Because soup season is right around the corner, I thought I would share one of my favorite soup recipes! This recipe is an absolute staple in our house and gets prepared for me and Kevin for two nights. It is a definite go-to for weeks when I have hockey games, concerts, or any other crazy event. This soup does take a bit longer than most of my recipes to prepare, but what’s nice is while this is simmering you can do other things in the kitchen or around the house!
Servings
5-7
Cost
Per Serving: $3.09-$2.21
Total: $15.47
(excludes seasonings)
Time
Prep: 20 Minutes
Cook: 60 Minutes
Total: 1 Hour, 20 Minutes
Ingredients
2 Green Bell Peppers
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
1 Large White Onion
28 oz. Can of Diced Tomatoes
1 lb. of Ground Beef
6 oz. Can of Tomato Paste
32 oz. of Beef Broth
Small Shell Macaroni
Garlic (or Garlic Powder)
Onion Powder
2 TBSP of Olive Oil
Italian Seasoning
Salt & Pepper
Step 1: To start, brown the ground beef in a large pot. For soups, I often use the Red Copper pot my mom got me for Christmas one year. Yes, the one that’s “as seen on TV.” HA. It’s a 4.5 quart, 10 inch pot so… really any pot that has those dimensions (or close to those dimensions) will work.
Step 2: While the ground beef is browning, this will give you time to dice the onion, yellow pepper, and green pepper. You can substitute yellow onion instead which is usually my preference, but the yellow onion selection was less than desirable. If you can’t find one onion that is large enough you can get two smaller ones- which is unfortunately the route I had to go this time. Dice the peppers into small cubes.
Step 3: After browning the beef in the pot, I use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef into a bowl- leaving the grease in the pot. This is what you’ll cook your onions and peppers in! At this time, add your onions and cook them at medium heat until they are translucent in color.
Step 4: Once the onions are the appropriate color, add the green peppers, yellow peppers, and the two tablespoons of olive oil. This is also when you will add your first round of seasoning. Add a generous amount of salt, pepper, garlic, onion, and Italian seasoning. Start out slow, you can always add more. You know me, not measuring anything and just following by taste 🙂 I’ll try to get better at that! Be sure to continuously stir the onions and pepper in this step.
Step 5: You should simmer the onion & pepper blend, still over medium heat, until the peppers are soft. This should take about 10 minutes.
Step 6: Once the vegetables are cooked, you will be adding the diced tomatoes- do not drain the can! Stir everything together for about 5 minutes.
Step 7: Add the beef back into the pot and stir.
Step 8: Now add 4 cups of beef broth, 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, and additional seasoning as needed. Stir. Cover with lid and let simmer for 20-30 minutes. Occasionally stirring.
Step 9: While the soup is simmering, cook 5-7 servings of the small shell macaroni.
Step 10: Once the soup has simmered for 30 minutes, add the cooked macaroni to the soup. Let sit for 5 minutes and then it will be ready to be served! If you like your soup to be thinner, you can always add water or more broth. I suggest adding in 1/2 cup increments.
Step 11: Enjoy!