Start by heating olive oil in your soup pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and break it up with your spoon as it browns. Cook until there’s no pink left. Drain any extra grease if needed, then take the beef out and set it aside.
In the same pot, add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes until everything softens. This step builds the base flavor of the soup. Then, toss in the garlic and cook for another minute — just until it smells amazing.
Pour in the beef broth, diced tomatoes (with juice), and tomato paste. Stir well to combine. Now add the Italian seasoning and bay leaf. Let the mixture come to a boil — you’ll notice the kitchen already smells fantastic.
Carefully add the diced potatoes into the boiling broth. Return the cooked ground beef to the pot. Lower the heat to a simmer and let it cook for about 20 minutes. The potatoes should become tender and soak up all those delicious flavors.
Now toss in the frozen green beans and corn. Simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes. They’ll cook quickly and add that final pop of color and freshness. Before serving, remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper as needed.