Feb 03, 2023, Updated Sep 18, 2024
Why You’re Going to Love This Old Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup
It takes 10 minutes to prep, and the rest is hands-free. It’s a meal that’s so easy to prepare that it almost cooks itself. Brimming with goodness, you’re going to love this one. Hearty and filling, the combination of meat and vegetables will hit the spot. Easy to make; this recipe doesn’t require any major culinary skills. Budget-friendly and fancy-free. A comforting meal when you’re in need of a little care.
The Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to whip up this tasty soup:
Oil. Choose an oil with a high smoke point for searing the beef. I like avocado oil for its neutral taste but canola and grapeseed oil are good too. Beef. Bone-in meat (like a bone-in steak or short rib) adds extra flavor, and the meat next to the bone stays so tender. Inexpensive beef stew meat cuts are an excellent protein alternative, as the slow simmer tenderizes it to a fall-apart texture. Chuck roast is excellent (and is what I used in the video below). Salt. Keep testing the seasoning and make sure you’re layering it in at every step (when you sear the meat, cook the onions, add water, etc.) Black pepper. It brings a little heat. You could even add some red pepper flakes for more warmth. Onion. I use a lovely large yellow onion for this recipe. Celery. Develops the aromatics in this dish. You can switch it out for leeks if you need to, but I love the way celery helps to build the base flavor in a dish. Carrots. Brings color and earthy, sweet notes to the soup. Zucchini. Adds a little tender texture and mouthfeel appeal; sliced fresh green beans are a good substitute and deliver extra fiber. Tomato paste. A color and umami-flavor enhancer. Beef broth. You can substitute “better than bouillon” with concentrated bouillon, diluted as per the container’s instructions. Frozen peas. Little pops of freshness in this soup; I love how these veggies lift the soup. Fresh Parsley. The perfect herb for beef soup, but oregano or sliced basil works well too.
How to Make Old Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup
2. Add the core veggies to the pot; onions, celery, and carrots. Sprinkle in a teaspoon of salt and cook the vegetables until they are soft, for around 5 minutes. 3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook it for about 2 minutes or until it turns a shade darker. 4. Add the broth and beef to the pot. 5. Add in the diced zucchini, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 2 cups of water. Cover the pot with a lid and, bring to a boil. Once it’s come up to boil, reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for about 2 hours, or until the beef is tender. 6. Taste the soup and season it so that it is well-balanced. Serve with lovely minced parsley.
What to Serve with Old Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup
Oatmeal brown bread (my grandma’s old-fashioned recipe!) Easy homemade artisan bread (I make this every single week.) The fluffiest buttermilk drop biscuits (also on near-weekly rotation.)
Make Ahead Instructions
You can make this whole recipe ahead, really. Additionally, the carrots, onions and celery can be sliced and diced ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container, ready to go. They will keep this way for 2-3 days.
Storage Instructions
The soup can be packed in an airtight container, once cool, and stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I love making a batch and freezing it for an easy lunch or supper. This recipe will keep in the freezer for about 3 months, so make good use of any leftovers. Gently reheat this soup in the microwave or on a stove top at low heat.
Variations of Classic Old-Fashioned Beef Vegetable Soup
Pour in a can of tomatoes, a clove of garlic, a little dried oregano, and basil, and you’ll have an Italian-style version of this soup. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan, and it’ll finish it off perfectly. Add in some cumin, corn, black beans, and chili powder for a Mexican-style variation. Serve it with a dollop of sour cream and some fresh cilantro. For an Irish version, pop in some Yukon gold or red russet potatoes, bay leaves, turnips, rosemary, and barley. You could make this soup with ground beef and reduce the cook time to a brief 30-minute simmer to blend the flavors. Mix up the vegetables you use: I love to use leeks instead of onion and/or add a quarter of a cabbage (thinly sliced) to saute at the start.
Pro Tips and Tricks
To speed up this process, cook in a pressure cooker for 40 minutes on high pressure. You can cut the beef into small pieces at the beginning if you like; I prefer to handle the meat after it’s cooked. I like to add green peas if I’m serving the soup right away. If making it in advance, I leave them out because I don’t like the mushy-pea flavor. You can make this soup in a slow cooker if you have one. Set your Crockpot to 6 hours on high after you’ve seared the meat and sauteed the vegetables.
More Cozy Beef Recipes You’ll Love
Beef Pot Pie with flaky butter crust Chili Con Carne recipe with ground beef Traditional Beef Taco recipe The Best Meatloaf recipe Meatloaf with Brown Gravy Old Fashioned Salisbury Steak Recipe Air Fryer Roast Beef Instant Pot Steak and Gravy
