Crockpot beef and vegetable soup is a great freezer meal. It's a dump and start crockpot meal that everyone loves!
Crockpot beef and vegetable soup:
I'm on the other side of pregnant, friends! That means my little guy is here, and we're just soaking up all the baby snuggles! You can see some baby photos here, if you wish.
Lately, I have zero desire to put the baby down and actually cook a meal, and so I'm finally making my way through the freezer meals I prepared before he was born!
My mom and I came together again (just like last time for Camille), and stocked both of our freezers with easy meals. I photographed everything along the way, and I promise you, as I defrost and cook these meals, I'll share them! I'll share them if they're delicious, that is!
Crockpot ground beef recipes:
This crockpot beef and vegetable soup is something my mom made a lot when I was growing up. Except her version wasn't made in the crockpot, and her recipe card officially says 'spicy vegetable soup.' As a kid, I complained about the spice, of course, but I distinctly remember my Mom making it for Sunday family lunch one day and my Grandpa loved it.
I still don't love spicy food, so I omit the spice from her recipe, though you could include ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes if you like! I also make her recipe in the crockpot, because I'm newly obsessed with dump and stir crockpot meals.
Freezer crockpot recipes preparation:
Since this is a freezer meal, there is a small amount of prep work to do before bagging it up and placing in the freezer.
- First, chop the onions, garlic and celery, and place them in the bag.
- Dump in the canned tomatoes, pasta sauce, spices, and a bag of mixed frozen vegetables.
- Brown the ground beef on the stove top, and drain off any grease. Place the cooked beef in a separate bag and seal.
- On the day of cooking, add both bags to the crockpot--no need to defrost either.
- Then, add 10 ounces of beef broth and 2 cups of water.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours, or LOW for 8 hours.
It can be hard to remember to keep beef broth on hand, so go ahead and buy the can of beef broth the day you prep this meal. It will be waiting for you in the back of the pantry the day you want to eat this meal.
Freezer meals with ground beef:
I'll admit that this recipe is a little vintage. I was skeptical of a soup recipe that had a jar of pasta sauce as a base, but it is so good here! The best one to use is a veggie-packed one that contains mushrooms. Sometimes these veggie forward pasta sauces have the word 'garden' in the title. Also, don't worry if you can't the exact size jar the recipe calls for, within a few ounces is totally fine.
This crockpot beef and vegetable soup is so easy and so comforting! The recipe makes enough for a few days' worth of dinners plus a lunch or two. So, yes, this recipe serves more than two, but I'm so glad it does because it's so nice to have in the fridge for quick meals between nursing sessions.
Other ground beef recipes:
Crockpot Beef and Vegetable Soup
Crockpot beef and vegetable soup is a great freezer meal.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 30-oz jar of chunky garden-style pasta sauce
- 14-oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1 16-oz packaged frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 10-oz can of beef broth
Instructions
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef until no longer pink. Let cool, and drain. When cool, place in a freezer-safe bag and seal.
2. Meanwhile, chop the onion, celery and garlic.
3. Combine the chopped veggies, pasta sauce, canned tomatoes, frozen veggies, and spices. Seal the bag and freeze with the ground beef.
4. When ready to cook the meal, add both bags (the beef and the veggies and sauce) to a crockpot. Add the beef broth and 2 cups of water.
5. Cook on HIGH 4-6 hours or on LOW 6-8 hours. Serve hot.
6. Leftovers keep well-sealed in the fridge up to 4 days.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 259Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 1081mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 6gSugar: 11gProtein: 21g
Courtney says
Congratulation on your newest bundle of joy. I hope we get to see some pics on the blog soon. I know Camille will be the best big sister. This sounds so easy and delicious. I am always looking for meals that can be frozen and reheat well. Especially ones that are on the healthier side. I can never bring myself to buy a can of soup.
Melissa Shultz says
Definitely going to make this one. Looks yummy! And I love that I can have it standing by in the freezer.
Maria Kathleen says
Congratulations! We in my family love your recipes and books :)
Marisa says
Just want to say I have made this 2x in the last 3 weeks. We LOVE it. I have been using fresh green beans and carrots, just because I have them on hand. Hands down will be one of our go-to's.
Dale says
About how much soup does this recipe make.
Lily says
It sounds so good~ Hot soup is everything I want in cold weather. I will definitely try this recipe.
Jill says
I LOVE this recipe! I’ve made it twice now and both times made 2 batches, I throw one right in the crockpot and then follow the directions for the other to put it in the freezer! I did have a question though, is there a reason you freeze the browned ground beef separately from the veggies, sauce, and spices?
Christina Lane says
Thanks so much, Jill! Great question. The only reason I have the beef separate in the photos is because sometimes I brown ground beef in batches and keep it in the freezer to add to various recipes. You can absolutely combine everything for this recipe :)
Jerry says
What size crockpot do you use? Made your honey garlic chicken thighs. My family loved them.
Christina Lane says
I use a 6 quart. If you want to double the recipe, use an 8 quart.