What could be better on a crisp fall day than a flavorful, hot bowl of steaming soup? Unless you’re more in the mood for baked goods, chances are, not much.
Of course, deciding to indulge in some tasty soups and stews is a no-brainer. But the problem with it is- which one do you choose?
The possibilities are literally endless, and they all range from quick and simple to slow-simmered and complex, and anywhere in between.
One Fall classic that always seems to please even the pickiest of eaters, however, is a nice, hearty hamburger and potato soup!
Just like with soup-choices themselves, this recipe is versatile enough that it can be adapted to include all your favorite veggies and flavors while remaining one of the simplest soups to throw together on a busy day.
Don’t have time to stand watch over a pot? That’s okay too. This recipe can easily be made all the more simple by tossing everything in your slow cooker and just walking away!
This recipe is inspired by Heather who contributed it to AllRecipes, and we must say that it stands up to the hype in the reviews and then some!
Here is what you will need to get started:
1 lb of ground beef
4 large potatoes, peeled and chopped to preferred size
4 large carrots, chopped to preference
1 medium to large onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery (with leaves), chopped
4 cloves of garlic, diced
1 cup of fresh spinach, packed (optional)
1 can of corn (optional)
2 Tablespoons of dried parsley
1 Tablespoon of dried basil
1 – 2 Tablespoons of beef bouillon base according to taste
Salt and pepper
Water to cover
The first thing you’ll do is chop your ingredients.
This can all be done to suit you and your family’s preferences. We like a hearty, rustic cut on all the veggies where 1/2 to 1″ thick chunks of carrot and onions burst in your mouth like oversized flavor crystals with every bite.
If you’re more a fan of the small, bite-sized pieces, you can of course chop your veggies accordingly without worry. All the tasty flavors will still be there (and it may even shave a few minutes or so off your cook time).
Step 1- everything but the burger
In a large stockpot (or the crock of your slow cooker) add the carrots, potatoes, onion, celery, garlic, beef base (bouillon), and salt and pepper to taste.
Cover all of the ingredients with water and bring to a boil. Once it begins boiling, let it cook until all of the veggies become tender, roughly 15 – 20 minutes. Be sure to test with a fork at the 10-minute mark if you chopped your veggies into smaller pieces, as they will obviously soften up more quickly.
Once your veggies are softened, briefly remove the pot from the heat and move onto the next step.
Step 2- burger with all the options
Working carefully so as not to burn your fingers, take the raw ground beef and slowly crumble it into the soup. Work in small batches, dropping in the beef crumbles just above the soup so that it doesn’t cause a big, burning splash.
Mix the burger into the soup as you go. This will ensure the raw hamburger stays crumbled and doesn’t “glue” itself back together once it’s in the pot.
After all of your beef has been crumbled and mixed into the soup, add in your spinach and your canned corn. Stir to distribute and return it to the heat.
Bring the soup back up to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow it to simmer until all of your veggies are cooked through, the spinach has wilted, and the ground beef has no pink left in it. This should only take about 15 – 20 minutes.
Note: if you are using a slow cooker to make your stew, just add in all of your ingredients except the spinach in the first step. Cook either on low for 6-8 hours or on high at 2-3 hours. About 20 to thirty minutes before you plan to eat it, add in your fresh spinach to become nice and wilted, but not overcooked.
One trick to make your potato soup a little less grainy is to add some form of dairy –- cream, milk, or even cheese. Because dairy is generally creamy in texture, that characteristic will carry over into your soup. Crisis averted.
So, although the flavor still feels simple and familiar, it's not boring or flat. I also prefer to make this hamburger soup recipe without beef broth or stock; I prefer to use vegetable stock to balance the flavors out a bit.
Meat – Many potato soup recipes are meatless, making a meaty side a great option for it. Ham, turkey, chicken legs or wings, pork ribs or even a juicy burger all pair well for you meat lovers out there! Sandwiches – A grilled cheese sandwich or a Reuben make a great side for a complete meal.
Your potato soup is bland? Try adding a little more salt. That's usually the answer to any issue of blandness, no matter the recipe in question. A basic Appalachian style potato soup uses only a handful of simple ingredients, leaning on milk and water and often bouillon to create the brothy soup base.
It might be tempting to add sour cream or softened cream cheese to help thicken the soup, but these dairy products only work in certain circ*mstances. You must blend cream cheese or sour cream, either with an immersion blender or a full-size blender, for it to thicken a soup.
Cornstarch is not the only thickening agent you can use. Other alternatives include flour, arrowroot powder, instant mashed potatoes, or even pureed vegetables like cauliflower or cooked oats. Each of these options will add thickness to your soup while imparting its own unique taste and texture.
And now it's time to make the soup! Throw the hamburger, onion, celery, and garlic in a large pot…. Then brown it over medium-high heat until the meat is totally cooked! Now, this step is important: Remove the pot from the heat and drain off as much fat as humanly possible.
Like beef broth, chicken broth is a kitchen staple and makes a good substitute if you are all out of the meaty broth. This savory, salty liquid has a milder flavor than beef broth but is a good one-to-one replacement. Chicken broth also has a similar nutrition profile to beef broth, low in calories and high in sodium.
Water. This simple swap should suffice in most recipes that call for broth. To give H2O more depth, you may want to compensate by adding more spices like salt, pepper and bay leaves to your recipe and a tablespoon or two of olive oil to mimic the richness of broth.
Cheese: I recommend a good sharp cheddar cheese here for maximum flavor. Greek yogurt or sour cream: To make the soup extra-creamy. Salt and pepper: Add in as much as you need at the end to season your soup well.
There's no correct way but some methods provide difference outcomes. I normally dice my potatoes quite small, boil them on their own and add to the soup at the end. That way they are perfectly cooked. On the other hand you can add them with other vegetables and the potatoes will begin to crumble once they are cooked.
Use plenty of cream combined with milk, lots of cheddar cheese, garlic, ground black pepper, salt to taste, creamery butter and parsley. Don't forget the potatoes boiled than baked into the soup.
Herbs: Fresh chives, thyme, or cilantro stirred in just before serving. Spices: Your soup is probably salty enough, but what about simmering a bay leaf in there for a while (don't forget to remove it before serving)? Depending on the soup's flavor profile, you could shake in some cumin or red pepper flakes.
The best options for thickening soup are cream or half and half. Plain yogurt or even freshly grated cheese works well and adds an extra layer of tangy, salty flavor. Add the dairy at the end and avoid bringing the soup to a boil since this can cause yogurt, cheese, or cream to split.
It's possible that the variety of potatoes you used may have a firmer texture, even when fully cooked. For soups, it's generally recommended to use russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, as they tend to break down and become softer when cooked.
To thicken potato soup, heat 2 tbsp of butter and 2 tbsp of flour, stirring constantly, to make a roux, then add it to the soup. Heat the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the soup is as thick as you'd like it.
Like many of us chefs and home cooks, potatoes break down when overworked in the kitchen. While it might seem like merciless mashing would lead to a smoother soup, it actually has the opposite effect, creating a base that's more like gluey gunk.
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