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This Instant Pot hamburger soup is easy and flavorful! It’s a healthier comfort food meal that uses simple everyday ingredients like ground beef and potatoes.
If you’re looking for the stovetop version, head on over to my popular Easy Hamburger Soup instead.
Why you’ll love it
Tender ground beef enrobed in a tasty tomato broth… who can resist? This Instant Pot hamburger soup builds a ton of flavor in way less time. I just love how this appliance concentrates flavor and is pretty hands off. Open it up, and it’s as if this soup has been simmering away for hours.
I always make this simple, hearty, and affordable soup when I’m cleaning out the pantry. This Instant Pot ground beef soup recipe also happens to be super forgiving. Got some extra veggies? Throw ’em in. It’s all good! And the leftovers are very tasty. It’s a reader favorite.
What you’ll need
- Olive oil, onions, and celery – sautéing sweet (Vidalia) onions along with celery makes a delicious aromatic base
- Ground beef – it’s also known as hamburger, hence the name of the soup. I like to use 95% lean.
- Garlic – garlic lovers, add even more if that’s your thing
- Tomato paste and diced tomatoes – these pantry staples are canned at the peak of ripeness for perfect concentrated tomato flavor
- Beef broth – a 32 oz container equals the 4 cups required for this recipe. Easy peasy.
- Potatoes – Russet potatoes are my go-to variety for soups, but you can definitely use red or Yukon gold
- Italian seasoning – this delicious blend of dried herbs comes in a single convenient jar and adds so much flavor
Pro tip
- I like to use extra lean ground beef because it’s a bit less fatty, so you can skip the step of draining the fat once you’ve browned it. There’s still a bit of fat left, but I find it adds a nice flavor to the soup. If you do use a fattier ground beef, I would definitely drain some of the fat so the soup doesn’t end up excessively oily.
How to make Instant Pot hamburger soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Add the oil and chopped onion and celery to your IP. Press the sauté button, cooking for 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and meat. Cook until browned, giving it the occasional stir. I don’t drain the fat, but you can if not using extra lean ground beef.
Stir in the tomato paste, followed by the diced tomatoes, broth, Italian seasoning, and potatoes. Close the lid with the valve on “sealing”. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. After the countdown, do a quick pressure release. Season generously with salt & pepper, and enjoy!
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I have an older 6 quart model, but here’s the latest version of the Instant Pot.
- Not sure how to store the other half of your onion? This onion saver keeps it fresh in the fridge.
- A sturdy ladle that doesn’t slop soup all over is a must-have.
Substitutions and variations
- You can definitely add in some chopped carrots at the same time as the celery.
- Several readers have successfully thrown in a drained can of corn and/or green beans. Or stir in some spinach after you release the pressure for even more veggies and let it wilt.
- If you’re sensitive to salt, use low-sodium beef broth.
What to serve with Instant Pot hamburger soup
- I like how hearty this soup is, so a dinner roll, breadsticks, or a slice of Cheesy Garlic Bread will round it out nicely.
- For a classic soup and salad combo, try spring mix with my Creamy Balsamic Dressing or this mouthwatering Beet and Spinach Salad to change it up.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftovers of this hamburger soup in the fridge for 3-4 days in a covered container. The flavors intensify over time even more!
- I recommend reheating over a low heat in a saucepan, stirring every so often until warmed through.
- Leftovers will freeze well. Consume within 3 months. I like to store them in individual containers.
Let me know in the comments below if you gave this easy Instant Pot soup recipe a try. I’d love a review. Questions the blog post didn’t answer? Talk to me! You can also find me on Instagram.
Instant Pot Hamburger Soup
Ingredients
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 2 sticks celery chopped
- 1 pound extra lean (95% lean) ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (28 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 large Russet potatoes diced
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning or to taste
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the olive oil, onion, and celery to your Instant Pot. Press the sauté button and cook for 4 minutes.
- Stir in the beef and garlic. Cook until the beef has browned, stirring occasionally (about 5 minutes). You shouldn't need to drain much fat if you're using extra lean ground beef, but feel free to drain some/most of it if desired (I didn't drain any).
- Stir in the tomato paste, then add in the diced tomatoes, beef broth, potatoes, and Italian seasoning.
- Close the lid, make sure the valve is on "sealing", and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
- Once the countdown has finished, do a quick pressure release.
- Season with salt & pepper as needed and serve immediately.
Notes
- Serves 4-6.
- Anything from about 1 to 1.5 pounds ground beef will work.
- Use low-sodium beef broth if you’re sensitive to salt.
- Inactive time indicates the time it takes the Instant Pot to get up to pressure.
- Try the stovetop version if you don’t own an IP.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on January 30, 2019. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
This was a warm, comforting soup. I did things a bit different. I browned the beef first, using a method my mother used by salting the pan and adding the beef. I’m not sure what that purpose is, but it does flavor the beef a bit. I drained the beef and set it aside, then did the onion and celery. I didn’t have any tomato paste, so I used ketchup instead. I used garlic powder and added it with the rest of the ingredients. I had no carrots, but I did have some golden beets. I measured out the seasonings so I would have a future reference for myself: 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 2 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp Italian seasoning. I know this already delicious soup will be even better today once the flavors meld. Is it lunch time yet?
I’m so glad it worked out, Connie!! Thanks for your detailed review! 🙂
Excellent soup, quick and easy to make
Thanks so much!!
Delicious! My second time making this and it’s one of my new favorites. Made it exactly as recommended. I love taking the leftovers to work. Thank you for sharing!
Wonderful!! You’re very welcome!
Great recipe. I too added carrots and salt.
Glad you enjoyed it, Leo!
Just made it and it smells divine. I tasted it for salt and thought the tomatoes made it a bit acidic so I added about 2 Tbs of sugar to offset the acid. But it is delicious and will make again. P.S. I also added the carrots and will add any veggies that need to be used up since this is a wonderful base for any additions.
Yes! It’s a very customizable recipe for sure. 🙂 The sugar is a trick I sometimes use too when the tomatoes are a tad too acidic.
I doubled this recipe but only used 5 cups of broth instead of 8…I was afraid of overflowing my 6 qt. Instantpot. I’ll update when it’s done, it smells so yummy 🙂
Angie, if it’s not done by now I think you’re using the Instant Pot wrong! 😉 (seriously, how did it work out?)
Delicious! I added fresh green beans and used one fresh medium tomato vs a 14.5 oz can. (I didn’t have 2 cans). I also substituted 1/2 sweet potato for a russet. Very versatile recipe!!!!
Thank you! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Diana!
I really enjoyed this dish. This was my first time using my new 6-Qt Instant Pot. I will make this recipe again. It’s even better the next day when all the ingredients blend & marry to a wonderful mouth watering flavor.
Thank you so much, Joseph! Appreciate you taking the time to write me this review. 😀
Love this recipe!! I add a large diced carrot when adding the potatoes, super delicious!! Thank you for this easy delicious recipe that the family loves!
So glad you enjoyed it, Lori! Thanks for your review!
How big/small should I cut the potato chunks?
Bite-size. You definitely don’t need to worry about being too exact… just go by what size you’d like to have in a soup/what you usually do. 🙂