The Old-Fashioned Hamburger Vegetable Soup I Loved as a Kid — Even When I Swore I Hated Soup

Remove the bay leaf and taste before adding additional salt.

Let the soup sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

The Secret to Making It Taste Like the Soup You Remember

Don’t rush the simmer.

Those extra minutes allow the potatoes to absorb the tomato-and-beef broth while the vegetables release their flavors. The potatoes also naturally give the broth a little more body.

For an even richer version, add an extra splash of Worcestershire sauce or a spoonful of tomato paste when you add the garlic.

And don’t worry if you have leftovers.

This is one of those old-fashioned soups that can taste even better the following day after all those flavors have had time to mingle.

Serve it steaming hot with crackers, warm cornbread, biscuits, or a thick slice of buttered bread.

It may not be fancy, but sometimes the meals we remember most aren’t the fancy ones.

They’re the big pots simmering on the stove—the ones filled with potatoes, vegetables and hamburger that somehow made the whole house smell like dinner was ready.