Busy Day Soup Recipe

Busy Day Soup is your go-to when you need a warm, hearty meal without spending all evening in the kitchen! It's loaded with tender veggies, savory beef, and rich broth for that "made from scratch" flavor, without the hassle!

This easy one-pot wonder comes together fast, making it a weeknight favorite you'll turn to again and again.

What makes Busy Day Soup irresistible

Busy Day Soup is the kind of meal that makes everyone at the table happy! It's loaded with rich, savory flavor and made with simple pantry staples you probably already have on hand.

The best part? It comes together fast-just a few minutes of prep and you'll have a hearty, filling, and budget-friendly meal simmering away. It's a lot like my Crockpot Cowboy Stew, easy to make and full of down-home comfort that never disappoints. 

Ingredients

For the exact measurements, please refer to the printable recipe card below.

5 from 3 votes

Busy Day Soup

This is a hearty, flavorful stew made with simple ingredients. Just toss it in the soup pot and let it do the work! It's ready in no time and an easy meal the whole family will enjoy!

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Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course: Soups and Stews

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 318kcal

Author: Deb Clark

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 pound ground beef
• ▢ 1 package Lipton onion soup mix
• ▢ 4 cups beef broth
• ▢ 14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes
• ▢ 8 ounce can tomato sauce
• ▢ 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• ▢ ¾ cup macaroni noodles
• ▢ Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a large stock pot brown the ground beef. Once ground beef is fully cooked, drain excess fat.
• Add the Lipton onion soup mix to the ground beef and sauté to combine.
• Add the beef broth, stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce to ground beef and onion soup mixture. Bring to a boil and simmer for an hour. Beak up the stewed tomatoes using potato masher or a spoon.
• Add the frozen mixed vegetables and pasta. Bring to a boil and cook until the pasta is tender 6-8 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Notes

Substitute beef broth with four cups of water if you prefer. It won't be as flavorful, but will do in a pinch if your budget is a concern.

Storage Instructions- Leftover busy day soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If the pasta absorbs the sauce, just add in more water or beef broth. The soup freezes well. Store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat on the stovetop.

Reheat leftovers in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat stirring occasionally until heated through. You could also reheat in the microwave for one or two minutes.

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Nutrition

Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 1019mg | Potassium: 704mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3362IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 4mg

Instructions 

This is a visual overview of the instructions. For the complete directions refer to the recipe card.

FAQ's

Watch and learn: recipe video

Hey friend, watch me make this yummy soup step-by-step on YouTube! I'll walk you through this delicious recipe!

For even more tasty inspiration, explore our full lineup of recipes on YouTube. You're going to find so many new favorites! Be sure to subscribe to the YouTube Channel. You'll be notified each time I share a new video!

Deb's tips

• If you want to add celery, and onions to this recipe, I recommend that you saute them with the ground beef until they are crisp tender.
• Want to use a dutch oven for this recipe? Make sure to use an enameled one so that the acid from the tomatoes doesn't eat into your cast iron.
• If you want to make this soup even heartier, feel free to add a can of drained and rinsed beans like kidney or pinto.
• If you are using extra lean ground beef, add a little olive oil to the large pot so that the beef doesn't stick.
• Make sure that drain fat from the pot before you add the remaining ingredients.

Variations for Busy Day Soup

• Taco seasoning would be a great swap with the onion soup mix.
• Crushed tomatoes or diced tomatoes work great if you don't have stewed tomatoes. A can of V8 or Rotel tomatoes with green chiles add a nice zip of spice.
• Any small shaped pasta noodles can be used as a swap for the elbow noodles. However, you may need to adjust the cooking time depending on the pasta that you use. So, check for tender pasta according to the package directions.
• You can make this in the slow cooker if you'd prefer, just be sure to brown the ground beef first.

More easy soup recipes

If you love easy comfort food like the Busy Day Soup, you'll want to try a few more cozy favorites! My Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup is loaded with the same hearty flavors as the classic casserole, but in spoonable form!

For something hearty and rich, my Cheeseburger Soup brings all the flavors of your favorite burger into one satisfying bowl. And when you need a true set-it-and-forget-it meal, Crockpot Poor Man's Stew is as simple and budget-friendly as it gets! Just toss everything in the slow cooker and come home to a warm, comforting dinner, love that!

Serve with

This is a meal in itself, but a couple of simple sides make it even better! Try serving it with a slice of Cheesy Garlic Bread for dipping or a crisp Garden Salad for a touch of freshness. And don't forget dessertfinish things off with a slice of my No Bake Lemon Icebox Pie.

Wrapping it up

There's nothing better than a big bowl of homemade soup on a busy night! Make a batch of Busy Day Soup and see why it's a family favorite. When you try it, be sure to leave a comment below and tell me how it turned out. Just leave a comment below. I love hearing from you!