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Grandma's Famous Soup

30-MinutesBeefDiner-StyleStove-TopWinter
Time :30 minutes
Yield :6 servings
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The Scoop

Unserious ingredients, serious result = make this soup right now and tell people it’s your grandma's secret and favorite recipe. 
Nothing about this recipe looks serious on paper.
But then it simmers. And suddenly you’ve got something rich, savory, and weirdly nostalgic for a dish that started with frozen vegetables and a can of tomatoes. This is budget pantry energy at its finest: beef, pasta, vegetables, and a broth that somehow tastes like it’s been simmering on purpose all day.
Hack it:
Ground chicken or turkey works just as well in this recipe and makes it a bit lighter, too.
Use fusilli or penne if you don’t have macaroni noodles; this is supposed to be the epitome of pantry hacks, ease, and flavor.
Fresh leftover vegetables like peppers and green beans make great additions, so don’t be shy to toss them in.
Tomato puree instead of diced tomatoes is definitely acceptable, and no one will know the difference.
Leftovers:
Use any leftovers as broth when you are making risotto! You are adding extra flavor, and nothing goes to waste.
Add a handful of cooked lentils and turn this into a new soup with some extra broth or water!
Mix the leftover veggies with cooked rice and use that mixture to stuff hollowed-out zucchini boats!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth or stock
  • 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 (12-ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables, such as carrots, green beans, corn, and peas
  • 1 3/4 cups macaroni noodles
  • parsley, to taste, chopped, for garnish
  • parmesan cheese, optional, to taste, shredded, for garnish

Directions

  • In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and cook, while crumbling, until it is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Drain the excess grease.
  • Add the garlic salt, the basil, and the bay leaves to the beef and stir to combine.
  • Add the beef broth, the diced tomatoes and their juices, the tomato paste, the soy sauce, and the mixed vegetables to the beef mixture and bring just to a boil, stirring frequently.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the macaroni noodles to the soup mixture and cover the pot. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are al dente, about 10-15 minutes.
  • Remove and discard the bay leaves.
  • Serve the soup garnished with the chopped parsley and the parmesan cheese.
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