Creamy Beef and Tomato Noodle Soup

Creamy Beef and Tomato Noodle Soup puts to 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef, finely chopped onion and Salt and pepper at the center of a beef recipe and finishes in about 35 minutes, enough for 7 -8 servings.

• Yield 7 -8 servings
• Ready in 35 minutes
• Prep 15 minutes
• Cook 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch of dried thyme
• 6 cups chicken broth or stock (I use low-sodium)
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar, optional (UPDATED:)
• 8 ounces cream cheese, light or regular, softened to room temperature
• 2 cups (8 ounces) short tube pasta, like ditalini or elbow macaroni
• Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the ground beef, onion, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, breaking the meat into small pieces, until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are translucent, 4-5 minutes. Drain excess grease.
2. Add the basil, oregano, garlic powder, thyme, broth, crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir well.
3. Bring the soup to a simmer and add the pasta. Simmer until the pasta is just al dente (according to package directions). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and lower (or increase) heat, if needed, to maintain a gentle simmer without scorching.
4. Add the softened cream cheese to a bowl and ladle in 1-2 cups of the hot soup (do the best you can to avoid scooping up the noodles and small pieces of ground beef - doesn't have to be perfect). Let the cream cheese and hot soup sit for a minute or two so the cream cheese can melt then whisk until creamy, smooth and well-combined.
5. Add the cream cheese mixture back into the soup and stir until evenly combined. Simmer for 1-2 more minutes, stirring often, until the soup is bubbling and slightly thickened. The soup will thicken as it cools (so if you want a thicker soup, let the soup rest, off the heat, for 5-10 minutes).
6. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Loosen a leftover bowl with a splash of water when you reheat it.