One Of Ree Drummond's Favorite Soup Recipes Is An Economical Classic

There's nothing more comforting during cold weather season than a hot bowl of soup, and it's even better when it's one that's cozily familiar. The Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond makes a classic old-school soup that's one of her favorites and that her family loves, using a recipe handed down from her grandmother: hamburger soup (per The Pioneer Woman). Made with ground beef, it is not only delicious, but it's economical too — one reason it's traditionally been popular.

One of the things Drummond likes about hamburger soup is you can make it with any vegetables you like, so you can use up veggies in your refrigerator. Her recipe mix includes carrots, celery, bell peppers, and potatoes, but you could also include things like green beans, corn, peas, asparagus, and bite-sized broccoli or cauliflower florets. The ground beef is browned first, either alone or with ingredients like garlic, onion, celery, or peppers. Although some recipes vary, this is usually when the chopped vegetables are added along with canned tomatoes, beef stock, and herbs and spices, then the soup simmers until it's done.

Meat has had one of the highest price increases recently, which has spiked the cost of ground beef by 13% in 2025 compared to 2024 (per the New York Times). This is why people have been looking for ways to stretch ground beef to feed themselves and their families, which has led to a spike in Hamburger Helper sales as prices rise. The same is true for hamburger soup, which gives you a lot of servings in one pot.

One fan of Ree Drummond's hamburger soup is "Friends" actress Courteney Cox, who posted a 2023 Instagram video of herself making it that included the recipe and a thank you to Drummond. However, Drummond's daughter Alex shook things up in her post about making the soup, using canned tomatoes with diced green chiles for some spice, adding green beans, and topping the soup with shredded cheese.

Alex shows how there are many ways to customize hamburger soup beyond just the vegetables. A central one is the beef itself. Some people, like Drummond, use ground chuck, which is 80% lean to 20% fat, while others prefer a leaner blend like 85%/15%. Ground chuck's higher fat content equals more flavor, but the extra fat can make the soup greasy if it's not drained after browning. You could also go really lean by using ground turkey breast. Recipes can include another tomato flavor layer, like tomato paste or even canned tomato soup because, let's be real, there are many delicious ways to use canned soup you've never thought of. You could also swap in chicken or vegetable stock for the beef stock for a lighter flavor.

Ideas for additions include Worcestershire sauce (the secret to the best-tasting hamburgers), onion soup mix, red wine, smoked paprika, chili powder, or cayenne. You could also bulk it up with short pasta, barley, or rice. Serve the hamburger soup with crusty bread or a simple garlic bread, or bring Southern flair with biscuits or cornbread.