Ingredients:
– 2 pounds ground beef
– 4 carrots, diced
– 4 celery ribs, chopped
– 1 onion, chopped
– 4 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
– 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
– 1 (14.5 ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed
– 15 ounce can peas, undrained
– 1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed
– 1 (15 ounce) can green beans, drained and rinsed
– Ground black pepper to taste
– ⅛ teaspoon ground thyme
– 1 bay leaf, or more to taste
– ¼ cup water, as needed
Directions:
1. Crumble the ground beef into a stockpot over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until the beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink, approximately 7 to 10 minutes. Drain and discard any excess grease.
2. Stir in the carrots, celery, and onion into the ground beef. Cook and stir until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes, tomato sauce, crushed whole tomatoes, undrained peas, drained and rinsed corn, and drained and rinsed green beans to the pot. Season the mixture with black pepper. Stir until the ingredients are evenly mixed.
4. Add thyme and the bay leaf to the pot. Pour 1/4 cup water over the mixture if needed to moisten it, replenishing as necessary while cooking.
5. Bring the soup to a simmer, place a cover on the pot, and cook, stirring regularly, until the potatoes are tender, approximately 1 hour.