This hearty hamburger soup is a classic Amish-style recipe made with ground beef, potatoes, carrots, tomato juice and milk, along with a few pantry staples. It’s a comforting one-pot meal that’s quick to prepare and perfect for busy fall and winter evenings.
It’s one of our family’s favorite soups because it’s filling, easy to make, and stretches well for larger families. Below you’ll find simple, practical instructions and tips for variations including a gluten-free version.
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How to Make Potato and Hamburger Soup
This recipe comes together quickly and makes a satisfying meal.
- Brown the ground beef:
- In a skillet, brown 1 lb. ground beef over medium heat until cooked through. Drain excess grease and set the beef aside. You can brown the meat with the vegetables if you prefer a true one-pot method, but draining the fat gives a cleaner broth.
- Prepare the vegetables:
- Peel and chop the potatoes and carrots, and chop the onion and green pepper if using.
- Sauté the aromatics and vegetables:
- Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large pot. Add 1 clove minced garlic, 1 small chopped onion, ½ cup chopped green pepper (optional), and 1 cup sliced or chopped carrots. Sauté for about five minutes until softened.
- Add the tomato juice:
- Pour in 2 cups tomato juice and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 10–15 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Add potatoes and seasonings:
- Add 2 cups peeled and diced potatoes, the cooked ground beef, and seasonings: ½ tsp salt (or to taste), ½–¾ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp seasoned salt, 1 tsp dried basil (optional), and ½ tsp dried thyme (optional). If you want more liquid, add up to 1 cup water or additional tomato juice. Bring back to a boil and cook about 10 minutes, or until potatoes reach your desired tenderness.
- Make a slurry (optional):
- If you prefer a creamier, thicker soup, whisk ⅓ cup all-purpose flour into 1 cup of the milk to make a lump-free slurry. Add it to the pot and stir to combine.
- Add remaining milk and finish:
- Pour in the remaining 3 cups milk (for a total of 4 cups). Stir in 3 Tbsp brown sugar if desired. Heat the soup gently, but avoid boiling after adding the milk so it doesn’t separate.
- Serve:
- Once heated through, ladle the soup into bowls and serve. Leftovers refrigerate well and reheat easily.
Note on potato texture: my family likes the potatoes a bit firm for texture, so I often add them during the last 5–10 minutes of cooking. If you prefer very soft potatoes, cook them a few minutes longer before adding the milk and slurry.
Gluten-Free Hamburger Soup
This soup can be adapted easily for gluten-free diets. The original recipe uses flour to thicken the soup, but it works perfectly well without it.
For a gluten-free version, omit the flour slurry and reduce the milk slightly if you prefer a thinner, brothy soup. You can also add shredded cheese at the end to add body and flavor without using flour.
My family sometimes prefers a runnier, brothy soup—especially for those who don’t like thick, creamy textures—so skipping the flour is a simple adjustment that still yields a satisfying meal.
Soup Is Comfort Food for a Tight Budget
Soup is one of the most comforting and economical meals. On cold, rainy days a pot of soup warms everyone and often serves as a complete meal on its own.
Hearty hamburger soup uses affordable ingredients and stretches well—add more broth, milk or water to feed more people without much extra cost. When you have potatoes, canned tomato juice, and a bit of ground beef, you can feed a family on a budget.
Growing or preserving your own food—potatoes, carrots, canned tomato juice or home-raised meat—can make meals like this even cheaper and more satisfying. On our farm we kept a root cellar full of potatoes and used home-frozen beef and canned tomatoes to make filling meals all winter long.
Using Farm-Grown Food
If you garden or raise livestock, this soup is a great way to use homegrown produce and meat. Fresh or stored potatoes, canned tomatoes from the summer harvest, and home-dairy milk make this dish especially tasty and economical.
Many Amish families grow and preserve much of their own food, which makes simple, hearty recipes like this a natural choice for everyday meals.
On the farm we stored potatoes in a root cellar and used milk from our cows and beef from the freezer to prepare meals that fed our family throughout the winter. Using homegrown ingredients keeps meal costs low and food fresh.
With grocery prices rising, returning to simple, land-based food traditions can help households save money while enjoying wholesome, satisfying meals.
More Amish Soup and Comfort Food Recipes
- Amish Potato Soup Recipe
- Chicken Corn Noodles Soup Recipe
- Cheesy Chicken Chowder
- Crock Pot Beef Stew Recipe
- PA Dutch Chicken Pot Pie
- Chickenetti Casserole
I hope you enjoy this hearty hamburger soup as much as we do. If you try the recipe, please leave a comment to share how it turned out.
To serve alongside this tomato-and-hamburger soup, warm homemade biscuits or a crusty roll are excellent choices.
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Amish Hearty Hamburger Soup Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- ½ c. green pepper, chopped (optional)
- 1 c. carrots, peeled and sliced or chopped
- 2 c. tomato juice
- 2 c. potatoes, peeled and diced
- ½ tsp. salt (or to taste)
- ½ – ¾ tsp. black pepper
- ½ tsp. seasoned salt
- 1 tsp. dried basil (optional)
- ½ tsp. dried thyme (optional)
- 4 c. milk
- ⅓ c. all-purpose flour (optional)
- 3 Tbsp. brown sugar (optional)
Instructions
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Brown the hamburger in a saucepan, drain the grease, and set aside.
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Melt the butter in a large pot. Add garlic, onions, green peppers (if using), and carrots, and sauté until softened.
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Add the tomato juice, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 10–15 minutes.
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Add the potatoes, browned hamburger, and seasonings. If desired, add up to 1 cup extra liquid. Bring back to a boil and cook about 10 minutes until potatoes are nearly tender.
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Whisk flour into 1 cup milk to make a slurry (optional). Stir into the soup to thicken, if using.
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Add the remaining 3 cups milk and brown sugar (optional). Heat gently without boiling, then serve.
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Serve and enjoy.
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Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated.
Notes
Adjust vegetables and seasonings to suit your family’s tastes. Omit the flour for a brothy soup, or add cheese for extra creaminess.
If you prefer firmer potatoes, add them later in the cook time; for very soft potatoes, cook a few minutes longer before adding milk.
Feel free to stir shredded cheese into the soup before serving, or serve it alongside the bowls.
*Nutrition values are approximate.
Nutrition