Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once it shimmers, add your chopped onion and cook for about 3 minutes until it starts turning soft and golden at the edges.

Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until you can smell it filling your kitchen. This is the moment everything changes—that aroma tells you you're doing it right.

Add your diced carrots and celery to the pot. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables soften slightly and release their natural sugars. You'll notice the kitchen smells incredible now.

Crumble the ground beef into the pot and cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking it apart as it browns. Stir occasionally so it cooks evenly. You want most of the pink gone, but don't overcook it into hard little pellets.

Pour in the beef broth and add your cubed potatoes. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let it simmer for about 8 minutes until the potatoes start becoming tender.

Stir in the can of diced tomatoes (juice and all), dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for another 5 minutes so the flavors meld together.

Add the frozen peas and cook for 2-3 more minutes until they're heated through. Taste it and adjust salt and pepper if needed—this is your soup, so make it taste how you want it.

Ladle into bowls and serve hot. It's ready to eat immediately, but it tastes even better if you let it sit for a few minutes so all those flavors settle in.