Busy Day Soup
18 Comments Apr 16, 2024
Updated Sep 07, 2025
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Slow Cooker Busy Day Soup is the perfect meal to have on hand to help offset the whirlwind of busy days. This flavorful meal keeps it simple with ground beef, mixed vegetables, broth, and seasonings for a dinner-saving meal the whole family is sure to enjoy.
Busy Day Soup is the kind of recipe that proves simple can still be delicious. It has a rich, savory flavor and a comforting, hearty texture that makes it satisfying without a lot of effort. It has no chopping and simple ingredients, it’s a perfect dinner solution when time is tight but you still want something that tastes like a real meal.
We also make Chicken in a Hurry or 7 can soup we are short on time.
Key Ingredients
- Ground Beef: Although you’ll cook this prior to adding it to the crock pot, I still recommend using a lean ground beef for less fat/grease. If you have extra slow cooker ground beef, use that!
- Diced Tomatoes: This recipe calls for Italian seasoned diced tomatoes, which adds a nice tangy taste.
- Mixed Vegetables: Keep it simple by using a bag of frozen vegetables.
- Beef Broth: Adds a nice touch of beef flavor to the hearty soup.
- Seasonings: Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Onion Soup Mix: Adds an additional dose of flavor. I use the Lipton brand but you can use any brand of your choice.
How to Make Busy Day Soup
This soup comes together in two easy steps!
- Brown the beef on the stove, then toss it in the crockpot with the broth, veggies, tomatoes, and seasonings. Let it simmer until everything’s cooked through.
- Stir in the Minute rice near the end and let it cook until the rice is fluffy and ready to serve.
Helpful Hints
Change up this recipe to make it your own!
- You can use cooked rice instead of minute rice, just use one cup. Or ladle your hot soup over the rice.
- Want to use macaroni? You’ll have to cook a cup on the stovetop before adding to this recipe at the end of the cooking time.
- Add additional broth to the leftovers, as the rice soaks up the broth.
Ways to Serve
Ladle a helping of the soup into bowls and top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese. Adding a touch of sour cream adds even more flavor.
Serve alongside crusty bread, garlic breadsticks, or cornbread.
Pair with a crisp green salad tossed in a zesty vinaigrette. We love this homemade Italian dressing recipe.
For an extra kick, add a dash of hot sauce or red pepper flakes.
Busy Day Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 15 oz. can Italian seasoned diced tomatoes
- 12 oz. frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 1 oz. lipton onion soup mix
- 32 oz. Beef broth (one carton)
WAIT TO ADD:
- 1 cup minute brand rice (uncooked)
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef in a skillet on the stove top, drain off any fat.
- Add the ground beef to the slow cooker along with the other ingredients (except the rice).
- Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 4 hours.
- Add the uncooked Minute brand rice and stir. Continue cooking on HIGH For 45 minutes longer or until the rice is done.
- Serve and enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More Slow Cooker Soup Recipes
- Kielbasa Potato Soup is filled with potatoes, cheese and cream, a cozy pub style soup.
- If you love enchiladas, then try my Green Chicken Enchilada Soup, it’s much lighter than the original form.
- A classic Slow Cooker Beef Lentil Soup, is just like grandma used to make.
- We love this easy, Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup which is made from scratch, is a crowd please.
- This copycat recipe for Potato Cheese Soup is a recreation from Marie Callender’s!
- Tangy Dill Pickle Soup is a fun recipe to try, and is great along with buttered bread.
Nice and easy soup that family enjoyed. I might make rice separately and just mix it in at the end of the original cooking time.