Keto Beef & Tomato Soup
Published March 10, 2025 • Updated February 19, 2026
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This creamy keto beef tomato soup is loaded with ground beef, a rich tomato base, and low-carb lupini noodles. I make a big pot of this every week when the weather turns cold.
I started making this keto beef tomato soup last winter when I wanted something warm and filling but didn’t want to blow my carbs on a regular noodle soup. What I ended up with is this creamy, beefy tomato soup that hits somewhere between a classic tomato soup and a keto lasagna soup (just less cheesy). I’ve made it probably 30 times since then, and I keep coming back to it.
The ground beef gives it real body. I brown it with diced onion until everything is soft and starting to caramelize a little, then build the soup right in the same pot. Crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and a pinch of dried basil and oregano. The whole thing comes together in about 25 minutes. If you’re looking for a low carb tomato soup that actually feels like a full meal, this is it.
Instead of regular pasta, I use lupini noodles. I’ve tested a lot of keto noodle options over the years and lupini is still my favorite for soups. They hold their shape, they don’t get mushy, and they add 14g of protein per serving on top of the beef. I order mine from Amazon or Thrive Market.
The creamy part comes from cream cheese stirred in at the end. I cube it small (about half-inch pieces) so it melts fast. A little sugar-free brown sugar substitute balances out the acidity from the tomatoes, and you get this rich, velvety broth that coats the noodles perfectly. My family requests this on cold nights, and I always pair it with a keto grilled cheese sandwich for dunking.
I also love that this keto hamburger soup works as meal prep. I portion it into containers for work lunches and the flavors actually get better overnight. If you like hearty, beefy soups, try my keto beef stew or my keto taco soup too.
How to make tomato soup keto
The full recipe comes in at 23 grams of net carbs, which I know is higher than some people want. I’ve played around with lowering the carbs and here’s what works without killing the flavor. With these tweaks, I get it down to only 12 grams of net carbs per serving.
- Omit the onion – The yellow onion adds almost 1 gram carb per serving. I’ve made this low carb tomato soup without it plenty of times and it’s still good.
- Decrease the crushed tomatoes – Instead of one 28-oz can, use half a can. This saves you around 5 net carbs per serving and the soup is still plenty tomatoey.
- Omit or decrease the tomato sauce – Cutting the tomato sauce saves about 6 net carbs per serving. I usually cut it in half rather than skipping it completely.
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Ingredients
1 1/2 lb lean ground beef -
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
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1 tablespoon dried basil
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1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
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1 teaspoon garlic powder
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6 cups chicken broth
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28 oz can crushed tomatoes
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15 oz can tomato sauce
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1 teaspoon brown sugar substitute, optional
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8 oz lupini pasta
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8 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Brown the ground beef
Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat, add ground beef, onion and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, breaking the meat in small pieces, until it’s no longer pink and the onions are translucent. Drain any excess grease if desired.
- 1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
It's not tomato soup without tomatoes
Stir in the basil, oregano, garlic powder, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and brown sugar substitute (if using). Bring to a simmer and add noodles. Simmer until the pasta is just al dente (about 4-6 minutes).
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar substitute (optional)
- 8 oz lupini noodles
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros (Free) →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef?
I've made this with ground turkey and it works, but the flavor is noticeably lighter. What I do when I use turkey is add an extra tablespoon of tomato paste and a little more salt to make up for the richness you lose from the beef fat. Ground chicken is even milder, so I'd stick with turkey if you're swapping.
I'm out of cream cheese, what could I use as a substitute?
I've subbed in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of heavy cream and it works well. The soup is a little thinner but still creamy. I've also blended cottage cheese smooth and stirred it in at the end. Plain greek yogurt works too, but I add it off the heat so it doesn't curdle.
Can I make this in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?
I've done both. For the slow cooker, I brown the beef and onion on the stove first, then dump everything except the noodles and cream cheese into the slow cooker on low for 4-6 hours. I add the noodles in the last 15 minutes and stir in the cream cheese at the end. For the Instant Pot, I use the saute function to brown the beef, add the broth and tomatoes, pressure cook on high for 5 minutes, quick release, then stir in the noodles and cream cheese.
Do I need to cook the noodles separately?
I cook the lupini noodles right in the soup and they turn out great. They absorb some of the broth, which actually gives them more flavor. If you're using shirataki or hearts of palm noodles, I do prepare those separately per the package directions and add them at the end.
Can I freeze this soup with cream cheese already added?
I've tried it both ways. When I freeze it with cream cheese already in, the texture gets grainy when I reheat. My workaround is to freeze the soup before the cream cheese step, then stir in fresh cream cheese when I reheat. Takes an extra minute and the texture is way better.
What if I don't have lupini noodles?
My next favorite for this keto beef tomato soup is shirataki noodles. I rinse them really well, dry them in a hot pan for a minute, then add them at the end. Hearts of palm pasta is good too. If you can't find either of those, cauliflower rice gives the soup more body without adding many carbs. I just drop the broth to 4 cups for any of these swaps.
How do I keep the soup from being too acidic?
I use a tablespoon of sugar-free brown sugar substitute, and that does the trick for me. The cream cheese also mellows the acidity a lot. If it's still too tangy for your taste, I'd add another half tablespoon of the sweetener rather than more cream cheese, which can make it too thick.
What should I serve with this soup?
My go-to is a keto grilled cheese sandwich for dunking. I've also served it with a simple side salad when I want something lighter. My keto chicken noodle soup is another favorite if you want to do a soup night with options.
Made this Sunday night when it was freezing outside and honestly I was nervous because my kids are so picky about soup (they usually just push it around the bowl). My son Logan who refuses anything with 'weird noodles' ate two full bowls and didn't say a word about the lupini pasta, which shocked me. I almost skipped adding the cream cheese at the end because I wasn't sure how it would mix in, but it melted right in and made the whole thing so much richer than I was expecting. My husband had two bowls too and then said we should make this every week (he never compliments food, so that's saying something). Putting this in the regular winter rotation for sure, probably a double batch next time because there was barely enough left for lunch the next day.
Logan eating two full bowls without saying a word about the lupini pasta is the whole point. A husband who never compliments food wanting it weekly, though? Worth making it every Sunday. Double batch for sure.