MAIN COURSE 'BURGER SOUP: good value, lower-fat/cholesterol, slow cooker, easily digested

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Pleasing, satisfying North American Classic, cousin of the Beef Stew...

updated nov 2025

A hearty bowlful of beefy deliciousness 

This is one for the family favourites' list; even at the regular price of £4.25 for     500gm 20% fat beef mince at Waitrose & M&S.   

Don't be afraid of  20% fat beef; 67 uses it all the time and the fat that is released is usually good quality.  The flavour of the beef is usually excellent and in 67's mind, it's - if no longer a bargain - is reasonable value.

67's method of cooking the mince removes as much fat as possible (making it more suitable for cholesterol-phobes) and boosts meaty flavours.

Like many American supper dishes, 'Burger' Soup is hearty, easy to make, and reheats well.  There is an element of 'kidult' food here - it's a soupy version of the hamburger - but everyone who's eaten it (including the Blogger) loves it. 

As for the chief cook and bottle washer, the soup is a godsend one-pan wonder: you only need some warm bread/buns to go with,  a bit of salad and a thrown-together dessert for a great, satisfying meal.  

To continue the American theme, 67 defrosted some recently baked banana cupcakes and topped them with peanut butter frosting. But quick, easy and more-ish brownies would also work.  

If beef is not in your food plan, turkey or chicken mince is an even lower-fat/cholesterol alternative. 

Use fresh carrot & potato if you can, or a mix of potato, sweet potato, parsnips and swede.  The other vegetables can be changed or frozen without affecting its deliciousness; if you can find a bag of frozen diced veg, go for it and adjust quantities accordingly.

The slow-cooker method is recommended for best flavour but a stove-top version is included.  

The soup freezes well

Cost:  £6.00'ish (10/25), depending on your vegetable cupboard)

Feeds:  6'ish

Ingreds: 

500gm/17.5oz ground beef

olive oil 

 

1 onion or half a fennel, (tough outer leaves removed, inner leaves soaked in a mixture of 9:1 water & white vinegar 20 mins; in small dice

2 sticks celery, in chunks (bite-size for slow cookers; smaller for quick version)

2 carrots, in chunks (bite-size for slow cookers; smaller for quick version)

bell pepper, topped, tailed, de-seeded and de-membraned, in bite-size chunks

2 cloves garlic, grated (opt)

2-3 med potatoes, in bite-size chunks, or a combo of potatoes, parsnips, swede or other root veg (2'ish cups)

1 can tomatoes 

1.5c beef broth (granules or cubes will be fine)

1.5 tsp tomato paste

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp salt 

1/4tsp pepper

1/2 tsp oregano

1/8tsp cayenne    

          

       

After soup base is cooked:       

       1 can (any old) tomato soup  (65p at M&S)

       1 cup frozen peas or frozen diced mixed veg (if you can find them)

       Garnish: 1tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried parsley flakes 

Method:

CARNIVORE'S DELIGHT VEGETARIAN/VEGAN LASAGNA

Few will twig that this marvellous lasagna is totally meat free...nor will they care...

originally posted 2018 as 'I can't believe it's not beef' Lasagne; updated 12/24

Vegetarian Lasagne (half recipe) 
'Restaurant quality; as good as any I have tasted!' 'Yum!''Tastes like meat.' 

Who doesn't love the oo-ey goo-iness of a meaty lasagna: the layers of pasta,  mince in thick tomato sauce, plus lashings of cheese?  It's perfect indulgent food   as the weather cools, whether for a family meal with freezable leftovers, or for a crowd. 

If you've cholesterol-phobes and vegans/vegetarians to cater for, life can get a bit complicated.  

Here's a beautiful solution. A rich meat-free lasagna with the textures and flavours of beef.  The cheeses: lower-fat but still creamy OR one of the many tasty plant cheeses now available replacing the usual artery clogging choices.  

Reader, it is sensational!  67 expected the lasagne* to be pretty decent but it was so much more than that.  Beautifully textured, gorgeous flavour, melting layers --and so difficult to tell it wasn't meat.  

Cholesterol and calorie counts go way down with easy make-it-yourself tofu mince  your favourite meatless mince OR make-it-yourself tofu mince, cottage cheese or vegan cream cheese plus reduced fat or vegan cheddar.  Even so, this is not one of 67's 'skinny' dishes.  It does, however, mitigate the worst of the usual damage.

The initial outlay for the lasagna seems high but, per serving, works out at less than a pound.  Replacing the cheeses with a med-thick béchamel sauce - made from dairy or plant milk - cuts costs sharply.  

There are a few steps but they've been simplified and spread  over 2 days.  The results are more than worth it.

Note: unless you have extra-firm tofu, firm tofu must be frozen and defrosted before you start  

Cost: £7'ish (2019)
Feeds: 10-16, but recipe halves nicely

Ingredients:

    12-15 lasagna leaves, depending on your baking dish 

 'Meat' Sauce
        450gm/15.8oz your favourite vegan mince OR firm tofu that has been frozen & defrosted 
        
        3 tbsp olive oil 

       
        1 good-sized onion (OR fodmap friendly fennel) + 

        1 med carrot + 

        1 large celery stick , all coarsely processed

        1 large clove garlic, grated (opt)

        1-2 glasses red wine/grape juice   

        400 gm tin good Italian chopped tomatoes incl juice PLUS
        400gm fresh tomatoes, cored and coarsely processed (pref)
                 OR 2x400gm tins tomatoes 

        6-10 (yes, 6-10) tbsp tomato puree, low salt if poss 

        

       10-20 basil leaves, coarsely chopped

        1 bay leaf

        pinch salt & pepper
        generous pinch thyme
        generous pinch oregano
        2/3 tsp smoked paprika
        1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (opt but adds a bit of zip)

        50gm mushrooms in large dice (opt)
        75gm courgettes, quartered vertically and in 1/8in/1/4cm slices (opt)

        4 tbsp chopped parsley
        8-12 dashes Worcestershire sauce (opt)

      450gm/16oz onion & chive (or plain) cottage cheese, drained (or vegan opt: 67 uses vegan cream cheese)
      100-150gm/3.5-5.2oz goat's cheese (or vegan equivalent)
      zest of lemon (opt if using dairy cheese)

      80gm/2.8oz reduced-fat dairy OR vegan cheddar, grated (or if pockets are deep, dairy or plant parmesan) 

The following steps can be completed the night before