Description

A comforting, one-pot weeknight soup featuring browned ground beef, fresh vegetables, and aromatic thyme. It is budget-friendly, freezer-safe, and ready in under an hour.

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound ground beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio)
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups beef broth (low-sodium recommended)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4–5 sprigs fresh thyme (leaves stripped) or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and black pepper to taste
Optional: 1 medium potato, diced; 1 cup green beans, chopped; 2 tablespoons instant mashed potato flakes; ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

Prep vegetables by dicing the onion, carrots, and celery. Mince the garlic and strip the thyme leaves.
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Brown for 5-7 minutes until well-colored. Drain excess fat if desired, leaving about a tablespoon.
Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot with the beef. Sauté for 5 minutes until onions are translucent and veggies soften. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to caramelize. Pour in beef broth, drained diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, and thyme. Stir to scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover partially and simmer for 20-25 minutes until vegetables are tender. If adding potatoes, add them now. If adding green beans, add them in the last 10 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf and thyme stems. For thicker soup, stir in instant potato flakes or simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes. Serve hot.

Notes

This soup tastes even better the next day as flavors meld. It freezes well for up to 3 months. If using dried thyme, add it early to rehydrate. If the soup is too thin, simmer uncovered or add potato flakes. If too thick, add more broth.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 280
Sugar: 6
Sodium: 680
Fat: 12
Saturated Fat: 5
Carbohydrates: 18
Fiber: 4
Protein: 22

Keywords: ground beef soup, vegetable soup, comfort food, one pot meal, easy dinner, thyme soup, freezer friendly, budget meals