This Instant Pot Hamburger Soup easy and budget friendly, but doesn’t skimp on flavour! Made with extra lean ground beef, frozen vegetables and a handful of pantry staples, this delicious soup will earn a repeat spot on your menu!

If you’re looking for more budget-friendly meals, you might like my Instant Pot Chicken Ramen Stir Fry!

Instant Pot Hamburger Soup garnished with fresh parsley in two white bowls with black rims, viewed from overhead.

Why we love this recipe

January is peak soup season and it’s also the time of year when many people set resolutions for the year. I’m not a huge fan of resolutions, but I do like the idea of picking a word for the year to set my intention. This year my word is “ease” and meals like this pressure cooker hamburger soup fit the bill. We love this soup because it’s

made from common pantry and freezer items that we usually have on hand
a soup that eats like a meal, with a good balance of protein, carbs and colourful veggies
a budget-friendly recipe my entire family enjoys

Ingredients needed

Extra lean ground beef – I like to use extra lean so I don’t need to drain excess grease from the pot (I find there’s very little and what’s there adds flavour). If you’re not a fan of beef, you could use ground turkey instead.
Onion and celery – sautéed for flavour
Beef broth – you could use chicken broth in a pinch, but beef is definitely the best choice for this soup!
Mixed frozen vegetables – you can find pre-mixed veggies or make your own blend using frozen carrots, peas, corn and green beans.
Russet potato – or yellow potato
Seasonings: Italian blend, garlic powder, salt and bay leaves
Worcestershire sauce – adds depth of flavour, don’t skip it!
Diced tomatoes – I use a petite-diced variety so that the pieces of tomato don’t overwhelm any spoonful.
Tomato paste – thickens the broth and enhances the tomato flavour

How to make it

Find the detailed recipe with measurements below in the recipe card.

Turn on the Sauté function on your Instant Pot and wait until the screen says “hot”. Add the olive oil and sauté the onion and celery until softened and fragrant.

Add the ground beef, use a spatula to break it apart into smaller pieces, then season it with the salt and garlic powder. Continue to sauté the beef until browned and fully cooked through. Press “cancel” to turn off the Sauté function.

Pour in a small amount of broth and use the spatula to deglaze the bottom of the pot (scrape up any bits of food stuck to the bottom). This will prevent a burn warning.

A five-photo collage showing the steps to make Instant Pot Hamburger Soup.

Pour in the rest of the broth, then add the Italian seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. In the following order, layer on the diced potatoes, mixed frozen vegetables, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Add the bay leaves last and do not stir.

Pressure cook on High for 6 minutes. At the end of cooking time, carefully release the pressure (let a bit of steam out at a time to avoid splatter), open the lid and remove the bay leaves. Give everything a stir, season with additional salt and pepper to taste, then serve!

Tips for success

Season the beef – be sure to season the beef with salt and garlic powder as you sauté. This infuses each bite of beef with flavour and makes a big difference in taste for the finished dish!
Deglaze – food stuck to the bottom can cause a burn warning. Any time you sauté before pressure cooking, I suggest scraping up every bit of food stuck to the pot.
Layer ingredients – this is another method to avoid a burn warning. Tomato-based products can cause a burn warning if they touch the bottom of the pot, so we add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste last and don’t mix them in until after pressure cooking.

Hamburger Soup in an Instant Pot being stirred with a wooden spoon, garnished with fresh parsley.

Storage and Reheating

Fridge: Transfer to storage containers and let the soup cool before closing the lid. Place in the refrigerator and eat within 4 days.

Freezer: Leave at least an inch of space from the top of the container to allow for expansion as it freezes. Allow the soup to cool completely, close the lid, label with the “eat by” date and place in freezer. Eat within 3 months.

How to reheat: thaw in the refrigerator overnight or use the defrost function on your microwave (only microwave if you used a glass storage container). Reheat in a sauce pan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Add a splash more broth or water if needed. For food safety reasons, bring the soup to a rolling boil and ensure it reaches a temperature of 165°F.

More Instant Pot soup recipes you’ll love

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