Looking for a simple and filling soup that doesn’t take a lot of effort to make? Then check out this simple beef and bean soup. Using a handful of ingredients, which you probably already, have on hand you can have delicious dinner on your table.

So, I know that it is technically Spring. But here in Michigan, as I write this post, it is currently snowing. And we aren’t just talking a small flurry. Measurable snow. I’ve lived in Michigan my whole life, so I’m used to it. I still liked those nice warm days we had at the beginning of March though. I also made this soup at the end of February. March was a bit rough (we passed around a stomach bug for about three weeks), so I wasn’t able to get it on the blog until now.

Ingredients for Simple Beef and Bean Soup

Every year we buy half a cow, and we usually end up with quite a bit of ground beef. We also had a lot of dried beans sitting in our downstairs pantry. I was looking of ways to use some of the ground beef (besides burgers, which we don’t do in the winter, and spaghetti), so this simple beef and bean soup was born. It kind of reminds me of a beefy minestrone soup. What I love is how easy it is, and that there are no strange ingredients. Here’s what you need:

One bag 15 Bean Soup (you don’t use the flavor packet)
1.5 lbs ground beef
2 large carrots
3 stalks celery
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
2 cans diced tomatoes
10-12 cups chicken broth (or vegetable or beef)
fresh spinach
ditalini pasta
dried spices: salt, pepper, oregano, parsley and basil

You do have to soak the beans the night before, or follow the directions on the bag for the quick soak. I usually do the overnight soak, but forgot so did the quick soak, and it worked great.

Cooking this simple beef and bean soup is quick and easy.

Cook the ground beef, then remove it from the pan, leaving the fat
Dice the veggies and saute in the fat until slightly softened
Add the spices, beans, and broth and cook for about an hour
Add the spinach and pasta and cook for 10 more minutes, then serve

What to serve with simple beef and bean soup

To help make this soup more of a filling meal for dinner you can serve it with

Salad
sourdough bread
garlic bread
Biscuits
Sandwiches
Apple slices

Really anything you’d normal serve with soup, would taste good with this soup too. I also tend to lean towards something carb-y like bread, particularly since we have a lot of sourdough hanging around.

I hope that you like this soup as much as my family did!