Here’s a classic Vegetable Beef Soup recipe—hearty, flavorful, and full of tender beef and vegetables. 🥕🥩🥔
Vegetable Beef Soup (Serves 6–8)
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) beef stew meat, cut into small cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 6 cups beef broth
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (optional)
- 1 cup corn kernels (optional)
- 1 cup peas (optional)
Instructions
1. Brown the beef
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add beef and brown on all sides (about 5–7 minutes). Remove and set aside.
2. Sauté vegetables
- In the same pot, sauté onion and garlic until softened (~3 minutes).
- Add carrots, celery, and potatoes; cook 3–5 minutes more.
3. Simmer soup
- Return beef to pot.
- Add diced tomatoes, beef broth, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 45–50 minutes, until beef is tender and vegetables are cooked through.
4. Add last vegetables
- Add green beans, corn, and peas in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
5. Serve
- Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve hot with crusty bread.
Tips
- Extra flavor: Brown a little tomato paste with the veggies before adding broth.
- Thicker soup: Mash a few potato chunks or let the soup simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Make-ahead: Soup tastes even better the next day as flavors meld.
Variations
- Slow cooker version: Brown beef, then add all ingredients (except quick-cooking veggies like peas and corn) and cook on low 6–8 hours. Add delicate vegetables at the end.
- Italian-style: Add Italian seasoning, zucchini, and green beans; serve with grated Parmesan.
- Low-carb: Omit potatoes, add more non-starchy vegetables like zucchini, cauliflower, or spinach.
I can also give a super-easy 30-minute version using ground beef instead of stew meat, for a quicker weeknight soup.
Do you want me to do that version?
