Hard Up Soup

Hard Up Soup–want to make dinner for cheap? Try this easy Instant Pot or Crockpot soup with ground beef, potatoes and vegetables.

Hard Up Soup

Sometimes when I visit the grocery store I am shocked at the “normal” prices of foods. I noticed a box of cereal yesterday that was close to $8! Of course I don’t buy the cereal at this price but instead I shop the sales (I found my beloved honey nut cheerios for $2). When something is a great deal I stock up. So if tomato sauce is on sale for 50 cents I’ll buy a case of it…since I know that I will use it. Soon you’ll have a nice supply of pantry items and meats in your freezer that were all bought on sale and you’ll be able to create meals for a reasonable price instead of crazy town prices.

This soup uses ground beef which isn’t necessarily inexpensive. However, I buy several pounds of ground beef (93/7 leaness!) at Winco for less than $4 per pound and keep it in my freezer. Rotel was on sale this week for $1 a can. And frozen vegetables can be found for around a dollar or two a package. So if you’re watching you can make a healthy and delicious soup for quite cheap.

Ingredients/Substitution Ideas

• Lean ground beef–or ground turkey
• Dry minced onion–or 1 cup fresh chopped onion
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder–or granulated garlic
• Kosher salt
• Beef broth–or 4 cups water and 4 teaspoons Better than Bouillon Beef Base
• Potatoes–I used peeled Russets. You can also use red potatoes.
• Rotel–or a can of diced tomatoes and a can of diced green chiles
• Worcestershire sauce
• Tomato sauce
• Frozen vegetables–I used a mix with carrots, peas, corn, green beans and lima beans

Steps

Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. Brown the beef for about 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease.

Stir in the onion, pepper, garlic powder and salt. Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Add in the potatoes.

Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the soup button to 4 minutes. When time is up move valve to venting and remove the lid.

Stir in the Rotel, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce and frozen vegetables. Heat the vegetables through on the saute setting. 

Season to taste. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Notes/Tips

• Serve with a side of garlic toast.
• I used frozen veggies mix with carrots, peas, corn, green beans and lima beans. Use whatever vegetables you like best.
• This recipe can be gluten free if you use gluten free Worcestershire sauce.
• This recipe is dairy free.
• I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Other recipes you can make with potatoes are Outback Loaded Potato Soup and Potato Salad.

Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for. 

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*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.