Hamburger soup with macaroni is a quick and easy weeknight dinner that is wholesome, filling, comforting, and nutritious — perfect for cooler weather as the seasons transition.
If you’re looking for an easy weeknight dinner recipe, look no further! This cozy beef and tomato macaroni soup can be prepped, cooked, and served in under an hour and requires ingredients you probably already have in your fridge and pantry.

Why You'll Love This Hamburger Macaroni Soup
- Speedy weeknight dinner. Any recipe that can get food on the table in under an hour on a weeknight is ideal, but this beef macaroni soup goes above and beyond that. This one-pot recipe is ready in only 35 minutes and it’s so tasty, you’ll be fighting for the leftovers.
- Loaded with flavor. This cozy hamburger soup with macaroni is full of flavor thanks to tomato paste, italian seasoning, and fresh carrots, garlic, and onion.
- Great for meal prep. Speaking of leftovers, this variation of American goulash soup is great for meal prep! Have your containers at the ready, decide on your serving size (increase the recipe as needed), and you can batch-prep a week’s worth of individual servings of lunch or dinner for you and your family in under an hour!
- Freezer-friendly for a rainy day dinner. This soup is great for long-haul freezer stashes. If you’re stocking up for a busy season or just building up a supply of reheatable meals for those days when you just don’t have the energy to make a from-scratch dinner, this hamburger soup with macaroni is ideal for freezing for later.
Ingredient Notes
To make this delicious Goulash Soup, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- vegetable oil
- ground beef - you can easily replace the hamburger in this recipe with ground turkey, ground chicken, or a plant-based alternative — just be sure to account for the different rates of cooking when you’re initially browning the meat.
- onion
- garlic
- carrots
- tomato paste + diced tomatoes
- elbow pasta - there are many different ways to customize the pasta in this recipe. You can use dried pasta from the pantry aisle or fresh, homemade pasta, choose a different shape, or sub in a gluten-free pasta or rice. You’ll have to adjust the cooking time based on the directions for whatever type of pasta you select.
- beef broth - depending on your preferences and the kind of meat you decide to use, you can swap the broth out for any kind of bone broth, chicken broth or veggie broth as you see fit.
- seasoning - Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a 6 quart Dutch oven or large pot.
How to Make the Best Hamburger Soup with Macaroni
- Cook beef. Heat oil in a 6 quart Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat until the oil is sizzling hot, about 2 minutes. Add ground beef and cook until browned evenly, about 6-8 minutes. Use a spatula to break the ground beef into small pieces. Drain the excess fat.
- Add aromatics. Add onions, garlic, and carrots and sauté until tender, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add seasoning. Stir in Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce until evenly combined. Add diced tomatoes and stir to combine.
- Add broth. Add beef broth, mix well and bring the soup to a boil.
- Add macaroni. Stir in macaroni pasta and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the lid and simmer until the pasta has cooked through, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
How to Serve
This Beef Tomato and Macaroni Soup is delicious and filling on its own. It’s also great paired with some sides including:
- Caesar Salad
- Cheesy Baked Zucchini
- Stuffed Eggplant
- Cornbread Muffins
- Buckwheat Salad
- Pesto Asparagus
- Garlic Breadsticks
Storage/Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Store leftover hamburger soup in an airtight container like a Tupperware or a sealed plastic bag for up to four days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish, until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Allow the soup to cool to room temperature, then store in a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. Place in the refrigerator at least 24 hours before you intend to serve to allow it to thaw, or use a warm water bath to release the soup from the container or bag and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Multitask to finish the soup faster. If you want to make this American goulash soup in a shorter amount of time – and you don’t mind using an extra pot – you can shorten the simmering time by cooking the pasta in a separate pot while you’re readying the other ingredients.
- Add your favorite garnishes. Top with a sprinkle of cheese, a dollop of sour cream, fresh chopped parsley and chives, or your favorite crackers.
- Save freezer space. To make the most of your freezer space (and make thawing the hamburger soup easier) squeeze all air out of the freezer bag and freeze flat. Once it’s completely frozen, you can stack one or more bags vertically or horizontally to make the most of your freezer space.
More Beef Soup Recipes
- 60 Best Soup Recipes
- Beef Taco Soup
- Ground Beef Cabbage Barley Soup
- Beef and Wild Rice Soup
- Slow Cooker Beef Chili
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Recipe
Hamburger Soup with Macaroni (Goulash Soup)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
Description
Hamburger soup with macaroni is a quick and easy weeknight dinner that‘s wholesome, filling, comforting and nutritious. Prep, cook and serve under an hour.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 cups dry small elbow pasta, uncooked
- fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a 6 quart Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat until the oil is sizzling hot, about 2 minutes.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned evenly, about 6-8 minutes. Use a spatula to break the ground beef into small pieces. Drain the excess fat.
- Add onions, garlic, and carrots and sauté until tender, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce until evenly combined. Add diced tomatoes and beef broth. Mix well and bring the soup to a boil.
- Stir in macaroni pasta and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the lid and simmer until the pasta has cooked through, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Serve warm with a sprinkle of chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
Add your favorite garnishes: Top with a sprinkle of cheese, a dollop of sour cream, fresh chopped parsley and chives, or your favorite crackers.
How to store: Store leftover hamburger soup in an airtight container like a Tupperware or a sealed plastic bag for up to four days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish, until warmed through.
How to freeze: Allow the soup to cook to room temperature, then store in a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. Place in the refrigerator at least 24 hours before you intend to serve to allow it to thaw, or use a warm water bath to release the soup from the container or bag and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Rob says
This was exactly what I wanted. Easy, quick, and delicious!