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This beef and tomato macaroni Soup is one of the best soups you can make, especially for colder weather. You can make it in the slow cooker or stovetop; the choice is yours.
Karlynn’s Recipe Rundown :
Beef & Tomato Macaroni Soup
- This soup is so easy to make and a crowd-pleaser! It is the soup most requested by my family, and I have made a lot of soups over the years!
- This is an excellent slow cooker soup recipe. Cook it low and slow all day long, then come home and add noodles—dinner is done!
- This recipe is large enough for two meals, so make it once and eat it twice!
A Delicious Old-Fashioned Soup
We were on a road trip to the States when my kids were little, and we stopped at a little place on the I-15 that we had driven by countless times. Oh, please don’t ask me where or what it’s called, but it’s a rest stop with a small town by it. I would know it if I looked at it. While we always stop to stretch our legs, we’ve never eaten at the small roadside restaurant—until that trip.
While everything on the menu was good—not fancy, just a decent clubhouse and salad—the soup of the day reminded me of one of my favorite old-fashioned soups that I hadn’t eaten in years. I had forgotten how much I love a classic beef and tomato macaroni soup.
This is the Best When Made in a Slow Cooker
I rarely make soup that’s not in a slow cooker. I think most soups are improved by letting them simmer all day, the flavorings melding together in ways that a quick 20-minute simmer just doesn’t achieve. Plus, you have that little happy thought in your head all day long that your dinner will be just amazing when you get home! Doesn’t knowing that you have a hot, delicious supper waiting for you make a difference in your mood? I think that’s why I love my crockpot so much.
Beef & Tomato Macaroni Soup Tips & Tricks
- My biggest suggestion for this recipe is to drain and rinse the ground beef. You can see that this soup has a bit of grease (and oh…that makes it so lovely!), but many recipes don’t even have you drain it. I suggest doing so because your soup doesn’t need that much grease.
- The stronger the beef broth, the more beefy your soup will end up, and a little extra Worcestershire sauce also helps with that! I prefer adding dry macaroni 30 minutes before serving, but if you are on a time crunch at the end of the day, pre-cook and then add the pasta.
Pre Cooked or Raw Noodles
How you prepare the elbow macaroni for this soup will make a difference in the end result.
- Pre-cooking the noodles leads to a thinner soup that is less like an American goulash recipe and more like an actual soup. This recipe is classically a soup recipe, not a goulash.
- If you like a thicker soup, cook the two cups of pasta in the soup at the end. The starches from the pasta will thicken the soup and the pasta absorbs some of the broth while cooking, making it a thicker soup.
How to Freeze This Soup
The noodles in this soup will change texture when frozen, so if this is an issue for your palate, freeze the soup portions without noodles, make fresh noodles when you defrost, and cook the soup next time.
I cook my noodles al dente and freeze the soup with the noodles in it, as we don’t mind if the noodles are softer next time. You can freeze the soup in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. I vacuum seal my Souper Cubes portions so that they last up to 6 months.
I have been making this soup for over a decade here at the Kitchen Magpie, and I hope that you love it!
Happy Cooking!
Karlynn
Other Delicious Beef Soup Recipes
Classic Beef and Tomato Macaroni Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup diced onion
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups beef broth very strong
- one 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
- one 28 ounce can whole tomatoes
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar to taste if you have a sweeter ketchup you may not need it
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3 cups cooked elbow macaroni OR 2 cups dry macaroni to add in at the end
- salt and pepper as desired
Instructions
Slow Cooker Directions
- In a medium frying pan, sauté the ground beef until it is no longer pink. Drain the grease, leaving some in the pan for the onions, and place the ground beef into the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Sauté the onions until tender-crisp, then add the garlic. Continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes until the garlic is browned and fragrant. Place in the slow cooker.
- Add the beef broth, cans of tomatoes, Worcestershire, ketchup, brown sugar, and Italian seasoning to the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Add more sugar and Worcestershire to taste if needed. Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
- When you are ready to serve, add the dry macaroni and let it cook in the slow cooker for 20-25 minutes. You can also add pre-cooked macaroni to the soup and let it heat through.
Instant Pot Directions
- Press the saute button and fry the ground beef and onions until the beef is no longer pink. Add in the garlic. Fry for another minute or so. Drain the grease.
- Add in the remaining ingredients except for the macaroni. Cook on the SOUP setting for 10 minutes. ( this really helps get the beef flavor going.) Release the pressure manually according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Add the DRY macaroni (not cooked, or it will be mush!), then cook for 10 minutes on the SOUP setting again. Release manually or with the NPR ( naturally) according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Sandi says
What a delicious looking soup. I think my kids would devour this.
Delaney | Melanie Makes says
I want to eat some of this right now!
Amanda says
I think my kiddos would absolutely love this!!
April says
By far my favorite
Soup recipe! I’ve made it five times this winter already!
Sharon S. says
Hi! I made the beef & tomatoe macaroni soup and the whole family loved it! I used the pressure cooker because I decided to make it at the last minute. The ingredients are items most people have in the kitchen everyday and t was so so simple to make. This will definitely be a dinner or lunch that we will be having a few more times over the winter months. Thanks Karlynn!
Lily Brdaric says
My, my, my. Such a lovely recipe! My 6 year old twins love it! As a working mum, this is great to make, as you end up with quite a large pot full of food. Dinners throughout the week are easily taken care of. I didn’t have raw garlic so substituted minced garlic from a jar, added tonnes of it, and it tastes delish. I also added extra dry pasta so as to have it thicker for my kidlets. I didn’t slow cook (as I hadn’t read the recipe right through). So I cranked up the gas to high, and in less than an hour, I had a healthy meal ready for the kids. I imagine it would taste just as great subbing lentils, rice, or risotto. Definitely a keeper of a recipe. Yum!
Dawn E says
Just wondering can this recipe be frozen?
Karlynn Johnston says
I would freeze it with the noodles JUST in the soup – don’t let them cook longer.
Noodles can come out funny after being frozen.
Dawn E says
Can this recipe be frozen?
Ash says
Beef and Macaroni soup reminds me of my childhood. This tasted just like
Mom’s!
Margaret D says
Will make this tomorrow! Looks like a yummy soul food cold weather recipe! Let you know how it turns out!
Gil Livesay says
90 today in Tampa (again) but made this for the staff kitchen, even if not “soup weather.” Can’t wait to share it. Love simple, straightforward recipes like this.
Karlynn Johnston says
Simple is always the best. I can also eat soup no matter the temperature outside!
Liz says
Saw your video on Facebook and had to make this. Just like moms! Thanks for the recipe!
Barbalicious says
My mom used to make this all the time, it was cheap and filling for a family of 6! I’ll be making this asap!
Lilibeth says
This is a great recipe all on its lonesome but today, I experimented a little.
I ran out of beef stock and had to use 1/2 chicken stock (boo) but added a little extra Worcestershire sauce to beef it up. Then I added a cup of carrots and lots of kale to give it a little more texture. I left out the ketchup since the carrots made it sweeter and finished the soup with some good olive oil after pouring them into the bowls. It was so hearty and delicious! Thanks for a great baseline for many delicious interpretations of soup!
Karlynn Johnston says
Yes, you can customize it to your liking! Thanks for letting me know you liked it!
Barbalicious says
I like the sound of the carrots in it!
Michelle says
Hi, would it be ok to use whole grain elbow noodles in this recipe? Or does it change taste? I usually have those on hand. Thanks:)
Lilibeth says
Michelle,
That’s what I normally use on it and it seems to work out just as well as the regular macaroni, if not a little bit more al dente. It’s kind of a nice in the soup for a little texture contrast. Admittedly, I make mine in my electric pressure cooker so that may make a difference as well.
April says
Ah-mazing! This is seriously the best beef and tomato macaroni soup everrrrrrrr! THANKS for the recipe!
Karlynn Johnston says
Thank you!!!
Maxine says
I can’t wait for winter! This was the best beef macaroni soup ever! Even the picky kids ate it!
Karlynn Johnston says
WIN!
April says
FANTASTIC! I can’t wait to make this allll fall and winter long! Maybe even all summer as well! The best recipe for tomato beef soup!
Angela curavoo says
This. Was awesome loved it
Karlynn Johnston says
Glad you loved it!
Dave says
Made this, but I used San Marsano tomato filets and whole peeled San Marsano tomatoes. Only needed one Tbs. of brown sugar. Added fresh basil and sliced mushrooms too. Used the beef broth concentrate to intensify the beef flavor. Served this to 6 people and they devoured it like I’ve never seen. Served it with a crusty italian bread.
Karlynn Johnston says
I am so glad it was a hit!! It’s my very favourite soup!
Jaylen Blanding says
I loved it I’m only 12 and I cooked my mom and brothers loved it
Karlynn Johnston says
Good job!!!
Carolyn Shaughnessy says
Yummy, I added one can of pasta sauce instead of whole tomatoes, 1 can of water for pasta, celery, parsley, shredded carrots for more vegetables. I cut macaroni to 1 1/4 cups so all ingredients more even. Turned out so fabulous, I will make it again. Great winter soup.
Karlynn Johnston says
Glad you loved it!
Janerudy2 says
Mmm this is in the cockpit as we speak 🙂 I used extra lean ground beef and no sugar, and it’s only 6 weight watchers Smart Points for one cup! Smells divine and I love how comforting it looks. My sister will be getting a bunch as a quick easy meal post baby.
Cheryl Wood-Porter says
I have this cooking in my crock pot just now….even needed to run out and buy a bigger crock pot as my small one spilled over lol
Heather Bader Kopp says
Thanks for posting this today. I have ground beef in the fridge that needed to be used up. I have a batch in my Instant Pot and we will be having it for lunch!
Heather Bader Kopp says
Thanks for posting this today. I had ground beef in the fridge that needed to get used up. I have a batch of it in my Instant Pot right now. Fingers crossed it will be ready to eat for lunch.
Tcvcaf says
Did you you cook this on low or medium on the slow cooker function OR did you convert to IP? Making this now and any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
Kathy MacDonald says
Made this three weeks ago. Hubby loved it and requested it again last week. I made so much, I took a pot to my neighbor…who didn’t even share with her kids!
The Kitchen Magpie says
Lol oh my goodness!! Glad it was a hit!
Beverly Martin says
This was soooo freaking good! I had 3 bowls the first day and 2 the second. The kiddo and the BF loved it too!
The Kitchen Magpie says
SO glad that you tried it and loved it!!
Shanleigh Rice says
Add salsa and use left over Mac and cheese and few other tweaks and this was my Dad Mexican soup
It wasn’t my fav when I was little but now that he has passed I wish I could have it with him one more time
Around the World in 80 Cupcakes says
This was a regular when I ran daycare from my home. I’d sneak in all kinds of yummy things like lentils and sprouted grains and beans