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Hearty, savory Hamburger Macaroni Soup is filling and full of flavor and it only requires a handful of pantry staples!

If you love quick and hearty soups, you will love this Hamburger Macaroni Soup. It is delicious paired with a salad and some fresh warm Potato Rolls, or perfectly substantial on its own!

Hamburger Macaroni Soup served in a white bowl.

AKA Goulash SOUP

Fall is my favorite time of year for so many reasons. One of which is SOUP.

Let me be clear, the Luna family is not afraid to make soup all year long, even on a 115° day. However, cooler temps are always a wonderful excuse to cook up something warm.

One of my go-to soups is this hearty Hamburger Macaroni Soup! It’s filled with pantry staples like pasta and canned tomatoes and is SO easy to make.

Some may call this goulash, but we don’t make our regular goulash so soup-y, which is why this is more of a Macaroni Soup to us.

Macaroni noodles image.

How to make Macaroni Soup

GROUND BEEF. In a large stock pot, add ground beef, garlic, and onion powder. Cook until the beef is no longer pink. Drain the grease.

BROTH. Add broth, cans of chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire, brown sugar (optional), ketchup, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes

PASTA. Add the dry macaroni and let cook for 15 minutes. Top with cheddar cheese, if desired, and ENJOY!

To make this in the crockpot. Ground the beef and combine all ingredients into the crockpot, minus the pasta. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Add cooked pasta about 30 minutes before serving.

Hamburger cooking on stove.

Tips + Variations

Dry macaroni. Use any smaller macaroni such as elbow macaroni, shell, cavatappi, penne, farfalle, fusilli, or rotini.

Many soup recipes specify for you to cook the pasta before adding it to the soup, but this recipe is so easy that you simply add the dry noodles right into the pot to cook.

Note that you add it last and let it cook for about 15 more minutes, but the time may vary according to the type of pasta you use. Just give it a taste test to determine when it is done to your liking.   

Variations:

  • Veggies. Add frozen or fresh vegetables (corn, green beans, peas, carrots) to increase the nutritional value of the soup.
  • Substitute. Ketchup can be replaced with 6-8oz of tomato sauce or paste.
  • Healthy twist. To make this slightly healthier, use ground turkey or chicken instead of ground beef because it is less fatty.
How to make hamburger macaroni soup.

Storing info

STORE it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days and rewarm individual servings in the microwave, and larger servings on the stove.

Make ahead of time. Prepare about 30 minutes ahead of time and let it simmer on the stove. Or pour the soup into the crockpot and put it on warm until the party starts. Just be aware that the pasta might get mushy the longer it sits in the pot.

FREEZE. Let the soup (without the pasta) cool completely and then scoop it into a freezer-safe bag. It is best to let it freeze while laying flat.

After it’s frozen, store the bags vertically to save space. It should last about 3 months in the freezer. Thaw and warm it on the stove then add cooked pasta.

Serve Hamburger Macaroni Soup with:

Any of these sides would be perfect to pair with this Macaroni Soup recipe! Sop up that goodness, or complete the meal.

Hamburger Macaroni Soup served in a white bowl.

For more Soup Recipes, try:

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5 from 116 votes

Hamburger Macaroni Soup Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
Hamburger Macaroni Soup is packed with flavor and it only requires a handful of pantry staples. It's hearty and delicious!
Servings: 12
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 3 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 58 oz beef broth
  • 56 oz tomatoes chopped (2 28 oz cans)
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 cups dry macaroni
  • garlic salt and pepper to taste as desired
  • cheese if desired
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Instructions 

  • In a large stock pot, add ground beef, garlic, and onion powder – cook until beef is no longer pink. Drain the grease.
  • Add broth, cans of chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire, brown sugar (optional), ketchup, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes
  • Add the dry macaroni and let cook for 15 minutes. Top with cheddar cheese, if desired, and ENJOY!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 12g, Calories: 218kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 662mg, Potassium: 594mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 1158IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Making this recipe? Tag us!
Share it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #lilluna, so we can see what you’re creating in the kitchen!

Adapted from thekitchenmagpie.com

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Recipe Rating




133 Comments

  1. Meg says:

    5 stars
    Hahaha! I think you meant to write “pantry staples” not panty staples!
    Though better to cook with good panties on 🙂
    & I love your blog! Great recipes that are my go-to!!
    Meg

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Oh my goodness!! Haha! Yes, definitely meant that. Thanks for catching it. I’ll make sure to go in and update. Thanks!

  2. Kenneth Wampler says:

    5 stars
    Sounds good. I am going to use mixed vegetables as well, because it will add good color to the dish.

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      That’s a great idea!

  3. joyce Unsell says:

    I have no problem with tomatoes but my daughter developed a dislike for them when she was pregnant. What else could I use to make up for the tomatoes? I always love tomatoes but afraid she will not eat it but I would love to try and my 13 year old granddaughter is picky.

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Ooh this is a tricky recipe to omit tomatoes from, since the tomato makes up so much of the base of the soup. If it’s the actual pieces of tomatoes she doesn’t care for, you could blend up the diced tomatoes to make it more of a puree so there aren’t chunks (or even try using crushed tomatoes). If she doesn’t care for the tomato flavor, I’d probably recommend trying a different soup. Maybe something with more of a broth base or even a cream base. Our classic Chicken Noodle Soup still has the noodles, but no tomatoes anywhere! Here’s a link to more of our soup recipes, if that’s helpful: https://lilluna.com/category/recipes/soups-recipes/

  4. Gary says:

    4 stars
    Recipe sounds delicious, but being a single guy I have no idea where to get “a handful of panty staples” but I’ll ask some of my women friends to see if they can help me out.

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      That description is just referring to some of the ingredients in the list…. meaning, they might be common pantry items you may have on hand. Ex) ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, canned tomatoes, seasonings, etc. You can just check that ingredient list and see if you have everything. If not, maybe some of your friends can lend you some too! 🙂

  5. laura says:

    I made. this beef and and ,tomato macaroni soup a lot. it so good . it. turns out perfect every time.

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Oh I’m so happy to hear that!! So glad you enjoy the soup. It’s a favorite over here too!

  6. Val says:

    5 stars
    Nice easy recipe and went over well.

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Thank you so much!

  7. Brandi Kersey says:

    I can’t wait to try this recipe. My mom use to make me macaroni and tomatoes and it was one of my favorite foods. I absolutely loved it. This looks very similar except it’s got hamburger meat. It looks very good.

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Thank you! I hope you try it, because it’s delish!!

      1. Kendra says:

        Hi we call this Hangover Soup have been having since I was a child and my mom made it. Can you please explain what the brown sugar adds to the soup? It and the ketchup are the only differences and I am just curious. Thank you

      2. Lil'Luna Team says:

        It would just add a sweeter flavor. How fun that you have enjoyed this soup for years as well! It’s one of our favorites!

  8. Brandi Kersey says:

    I agree. Silica was very rude. If you don’t like the recipe, don’t make it.

  9. A. Herr says:

    5 stars
    We love this recipe. It tastes really good!!

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Happy you do 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!

  10. Jack says:

    5 stars
    This is a lot of food for only a few people, so there will be left overs. Soup with macaroni will not keep because the pasta will absorb all the juice. Keep the pasta separately. When serving, add pasta to a bowl and fill with the soup mixture. Soup and pasta will keep in the refrigerator as long as you keep them separated. Love this recipe. Wouldn’t change a thing.

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Thank you for sharing that 🙂 Glad you like it!!