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Judy Hesser's Old School Hamburger Soup

This recipe creates Judy Hesser's Old School Hamburger Soup, a comforting and robust dish. It features browned ground beef simmered with a medley of rough-diced vegetables like onion, carrot, celery, and cabbage, enriched with tomato paste, diced tomatoes, beef stock, and Worcestershire sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes, it's a hearty and rustic meal, perfect for lunch or dinner, with an optional addition of small pasta.
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Total Time 30 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people
Calories 1761.1 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Stock Pot or Dutch Oven For browning beef and simmering soup.
  • 1 Chef's knife For chopping vegetables.
  • 1 Cutting Board For safe and efficient vegetable preparation.
  • 1 Wooden Spoon or Heatproof Spatula For stirring and breaking up ground beef.
  • 1 Measuring Cups and Spoons For accurate ingredient portions.

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 cup onion chopped
  • 1 cup carrot rough diced
  • 1 cup celery rough diced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 14.5 ounces can diced tomatoes in juices
  • 1 cup cabbage chopped
  • 1-2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
  • 3 cups beef stock or 3 c water with a beef bouillon cube
  • 1-2 tablespoons oil olive, canola, whatever you have
  • 1 handful small pasta such as ditalini optional

Instructions
 

  • Heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  • Add 1 pound of ground beef and brown thoroughly, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat.
  • Add 1 cup chopped onion, 1 cup rough diced carrot, and 1 cup rough diced celery to the pot. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened.
  • Stir in 1 tablespoon flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook for another minute, stirring.
  • Pour in the 14.5 ounces can of diced tomatoes with their juices, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits (deglaze).
  • Add 3 cups beef stock (or water with a bouillon cube), 1 cup chopped cabbage, and 1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
  • If using, stir in a handful of small pasta (such as ditalini) during the last 5-7 minutes of simmering, cooking until al dente.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or Worcestershire sauce as needed. Serve hot.

Notes

Achieve maximum flavor by browning the ground beef thoroughly until a rich fond develops on the bottom of your pot; this caramelization is crucial. Ensure you deglaze effectively with the diced tomatoes, scraping up all those flavorful bits. The flour serves as a light thickener, so cook it out for a minute or two with the aromatics to avoid a raw taste. For vegetables, 'rough diced' means they should have some substance for a rustic feel. Adjust the Worcestershire sauce and seasoning right before serving, as the flavors will meld and intensify during simmering. If adding pasta, stir it in during the final minutes to prevent it from becoming mushy.