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Cozy Slow Cooker Ground Beef and Vegetable Soup: Best Easy Dinner

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This cozy slow cooker ground beef and vegetable soup is a hands-off, budget-friendly meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Made with simple ingredients and packed with vegetables, it’s a crowd-pleasing comfort food that gets better overnight.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef (80/20 works great)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups beef broth (low-sodium preferred)
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained (fire-roasted recommended)
  • 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 stalks celery, diced (about ½ cup)
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed (Yukon Gold or Russet)
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 cup frozen green beans
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
  • ½ cup pearl barley or brown rice (optional)
  • Fresh parsley or basil for garnish (optional)
  • Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

  1. Brown the ground beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink (about 6-8 minutes). Drain excess fat if needed. Transfer the cooked beef to your slow cooker.
  2. Sauté the aromatics: In the same skillet, add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Scrape everything into the slow cooker with the beef.
  3. Layer in the vegetables: Add the diced carrots, celery, and potatoes directly to the slow cooker. Add the frozen corn and green beans on top.
  4. Add the tomato products: Pour in the diced tomatoes (with their juice), tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Dollop the tomato paste on top.
  5. Pour in the broth and seasonings: Add the beef broth, oregano, basil, thyme, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir to combine. The broth should almost cover the vegetables; add a little water or more broth if needed.
  6. Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the frozen peas.
  7. Check and adjust: Remove the bay leaf. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning as needed. If the soup is too thick, stir in extra broth or water.
  8. Serve and enjoy: Ladle into bowls and top with fresh parsley, a sprinkle of Parmesan, or enjoy as-is.

Notes

For best texture, cut carrots and potatoes into ½-inch cubes. Don’t skip browning the beef for deeper flavor. Add delicate vegetables like peas in the last 30 minutes. Season in layers, adjusting salt at the end. If soup is too thin, remove lid for last 30-60 minutes. If too thick, stir in extra broth. Soup tastes even better on day two or three.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker soup, ground beef soup, vegetable soup, easy dinner, comfort food, meal prep, gluten-free, dairy-free

Find it online: https://islatable.com/cozy-slow-cooker-ground-beef-and-vegetable-soup-best-easy-dinner/