Busy Day Soup Recipe {So Easy} - Simply Stacie (2024)

Busy Day Soup is perfect for those busy weeknights. It’s quick to make and requires little effort. Who loves easy recipes? Rich and savory broth, tender pasta, and loads of veggies and beef in each bite.

Busy Day Soup Recipe {So Easy} - Simply Stacie (1)

Busy Day Soup

What I love about Busy Day Soup is that you can throw all the ingredients into the pot and let your stove work its magic.

It has a few low prep ingredients like ground beef, onion soup mix, mixed frozen veggies, diced tomatoes and macaroni.

It’s perfect for days where you don’t know what to make for dinner. If you’re like me, those days are frequent.

This fall is a busy season for our family. My youngest daughter rides horses a couple times a week and is also taking swimming lessons. She is in Bronze Medallion and hopes to be a lifeguard. It’s a lot of shuttling back and forth. Good times.

When I want a simple, hearty meal, I turn to this soup recipe. Serve it with soda crackers or a buttered roll. It’s so tasty and filling.

Busy Day Soup Recipe {So Easy} - Simply Stacie (2)

How to Make Busy Day Soup

Grab a large soup pot, and brown the ground beef. Drain off the fat after it’s cooked so your soup isn’t greasy.

Pour in the water, onion soup mix and tomatoes with their juices. Simmer for 1 hour on medium low heat.

After the 1 hour mark, add in the uncooked macaroni noodles and frozen mixed vegetables. Cook for another 15 minutes on medium heat. The noodles and frozen veggies will cook until they are tender.

Busy Day Soup Recipe {So Easy} - Simply Stacie (3)

You don’t need to thaw the vegetables. Just throw them in right from the freezer. That is what I love about this recipe, it truly is so simple to make and pull together.

Serve it up hot! It makes about 6 servings and tastes even better the next day heated up. It’s just the two of us at home now so we always have leftovers.

Busy Day Soup Recipe {So Easy} - Simply Stacie (4)

Can I Swap Meat in Soup

Sure, you are more than welcome to use ground turkey, pork, or even ground chicken. Just cook the meat until it is fully done. You could even take the skins off bratwurst and use them. I am sure it would add a nice level of flavor.

Or maybe you want to layer the flavor of two meats. Beef and sausage are always a fantastic pairing and really can elevate the flavor.

Busy Day Soup Recipe {So Easy} - Simply Stacie (5)

Vegetables in Soup

The veggies used in this soup can be adjusted to fit your tastebuds. If you have fresh veggies you want to prep and slice up, go for it. Or if you have a bag of frozen vegetables in the freezer that sound tasty, use them instead.

Feel free to raid your pantry or freezer and use what you have on hand. Just get creative and pick items that you like the flavor of. Then I think you will enjoy the flavor of the soup.

Busy Day Soup Recipe {So Easy} - Simply Stacie (6)

Can I Change Out the Pasta in this Soup

Yes, if you don’t have any macaroni on hand, feel free to change it up. Reach for shells, rotini, ziti, etc. Any pasta will work you just want to ensure your pasta fully cooks. You could even break up spaghetti noodles to place in the soup.

I do feel that depending on the pasta the flavor of the soup varies slightly. But, overall any flavor is amazing paired with all the broth and vegetables.

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Toppings for Busy Day Soup

  • Sprinkle with fresh parsley or even Italian seasoning for color and flavor.
  • Shred and sprinkle cheese that adds a nice cheesy flavor.
  • Add on some crackers or even crunchy croutons to soak up the savory broth.
  • Splash of hot sauce to elevate the heat factor.

You can truly do so much to this soup to elevate the flavor. I love it how it is, but sometimes we add on some toppings to change up the flavor of the soup.

Meal Prep with Leftover Soup

This soup is incredible for placing in single serve containers and storing in the fridge. Meal prep for quick on the go lunches for when you need something quick. I think the flavor just blends even more as it sits in the fridge.

In terms of freezing, you will find you can freeze this soup. The vegetables will change a bit in texture as they thaw, but the flavor of this soup is still amazing and tasty. Pasta, as well, can become a bit mushy, so if you know you are going to freeze, cook to al dente.

How to Make in the Slow Cooker

You can also make Busy Day Soup in the slow cooker. Cook the ground beef first on the stove. Add all the ingredients except the pasta to the slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 6 hours. Add in the uncooked pasta when there is only 30 minutes left of cooking time.

Craving More Soup Recipes

  • Stuffed Pepper Soup | If you enjoy stuffed peppers, you will love this incredible soup recipe. You get all the flavors of stuffed peppers but without all the work.
  • Dill Pickle Soup | Serve up this comforting and filling soup. If you know someone who loves pickles, this soup was made for them.
  • Cauliflower Soup with Bacon | You have a creamy soup that is loaded with cauliflower flavor and then topped with crispy bacon in every single bite.

For other delicious soup recipes, try my New England Clam Chowder, Hamburger Soup, Cream of Celery Soup,Cream of Carrot Soup,Cheeseburger Chowder, and Cabbage Roll Soup.

What are your favourite recipes for busy days?

Busy Day Soup Recipe {So Easy} - Simply Stacie (8)

Busy Day Soup Recipe {So Easy} - Simply Stacie (9)

Rate this Recipe

4.49 from 3773 votes

Busy Day Soup

Created by Stacie Vaughan

Servings 6

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

An easy soup recipe your family will love! It’s quick to make and takes little effort. Perfect for those busy weeknights.

Rate this Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 packet onion soup mix
  • 1 ¾ cup mixed frozen vegetables
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 can diced tomatoes 28oz can
  • 1 cup macaroni uncooked

Instructions

  • In a large soup pot, brown ground beef. Drain fat.

  • Pour in water, onion soup mix and tomatoes with juice. Simmer for 1 hour on medium low.

  • Add macaroni and frozen vegetables. Cook 15 minutes longer on medium heat. Serve hot.

Video

Notes

If soup is too thick, add more water to thin out.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 28.5g | Protein: 22.1g | Fat: 3.1g | Saturated Fat: 1.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 45.2mg | Sodium: 522.4mg | Fiber: 5.1g | Sugar: 5g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Course Soups

Cuisine American

Keyword busy day soup, easy recipes, ground beef, soup recipes

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Busy Day Soup Recipe {So Easy} - Simply Stacie (2024)

FAQs

How do you jazz up boring soup? ›

Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples

Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.

What is the soup challenge? ›

Eating better, one pot of homemade soup per week at a time. Welcome to year 3 of the Soup Sunday Challenge! I invite you to cook one pot of soup every week for 4 weeks. I will provide you with lots of inspiration for delicious, healthy soups.

How does Martha Stewart make vegetable soup? ›

directions
  1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant, 1 minute.
  2. Add tomatoes with juice and 2 cups water; bring to a boil.
  3. Add pasta and boil 5 minutes; stir in cauliflower, zucchini, and thyme.
  4. Season with salt and pepper.

How can I improve my instant soup? ›

Start with an aromatic base. Pretty much every can of soup already contains aromatics. But to put some pep back in your soup's step, you're going to want to add more. Start by sautéing any combination of finely chopped vegetables and alliums—like onion, garlic, carrots, celery, bell peppers, and ginger.

What not to put in soup? ›

The Worst Things to Put in Your Soup
  1. By Sara Butler. If there's one good thing about fall and winter, it's soup. ...
  2. Heavy Cream. Heavy cream creates an inviting texture for soups but that's where its positive contributions end. ...
  3. Juice. ...
  4. Turkey Bacon. ...
  5. Cheese. ...
  6. Croutons.

What adds flavor to bland soup? ›

Add acidic ingredients.

Foods that have a great deal of acidity, like lemon juice, vinegar, white wine, and tomato puree, can help liven up the flavor of bland-tasting bone and other broths. "The acidity of these ingredients works to complement and enhance the broth's flavors, not mask it.

What is the secret ingredient in soup? ›

It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.

What is the secret ingredient in secret ingredient soup? ›

16,540,467 views The secret ingredient is... nothing! Despite that revelation, this so-called secret-soup is one of the most hotly requested dishes in the Babish Culinary Universe.

Why do you put vinegar in vegetable soup? ›

Vinegar is the key ingredient that helps pull nutrients out of the vegetables and into the broth, so don't forget it! The peels and ends of garlic and onions are a great way to add flavor. If you want to build the body of your broth, try adding chopped potatoes or yams (leave the skins on for added nutrients).

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

What gives vegetable soup that depth of flavor? ›

Tips for Flavorful Vegetable Soup

Flavor the base: We add Italian seasoning and tomato paste to the aromatics and warm them up to bring the seasonings back to life. You could use fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary, or even add a Parmesan rind for more flavor.

What can I add to my vegetable soup to give it more flavor? ›

What can I add to vegetable soup to make it taste better? This soup really has it all. The Parmesan rind, the lemon juice, fresh herbs and dried herbs. You could add red pepper chili flakes, cayenne, Herbs de Provence or curry powder for more flavors.

How can I make my soup more tasty? ›

Saute Your Veggies

Making a delicious soup depends on building flavors as you go along. Aromatics, which include garlic, onion, leeks, carrots and celery, are the basic flavor-building blocks of most soup recipes. Sauteing these vegetables in oil or butter is the first step to boosting your soup's flavor.

How do you spice up ready made soup? ›

Here are 10 ideas:
  1. Add Fresh Herbs. Take a page from My New Roots author Sarah Britton and turn to herbs whenever you need a simple way to perk up a pot of soup. ...
  2. Add Greens. ...
  3. Add Toasted Nuts. ...
  4. Add Croutons. ...
  5. Add Poached Eggs. ...
  6. Or Something Fishy. ...
  7. Drizzle With Flavored Oil. ...
  8. Or Flavored Cream.
Nov 9, 2016

How do you mellow out soup? ›

The easiest way to tone down a dish that's too spicy is to add more ingredients to lessen the proportion of the spicy element. If it's a soup or stew, try adding more liquid. Add more vegetables, protein, or starches, too — whatever ingredient you have extra of.

How do you enhance boxed soup? ›

9 Delicious Ways to Enhance Boxed Soup
  1. A Dash of Dairy. Creamed soups such as tomato, squash or red pepper really benefit from a swirl of dairy. ...
  2. Fresh herbs. ...
  3. Lemon or Vinegar. ...
  4. A Touch of Nut or Truffle Oil. ...
  5. A Fresh Garnish. ...
  6. Freshly Grated Parmesan. ...
  7. Sausage. ...
  8. Delicious Accompaniments.
Oct 19, 2012

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