Description
This Homemade Ground Beef Pasta Soup is a hearty, comforting one-pot meal that combines savory ground beef, a medley of fresh vegetables, and tender pasta in a flavorful broth. Perfect for family dinners and easy to prepare in about 40 minutes, it’s a satisfying American classic that’s great for meal prep and leftovers.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 lb ground beef (85/15 recommended)
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Soup Base
- 4 cups beef broth (low-sodium preferred)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pasta and Finishing Touches
- 2 cups elbow macaroni or other small pasta
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef: Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until fully browned with no pink remaining, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat and return pot to heat.
- Sauté the vegetables: Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Watch carefully so it does not burn.
- Add broth, tomatoes, and seasonings: Pour in the beef broth and undrained diced tomatoes. Add oregano, basil, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine all ingredients.
- Simmer the soup: Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Cook the pasta: Add the dry elbow macaroni directly to the simmering soup. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until pasta is just al dente. Begin taste-testing at 8 minutes to avoid overcooking.
- Add the frozen peas: Stir in frozen peas and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until heated through and bright green.
- Serve: Remove from heat. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For best leftover results, cook pasta separately and store apart from the soup base. Add cooked pasta to individual bowls at serving time to prevent it from getting mushy.
- For a deeper flavor, substitute half the beef broth with chicken broth.
- Mushrooms, zucchini, or spinach can be added in Step 2 along with the other vegetables.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: ground beef soup, pasta soup, homemade soup, one-pot meal, beef and pasta soup, easy family dinner
