Instant Pot Hamburger Soup

🍲 Main Dish

Instant Pot Hamburger Soup

Comfort in a bowl. Zero hovering required.

Prep

10 mins

Cook

17 mins

Servings

4–6

Even though it's never cold here, we still love us some yummy soup that is super easy to make courtesy of the Instant Pot! Comfort food doesn't need a reason—sometimes you just want a warm, hearty bowl of something filling and flavorful, tropics or no tropics.

This is the recipe for that craving: ground beef in a rich tomato broth with onions, celery, and your choice of potatoes or yucca. The Instant Pot does all the heavy lifting—you get restaurant-quality results in under an hour without hovering over the stove. It's the kind of weeknight dinner that tastes like you spent all afternoon on it, but you didn't.

Serve it as-is or pair it with a simple salad and crusty bread. Leftovers are even better the next day.

Why This Recipe

The Instant Pot does the work. While your IP pressurizes and cooks, you're not standing at the stove. Set it and forget it. That's the whole point. If you don't have an Instant Pot, it's a fabulous appliance for Panama ~ here's the one I used and loved!

It's forgiving and flexible. Yucca or potatoes? Both work. Want to add carrots, green beans, or corn? Go for it. This soup bends to what you have.

The flavor is concentrated and deep. Ground beef, tomato paste, beef broth, and Italian seasoning build layers. 8 minutes under pressure creates a broth that tastes like it's been simmering for hours.

Leftovers taste even better. The flavors continue to marry in the fridge. Perfect for meal prep or when you want something hot and ready to go.

About the Local Ingredients

🥩 Ground Beef

Use extra lean (95% lean) if you can—it means less fat to deal with and a cleaner broth. A pound feeds 4–6 people comfortably, and 1 to 1.5 pounds all work fine depending on how beefy you want it.

🥔 Potatoes OR Yucca

Russet potatoes are traditional and work beautifully. But yucca is abundant here and holds up perfectly under pressure—it won't fall apart like some starches do. Use 2 large potatoes or 2 cups diced yucca. Both cook in the same 8-minute window.

🍅 Tomato Products

Tomato paste and diced canned tomatoes are the foundation of flavor. Don't skip the paste—those 2 tablespoons are concentrated umami and depth. One 28 oz can of diced tomatoes with juice is standard.

🧂 Aromatics

Onion, celery, and garlic sautéed first create the base that everything else sits on. This 4-minute sauté on the IP's sauté function is non-negotiable—it's where the flavor begins.

Pro Tips

Sauté the onions and celery first. This 4-minute step builds flavor. Don't skip it or rush it.
Brown the meat properly. You don't need to drain much fat if using extra lean beef, but stir occasionally so the meat breaks up into small pieces and browns evenly (about 5 minutes).
Stir in tomato paste before the liquids. This helps distribute it and prevents lumps. Then add your tomatoes, broth, and starches.
Dice potatoes or yucca consistently. About 1-inch chunks. Uniform size means they cook evenly. Yucca doesn't soften as quickly as potato, but 8 minutes under pressure handles both perfectly.
Make sure the valve is on "sealing." This is crucial for pressure to build. You'll hear the IP hiss slightly when it reaches pressure—that's normal.
Quick pressure release is your friend. After the countdown, manually release pressure (carefully, with a towel to avoid steam burns). The soup is ready immediately.
Taste before serving. The seasoning should be bold. Add salt and pepper generously—soups always need more than you think.

Recipe

Ingredients

½ tablespoon olive oil
½ medium onion, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 pound extra lean (95% lean) ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
4 cups beef broth
2 large Russet potatoes OR 2 cups diced yucca (peeled, diced)
¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning (or to taste)
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Add olive oil, chopped onion, and chopped celery to your Instant Pot. Press the sauté button and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the ground beef and minced garlic. Cook until the beef is browned, stirring occasionally (about 5 minutes). You shouldn't need to drain much fat if using extra lean beef, but feel free to drain some if desired.
Stir in the tomato paste, making sure it's well incorporated.
Add the diced tomatoes with juices, beef broth, potatoes (or yucca), and Italian seasoning. Stir gently to combine.
Close the lid and make sure the pressure valve is set to "sealing." Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
Once the countdown has finished, carefully do a quick pressure release (use a towel to protect your hand from steam).
Taste the soup and season generously with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot.

About Yucca: Peel the yucca before dicing (the skin is thick). Cut into uniform 1-inch cubes. It holds up beautifully under pressure and tastes slightly earthy compared to potato—a nice change of pace.

Storage: Keep leftovers in the fridge for 3–4 days in a covered container. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally. Freezes well for up to 3 months.