Vintage floral slow cooker filled with thick hamburger soup made with ground beef, sliced carrots, celery, potatoes, diced tomatoes, and rice.

Crockpot Hamburger Soup

Beef: Browning the hamburger first adds much deeper flavor to the broth.
Rice: The rice continues soaking up liquid as the soup sits, so leftovers may need extra broth or water when reheating.
Vegetables: Frozen peas or cut green beans are optional variations. Stir them in during the final 20 to 30 minutes so they retain more of their color and texture.
Make Ahead: The beef, onion, and garlic may be cooked one day ahead. Cool the mixture promptly, cover, refrigerate, and transfer it to the slow cooker when ready to prepare the soup.
Storage and Reheating: Refrigerate the soup in shallow covered containers within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat leftovers to 165°F, adding water or broth as needed. For the best texture, avoid freezing the soup after the rice has been added.
Serving: Serve with Molasses Corn Bread with Orange Butter , crackers, or grilled cheese sandwiches.

Name: Crockpot Hamburger Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 430 min
Total time: 450 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 1 white onion; 1 clove garlic; 3 carrots; 3 stalks celery stalks; 3 russet potatoes; 1 can diced tomatoes; ¼ cup rice; 3 cups water; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 cube beef bouillon cube; 1 ½ teaspoons salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; As needed parsley; As needed Parmesan cheese

Let this soup bubble slowly while the potatoes and rice soften into its beefy tomato broth. By supper, the pot is thick, savory, and ready for a piece of bread alongside.

By Betty Lou GardnerAbout 7 hours 30 minutesUpdated 2026-08-22

This Crockpot Hamburger Soup is thick, hearty, and full of slow-cooked flavor with tender vegetables, beef, tomatoes, potatoes, and rice simmered together all day in a rich, savory broth! Easy to throw together in the morning and even better by supper time, it’s the kind of comforting homemade soup that pairs perfectly with crackers, cornbread, or grilled cheese sandwiches.

Betty Lou Gardner in a family archival photograph

Granny’s Kitchen Notes

From Betty Lou Gardner

I always brown the hamburger really well first because those browned bits in the skillet are what make the broth taste richer later on. Sometimes I add a little extra water the next day because the rice soaks up more broth overnight than anybody expects.