Hearty Bacon Hamburger Soup (Whole30 Compliant)
There is nothing quite as satisfying as biting into a fresh juicy hamburger smothered in onions, cheese, bacon and hugged by a toasty bun. Unfortunately, grease laden burgers are one of those meals that (when eaten too often) won’t love you back. Which is why I wanted to find a way to create a dish that would incorporate some of the flavors of a juicy burger, without the extra calories. Say hello to Bacon Hamburger Soup.
This recipe is completely Whole30 approved. It’s so easy to make, and is the perfect option for a quick weeknight meal.
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As many of you know my husband (Sam) and I started the year off with a “mini” Whole30 or two week reset. Basically we wanted a way to reign in our sugar intake after some intense eating over the holidays. Doing the Whole30, while strict, is a great way to get our eating back on track.
What you may not know about us is that we like to keep fit by running, weight lifting, and working out. This means we need meals that not only taste great, but also offer lots of fuel to replenish our bodies.
We are not usually “Soup for Dinner” kind of people.
I mean soup can be great, but often it’s not filling enough. Case in point, when I told my hubby I was creating a Bacon Hamburger Soup for dinner this week he immediately bulked.
“Why can’t we do any of my favorite Whole30 meals?” he said.
I then pointed out we had already had or were planning to have his favorites. (Sheet pan fajitas, Swedish meatballs, and gumbo to name a few.) He decided to stick it out and try the Bacon Hamburger Soup.
In the end he was glad he did, “This has great flavor!” His declaration as he ladled out his second helping.
We even fought over who would get the leftovers for lunch the next day.
Now let’s make some incredible soup.
The base for this hearty bacon hamburger soup is really flavorful broth. I created mine by building flavors in my cast iron dutch oven and allowing everything to simmer together for awhile.
First I brought some chicken broth to a boil and added the washed and cubed potatoes. Now typically I would suggest a beef broth for a hamburger soup, but I didn’t have any on hand, so I used chicken instead.
Let the potatoes boil in the broth until they are fork tender. (This is a fancy way of saying poke them with a fork and see if they are soft). At this point the potatoes will have drank up the flavor of the broth.
While the potatoes boil brown your burger until almost no more pink can be seen. Add your chopped onion and burger seasonings. You can season the hamburger anyway you like, or typically would for a burger patty. This time I used Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute, because it’s brand new to me and I was excited to try it.
If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s mix, or a go-to hamburger seasoning. I suggest using a 1/2 tsp of the following: pepper, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and minced onion. Taste the burger after it’s seasoned and browned, and add additional seasonings to taste if needed.
Related: Easy Salsa Chicken Burrito Bowl
Now here comes the easy part. Put everything in the pot. Stir it up. And leave it alone. You will want to turn down the heat so the soup sits at a low simmer, but it’s important to give the soup some time to come together. Let the soup simmer for about 15-20 minutes before you serve it, stirring occasionally.
If you are doing a Whole30 just serve the soup warm in bowls. Otherwise it pairs excellently with a garnish of cheddar cheese and crusty bread.
Hamburger Soup Whole30
Ingredients
- 4 medium red skinned potatoes cut into cubes
- 3 cups chicken or beef stock
- 4 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes drained
- 2 tsp yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce to stay whole30 compliant use coconut aminos
- 1/2 cup coconut milk (the canned kind)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
Instructions
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Pour chicken or beef stock in a large stockpot or dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Wash and cut potatoes into cubes. Add to boiling broth.
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While potatoes cook, brown the hamburger in a separate frying pan. Once burger is almost completely browned add diced onion to skillet and cook until translucent.
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Season burger as you with 1-2 tsp of a pre-made burger seasoning or I suggest using 1/2 tsp of the following: salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and minced onion.
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Once the potatoes are fork tender (about 8-10 minutes) add all other ingredients into the pot. Bring to a low simmer and let the flavors meld for 10-20 minutes stirring occasionally.
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Serve warm. Optional garnishes options could be: spicy brown mustard, cheddar cheese, crusty bread, onion straws, or anything else you might throw on a burger.
Enjoy! Do you have a favorite Whole30 recipe, or a soup you love to make on cold winter nights? Let me know in the comments.
Until we cook again,
~ Chloe M.