There’s nothing like coming home to a steaming bowl of beef and macaroni soup on a chilly night! This delicious soup is a super easy one pot meal that you can whip up in no time. It’s the perfect recipe for those busy and stressful nights when the kids are home from school, it’s almost dinnertime, and you’re at a loss for what to make!
Not only is this recipe super easy, it’s made with basic ingredients you likely already have in your pantry! All you have to do is brown some ground beef, make a tasty tomato broth, and throw in the macaroni to simmer. This hearty soup is a family favorite! Serve up this nostalgic recipe on cold evenings for a dinner that’ll warm you up from the inside out!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Rich and satisfying, this savory soup is basically like a warm hug in a bowl. If you’re looking for a one-pot dinner to make on hectic winter weeknights, look no further! Not only is this soup super easy to make, but it’s also completely foolproof and super filling. Nobody will leave the table hungry with this combination of protein, veggies, and pasta!
The absolute best part about this recipe, however, is the minimal clean-up! Instead of boiling your macaroni separately (which means an extra pot AND a colander to clean at the end of the night!), you’ll cook the pasta right in the soup, meaning one less step and one less pot to scrub down later. No more dinnertime scrum, relax tonight!
What You Need
For this hearty and comforting soup recipe, you’ll need some ground beef, onion, garlic, beef broth, elbow macaroni, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, frozen mixed vegetables, and some common spices.
Ground Beef
For the best flavor use fresh ground beef and brown it along with the diced onions. This is also the time when you can add in additional seasonings and aromatics. Searing the meat and onions will infuse the broth with incredible flavor. Feel free to use ground turkey for a lighter alternative.
Tomato Base
Using a combination of tomato products in this recipe (diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste) will give your pot of soup an incredible tomato base. The tomato paste will give the soup a deeper flavor and the diced tomatoes will add some great texture to the otherwise soft vegetables and pasta. Want to add in some spice? Use a can of fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies in place of the regular diced tomatoes!
Elbow Macaroni
Nostalgic elbow macaroni is the best pasta to use in this recipe. The curved shape of the pasta is perfect for scooping up with beef and broth! By adding the pasta directly to the soup, it will cook up in all of the savory flavors of the beef instead of plain water. Bite sized shells or ditalini pasta are great alternatives if you don’t have elbow macaroni on hand.
How to Make It
Learn how to make a hearty, comforting soup that’s perfect for cooking on the stove tonight.
Brown the Beef
Cook onion and ground beef in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring to crumble the meat with a wooden spoon, until beef is browned and onion is soft.
Add the Aromatics
Next, add the minced garlic to the beef and cook for about 30 seconds until very aromatic. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for an additional minute to develop its flavors.
Build the Broth
Next add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and beef broth. Season the soup with Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and black pepper. Stir to incorporate, then allow soup to simmer until boiling.
Simmer the Pasta
Once the broth comes to a boil, stir in frozen mixed vegetables and uncooked elbow macaroni. Cover and simmer until the pasta is cooked to your liking, stirring occasionally to prevent the macaroni from sticking.
Taste and Serve
Take off the heat and taste (carefully, it’s hot!), adding just a little more salt and pepper if necessary. Ladle into warmed bowls and serve.
My Best Tips
This soup is super flexible with the vegetables, too. While I love the use of mixed vegetables in mine, you could totally use other vegetables such as sweet corn, frozen green beans, spinach, etc. Get creative! Use what you have on hand (in your freezer)!
If your soup is a little too thick for your liking, you can add another cup of beef broth or water (warmed up) and stir to desired consistency. Don’t stress!
Serve this soup immediately! The tender cooked macaroni will continue to soak up the liquid and swell if the soup sits on the stove for too long.
Cozy Beef and Macaroni Soup
Equipment
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
- 1 can 15 oz tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup elbow macaroni uncooked
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
Instructions
- Place a large pot on medium heat and cook the beef and onions, stirring occasionally until the beef is browned and the onions are tender. (I use a wooden spoon to help break up the beef as it cooks.) Drain any excess grease.
- Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Stir in the tomato paste and cook for an additional minute.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine and bring to a boil.
- Stir in the macaroni and vegetables. Cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the macaroni is tender.
- Serve warm!
Nutrition
Storage and Reheating
- To Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, noting that the pasta will continue to absorb the liquid and the soup will thicken as it sits.
- To Freeze: You can freeze the soup for up to 3 months, but expect the cooked macaroni to be very soft/mushy once thawed and reheated.
- To Reheat: Reheat leftovers in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add in some extra beef broth or water as needed to compensate for the pasta that’s absorbed as much of the liquid that it can.
Serving Suggestions
- For a full meal, serve the soup with grilled cheese cut into strips, for easy dipping.
- Add a simple side salad with Italian vinaigrette.
- Garlic bread is perfect with tomato soup. Slice it thick, serve it warm and buttery, and use it for dipping in the tomato broth.
- Top each bowl of soup with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and some chopped parsley for added flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh vegetables instead of frozen?
Add finely chopped fresh vegetables (like green beans, carrots, and celery) at this point too if you’d like. This way, they have time to cook and get tender before you add the pasta. The broth will infuse them with extra flavor.
Can I make this soup ahead of time?
If you want to make this soup ahead of time, I would recommend making everything up until the step where you add the pasta. When you are ready to serve, simply reheat the soup on the stove top until it’s boiling, and add the pasta to cook!
Leave a Reply