When you need a recipe to warm everyone up, it’s hard to do better than beef noodle soup. The filling soup brims with veggies, egg noodles and beef. You can play with the seasonings to make it as simple or as robust as you like. And, of course, you can (and should) dip crusty bread in the bowl to soak up all that tomatoey broth.
Best of all, the entire recipe is ready in only 25 minutes, so you can make it any day of the week—even after work. Set out saltines, homemade crackers or slices of buttered bread, and your meal is complete. The recipe makes eight servings, enough to feed a large family or to have leftovers for lunch the next day.
Beef Noodle Soup Ingredients
- Ground beef: Because it cooks up so quickly, ground beef makes this soup easy to prepare. Use a lean cut of ground beef if possible; 90/10 or higher is preferred.
- Onion: Choose a white or yellow onion variety and finely chop it. It cooks and softens with the ground beef, building flavor for the soup.
- Stewed tomatoes: Our recipe calls for Italian stewed tomatoes, which are canned with flavorings like basil, garlic and oregano. You can also use plain stewed tomatoes and add spices of your choosing.
- Beef broth: To make a flavorful broth for the soup, use store-bought or homemade beef broth. Bouillon paste blended into water is a good choice too.
- Frozen mixed vegetables: Frozen mixed veggies save a lot of prep and chopping time! Frozen mixes typically include corn, peas, carrots and green beans. You can add others too like frozen spinach and broccoli.
- Egg noodles: These noodles cook quickly and easily, which means you can drop them right into your soup as it simmers. Look for medium-sized egg noodles at the store.
- Seasonings: A little salt and pepper is all this recipe needs. The beef broth provides some saltiness as well. Our variations below have ideas for other seasonings you can try.
Directions
Step 1: Cook the beef
In a Dutch oven, cook the ground beef and chopped onion over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink, crumbling the beef as it cooks. It should take about five to seven minutes. Drain off the excess grease.
Step 2: Add the other ingredients
Add the stewed tomatoes, beef broth, frozen mixed veggies, salt and pepper. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. When it reaches a boil, stir in the egg noodles.
Step 3: Simmer the soup
Reduce the heat to medium-low to keep the soup at a simmer and cover the pot. Cook the soup until the noodles are tender, which should take 10 to 15 minutes.
Beef Noodle Soup Variations
- Add spices: Dried herbs like oregano, thyme, basil and Italian blends are delicious in this soup. Garlic powder (another essential spice) is good to use here too. You can supplement the flavors in the Italian stewed tomatoes or use plain stewed tomatoes and add all the herbs yourself.
- Try fresh vegetables: This is a great option when your garden is overflowing. Use fresh veggies like green beans, peas, tomatoes, zucchini and bell peppers. Slice or chop the vegetables into small pieces, so they cook through at the same time as the noodles.
- Use ground turkey: Make a lighter soup by substituting ground turkey or ground chicken for the beef. Swap the broth as well and use chicken or vegetable broth.
- Make a spicy soup: Use plain tomatoes and add a few teaspoons of Cajun seasoning to the soup. Add a few dashes of hot sauce for even more heat.
- Add potatoes: Make the soup even more filling with 2 cups of cooked, diced potatoes.
- Give the soup an umami boost: A few dashes of umami-rich condiments like Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce will amp up the flavor of the soup. A little balsamic vinegar will accomplish this too.
How to Store Beef Noodle Soup
Let the beef and noodle soup cool completely, then transfer it to a soup container with a tight-fitting lid. Store the soup in the fridge for up to four days.
Can you freeze beef noodle soup?
Yes, this soup freezes very well. To prevent the noodles from turning mushy, don’t add them before you freeze the soup; instead, cook and add the egg noodles when you thaw and reheat the soup. Transfer the soup to freezer-safe containers leaving room at the top for the soup to expand as it freezes. Store the soup in the freezer for up to three months.
How do you reheat beef noodle soup?
If your soup is frozen, first let it thaw in the fridge. You can reheat the soup over medium heat on the stove. Or, portion the soup into individual bowls and reheat them in the microwave.
Beef Noodle Soup Tips
What other cuts of beef can you use for beef noodle soup?
Ground beef is the preferred cut for our beef soup recipe with noodles: It browns up quickly, which means the entire recipe takes less than 30 minutes. You can make beef noodle soup with other beef cuts, but know that it will lengthen the cooking time. These are the same cuts often chosen for stews, like chuck roast, brisket and round. If you decide to go with one of these cuts, they should be cut into small pieces, seared over high heat and then simmered in the soup until tender—anywhere from one to two hours on the stove.
How do you make beef noodle soup in an Instant Pot?
Use the saute setting on your Instant Pot to cook the ground beef and onion, then drain off any excess grease. Add the rest of the ingredients to the Instant Pot, including the frozen veggies and the noodles. Put the lid on to seal everything inside, and pressure-cook the soup for two to three minutes. The soup should be hot, and the noodles cooked through.
How do you make beef noodle soup in a slow cooker?
Brown the ground beef and onions in a skillet on the stove and then transfer them to a large slow cooker, discarding any grease. Add in all of the remaining ingredients except the egg noodles. Cover the slow cooker and cook the soup on low for about four hours. Since the meat is already cooked and the frozen veggies are tender once thawed, the soup doesn’t need long in the slow cooker. Fifteen minutes before the end of the cooking time, add in the egg noodles and cook them until they’re tender.
What can you serve with beef noodle soup?
Beef noodle soup can be a meal on its own with crackers, cornbread or crusty sourdough bread on the side. Serve it for lunch alongside sandwiches like grilled cheese, with a green salad or with a cold potato salad. Speaking of potatoes, baked potatoes—whether loaded or simply topped with butter and sour cream—are quite tasty when served with a bowl of beef noodle soup.
