acidic?

Tomatoes naturally contain acid. Try adding a very small amount of sugar, approximately ¼–½ teaspoon at a time, or add a little extra broth.

Don’t add a large amount of sugar because the finished soup should remain savoury.

6. How can I make the soup taste more flavourful?

The biggest flavour improvements come from properly browning the beef, sautéing the vegetables, cooking the tomato paste briefly, and allowing the soup enough time to simmer.

Don’t rush the browning stage.

7. Can I use chicken broth?

Yes. Beef broth gives the strongest beef flavour, but chicken or vegetable broth works perfectly well.

8. Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes, and it is actually an excellent make-ahead meal. Prepare it one day in advance, refrigerate it, and gently reheat it before serving.

The flavours often become even better overnight.

9. What makes this different from chilli?

This recipe is intentionally somewhere between chunky vegetable soup and chilli. It contains more broth and a greater variety of vegetables than traditional chilli. If you reduce the broth and increase the beans and spices, it becomes much closer to chilli.

10. What is the best topping?

For the most satisfying combination, try cheddar cheese + sour cream + green onions + fresh coriander. For a lighter topping, use fresh herbs and lime juice.

Chef’s Tips for the Best Results

1. Brown the beef well. Don’t merely cook it until grey; allow some browned bits to develop.
2. Don’t burn the garlic. Add it near the end of the vegetable-sautéing stage.
3. Cook the tomato paste briefly. This removes its raw taste and deepens the flavour.
4. Use several types of vegetables. The combination of red and green peppers, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, corn, and beans creates the colourful appearance seen in the photograph.
5. Taste near the end. Salt requirements vary greatly depending on the broth and canned ingredients.
6. Don’t overcook zucchini. Add it later if you prefer firm pieces.
7. Use smoked paprika for depth. It provides a subtle smoky character without making the soup excessively spicy.
8. Finish with acid. A squeeze of lemon or lime can make a heavy tomato-based soup taste much fresher.
9. Serve it very hot. This soup is especially comforting when served immediately with warm bread.
10. Make extra. It stores and freezes exceptionally well.

Final Result

You should end up with a thick, colourful, deeply savoury tomato-based soup packed with tender ground beef, peppers, tomatoes, beans, and vegetables. The broth should be rich rather than watery, with a gentle smoky-spicy flavour and enough tomato brightness to keep each spoonful lively.