Busy Day Soup is one of those easy soup recipes that I keep around for busy weeknights when I’m tired, everybody is hungry, and I want to exert very little effort. Yes, that pretty much sums up most nights! This soup is warm, filling, and made with simple ingredients I usually have in my pantry.
This easy Busy Day Soup recipe combines ground beef, stewed tomatoes, frozen mixed vegetables, onion soup mix, beef broth, water, and macaroni in one big pot. It’s an old-fashioned, family-friendly soup that doesn’t require a pile of prep work, which is exactly what I want on a busy day.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
For me, a real busy day recipe needs to get dinner on the table with minimal effort. This dish is a great way to use budget-friendly ingredients and gives you a hearty homemade meal that will fill your family’s bellies.
More reasons to make this recipe:
- It uses simple freezer and pantry staples.
- It’s the perfect meal for busy families and easy to serve to kids.
- Ground beef and macaroni make it filling enough for dinner.
- Frozen vegetables keep prep work to a minimum.
- Everything cooks in one large soup pot.
- It makes 6 hearty servings and can easily be doubled.
When life gets chaotic, recipes like this earn their place in the regular dinner rotation.
Ingredient Notes
There is nothing fussy about this recipe. You’ll find the exact amounts in the printable recipe card below.
- Olive oil: A tablespoon of olive oil helps get the ground beef started in the pot and keeps it from sticking as it begins to brown.
- Ground beef: One pound of ground beef gives this soup plenty of savory flavor and makes it filling enough to serve as a complete meal.
- Onion soup mix: One package of dry onion soup mix is the easy flavor shortcut in this recipe. Toasting it briefly with the cooked beef helps bring out more of that onion flavor.
- Stewed tomatoes: One 28-ounce can of stewed tomatoes, including the liquid, helps form the tomato base of the soup. Breaking the tomatoes into smaller pieces makes them easier to eat. If you don’t have stewed tomatoes, you could certainly use diced tomatoes.
- Frozen mixed vegetables: Two cups of frozen mixed vegetables go straight into the soup. I use Kroger brand, but another similar frozen mixed vegetable blend will work.
- Low-sodium beef broth: Four cups of low-sodium beef broth give the soup its savory broth base.
- Water: Two cups of water add the extra liquid needed for the soup and for cooking the macaroni.
- Elbow macaroni: One cup of uncooked elbow macaroni cooks directly in the pot. It should be cooked only until al dente because it will continue softening in the hot broth after the pot comes off the heat.
- Salt and black pepper: Add both to taste at the end of cooking so you can adjust the seasoning after the soup has simmered.
These simple ingredients come together in one pot to make an easy ground beef soup that works well for a busy family dinner.
How to Make Busy Day Soup
This hearty meal is simple to make, but the order of the steps matters. The vegetables simmer before the pasta goes into the pot, which gives them time to cook while helping keep the macaroni from getting too soft.
Step one: Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add one pound ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks. Drain the excess grease.
Step two: Sprinkle the onion soup mix over the browned beef. Cook on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring as it toasts.
Step three: Pour in the stewed tomatoes with all of their liquid. Use a firm spatula, wooden spoon, or kitchen scissors to break the tomatoes into smaller, bite-size pieces.
Step four: Add the frozen mixed vegetables, beef broth, and water. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Step five: Add the elbow macaroni and gently boil until just al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat as soon as the pasta is ready. The macaroni will continue softening in the hot soup.
Step six: Taste the soup and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Serve hot. I like to top my own bowl with shredded cheddar cheese.
You’ll find the exact measurements and full printable recipe instructions at the end of this post.
Try even more hearty homemade soups including my Hamburger Soup, my popular Old-Fashioned Goulash, and this simple and healthy Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup.
Substitutions and Variations
One reason I like old-fashioned Busy Day Soup is that it leaves a little room for using what you already have.
- Use ground turkey: Ground turkey can be used in place of the ground beef for a lighter version. You could also go for a lean ground beef.
- Try another broth: Chicken broth can work if you don’t have beef broth, although the flavor will be a little different.
- Change the vegetables: Use another frozen mixed vegetable blend if needed. Sometimes I just add a can of green beans and a can of corn. Keep the total amount at 2 cups to stay close to the original recipe.
- Try another small pasta: Small shells, ditalini, or another short pasta can replace the elbow macaroni. Cooking times may vary depending on the pasta shape.
- Leave out the pasta for freezing: If you know you plan to freeze the soup, you can prepare the soup base without the macaroni and add cooked pasta when reheating. Leftover busy day soup is absolutely delicious!
- Double the recipe: Double the ingredients and use a large enough stockpot if you need a bigger batch of this delicious recipe.
- Spice it up: Like it a bit spicy? Add a splash of hot sauce.
Crissy’s Busy Day Soup Tips
- Brown the beef well: Give the ground beef enough time to brown before moving on to the next step. This helps build the savory base of the soup.
- Toast the onion soup mix: Let the onion soup mix cook with the browned beef for 2 to 3 minutes before adding the tomatoes.
- Break up the stewed tomatoes: Stewed tomatoes can be fairly large right out of the can. Breaking them into bite-size pieces makes the finished soup easier to eat.
- Add the vegetables frozen: There’s no need to thaw the mixed vegetables first. Add the full 2 cups directly to the pot.
- Simmer before adding pasta: Let the soup simmer for the full 20 minutes before adding the macaroni.
- Watch the macaroni closely: Cook it for only about 5 to 7 minutes, until just al dente. It will continue to soften after you remove the soup from the heat.
- Add more liquid when reheating: Macaroni absorbs broth as it sits. A little water or beef broth can loosen leftovers if needed.
- Top individual bowls with cheese: I love shredded cheddar cheese on mine, but it’s an optional topping rather than part of the soup itself. Send it over the top by serving with crusty bread.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerator: Store leftover Busy Day Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The macaroni will absorb some of the broth as it sits, so stir in a little water or beef broth when reheating if needed.
Freezer: Pasta can become softer after freezing and thawing, so the best option is to freeze the soup base without the macaroni when possible. Store it in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat on the stove, and add freshly cooked pasta before serving.
Reheating: Warm leftover soup on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water or beef broth if it has thickened.
How do I keep the macaroni from getting mushy?
Add the macaroni only after the soup has simmered for 20 minutes. Cook it for about 5 to 7 minutes until just barely al dente, then remove the soup from the heat because the noodles will continue softening.
Easy recipes like this are lifesavers on busy nights. I originally found the inspiration for this soup in a little spiral-bound cookbook called Cheap and Easy Recipes by Gooseberry Patch, then changed it quite a bit to suit my family.
That’s often how favorite family recipes happen. You start with an idea, make it a few times, change what works better for your family, and eventually end up with the version everybody expects when you say you’re making Busy Day Soup.
Friends, you know I love easy recipes and affordable ingredients. This delicious soup is truly perfect for your busy days
More Easy Family Soups
Busy Day Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 package onion soup mix
- 1 can stewed tomatoes 28 ounces, with liquid
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- 4 cups beef broth low sodium
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup elbow macaroni
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks. Drain the excess grease.
- Sprinkle the onion soup mix over the beef. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring as it toasts and blooms.
- Pour in the stewed tomatoes with liquid. Using a firm spatula, wooden spoon, or kitchen scissors, break up and chop the tomatoes into smaller, bite-size pieces.
- Add the mixed vegetables, beef broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the pasta and gently boil until just al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. The pasta will continue to soften in the hot soup, so be careful not to cook it too long.
- Taste and season with salt and black pepper before serving. I like to top my bowl with shredded cheddar cheese.
Nutrition
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