This Vegetable Beef Soup is the ultimate comfort meal, simmered to perfection with tender beef and garden vegetables. The key is browning the beef first to build a rich, savory broth. It’s a hearty, nourishing bowl that tastes even better the next day.
Nothing beats a great Vegetable Beef Soup. Whether you're a fan of Soup Recipes or want to try something from our Chicken Recipes selection, keep scrolling!
Why You’ll Love This Vegetable Beef Soup
- Hearty & satisfying: Tender beef and plenty of veggies make it a complete meal.
- Deep, complex flavor: Browning and sautéing create a rich foundation.
- Wonderfully versatile: Easily adapt with your favorite vegetables.
- Freezes beautifully: Perfect for make-ahead meals and quick dinners.
Ingredients & Tools
- 1.5 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 8 cups beef broth (low-sodium preferred)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 cup frozen green beans
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Notes: Using a flavorful cut like chuck roast is key for tenderness. Don’t skip browning the beef—those browned bits add incredible depth.
Tools: A large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, wooden spoon, sharp chef’s knife, and a cutting board.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 380 kcal |
| Protein: | 28 g |
| Fat: | 16 g |
| Carbs: | 32 g |
| Fiber: | 6 g |
Serves: 6 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- What’s the best cut of beef for soup? Chuck roast is your best friend here. It has just the right amount of marbling, which melts during the long simmer, making the meat fall-apart tender and enriching the broth.
- Do I have to brown the meat first? Honestly, yes. This single step adds a tremendous depth of flavor that you simply can’t get by just boiling everything together. It creates a fond—those delicious browned bits—that forms the soul of your soup.
- Can I use different vegetables? Absolutely! This soup is a fantastic canvas. Feel free to add corn, peas, parsnips, or even some chopped kale or spinach in the last few minutes of cooking. A little goes a long way.
- Low-sodium broth is a game-changer. It gives you complete control over the saltiness of your final dish. You can always add more salt at the end, but you can’t take it out.
How to Make Vegetable Beef Soup
Step 1: Pat the beef cubes completely dry with paper towels—this is crucial for getting a good sear. Season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in your large pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the beef in a single layer, working in batches if needed to avoid crowding. You’ll hear a satisfying sizzle. Sear until a deep brown crust forms on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned beef to a clean plate. Don’t worry if there are bits stuck to the pot; that’s your flavor foundation.
Step 2: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot. You’ll notice them sizzling as they hit the residual fat. Sauté, stirring occasionally and scraping up those browned bits from the bottom, until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for just one more minute until fragrant—you don’t want it to burn.
Step 3: Push the vegetables to the side and add the tablespoon of tomato paste to the center of the pot. Let it cook for about a minute, stirring, until it darkens slightly and smells sweet. This “toasting” of the tomato paste deepens its flavor immensely. Now, stir everything in the pot together so the tomato paste coats the vegetables.
Step 4: Return the seared beef and any accumulated juices back to the pot. Pour in the beef broth and the canned diced tomatoes with their juices. Add the dried thyme and bay leaves. Give everything a good stir, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot clean. Bring the soup to a lively boil.
Step 5: Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid slightly ajar, and let it simmer gently. This is where the magic happens. Let it cook for about 1 hour. You’ll know it’s ready for the next step when the beef is starting to become tender but isn’t quite fall-apart yet.
Step 6: Stir in the diced potatoes. Re-cover the pot and continue to simmer for another 30-40 minutes, or until both the potatoes and the beef are perfectly tender. You should be able to easily pierce a potato cube with a fork.
Step 7: Finally, add the frozen green beans. They don’t need long to cook. Let the soup simmer, uncovered, for another 5-7 minutes just until the green beans are heated through and tender-crisp. This keeps them from getting mushy.
Step 8: Time to taste! Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season the soup with additional salt and pepper until it’s just right for you. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with a generous sprinkle of fresh parsley for a pop of color and freshness.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Cool completely and store in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in flat, stackable portions for up to 3 months.
- Reviving: Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth if needed.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- Fresh, crusty bread or rolls — Essential for dipping and sopping up every last bit of the delicious broth. A warm, buttered slice is pure comfort.
- A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette — The crisp, acidic salad provides a refreshing contrast to the rich, hearty soup and cleanses the palate.
- Grilled cheese sandwich — For the ultimate cozy meal, serve a bowl of this soup with a classic, gooey grilled cheese on the side. It’s a timeless, unbeatable combination.
Drinks
- A robust red wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon — The bold flavors of the wine stand up beautifully to the savory beef and rich broth, complementing the meal perfectly.
- A dark ale or stout — The malty, slightly bitter notes of a dark beer mirror the deep, roasted flavors in the soup, making for a wonderfully satisfying pairing.
- Sparkling water with lemon — For a non-alcoholic option, the crisp bubbles and citrus cut through the soup’s richness and are incredibly refreshing.
Something Sweet
- Warm apple crisp with vanilla ice cream — The sweet, spiced apples and cool cream are the perfect happy ending after a savory, comforting main course.
- Simple shortbread cookies — Their buttery, delicate sweetness is a lovely, light finish that doesn’t overwhelm you after a hearty soup.
- Dark chocolate brownie — A small, fudgy square of brownie satisfies that chocolate craving and provides a rich, decadent contrast to the soup.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Mistake: Not patting the beef dry before searing. Moisture is the enemy of a good sear. If the beef is wet, it will steam instead of brown, and you’ll miss out on all that deep, caramelized flavor.
- Mistake: Crowding the pot when browning the meat. I’ve messed this up before too… If you add too much beef at once, the temperature drops and the meat releases liquid, leading to a gray boil instead of a beautiful brown sear. Patience and batches are key.
- Mistake: Boiling the soup rapidly after adding the beef. A gentle simmer is what you want. A rolling boil will make the beef tough and chewy instead of tender. Low and slow is the mantra for tender meat.
- Mistake: Adding all the vegetables at the same time. Sturdier veggies like potatoes and carrots need longer to cook than delicate ones like green beans. Adding them in stages ensures everything is perfectly cooked and not mushy.
Expert Tips
- Tip: Make it a day ahead. Soup almost always tastes better the next day. The flavors have more time to meld and intensify. Just cool it completely before storing it in the fridge overnight.
- Tip: Skim the fat for a cleaner soup. After the soup has finished cooking, let it sit off the heat for a few minutes. The fat will rise to the top, and you can easily skim it off with a spoon for a less greasy result.
- Tip: Thicken it up if you like. If you prefer a thicker, stew-like consistency, make a quick slurry. Mix two tablespoons of cornstarch with three tablespoons of cold water until smooth, then stir it into the simmering soup during the last 5 minutes of cook time.
- Tip: Freeze it flat. For easiest freezer storage, pour cooled soup into sturdy, zip-top freezer bags, lay them flat on a baking sheet, and freeze. This creates thin, stackable bricks that thaw incredibly quickly.
FAQs
Can I make this soup in a slow cooker?
Absolutely! It adapts wonderfully. Just follow steps 1 through 3 in a skillet on the stovetop to brown the beef and sauté the veggies. Then, transfer everything (including the tomato paste and fond) to your slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients except the potatoes and green beans. Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. Add the potatoes in the last 2 hours (on LOW) or 1 hour (on HIGH), and the green beans in the last 30 minutes.
How long will leftovers last in the refrigerator?
Stored in an airtight container, your Vegetable Beef Soup will keep beautifully in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The flavors will continue to develop, so you might find you like it even more on day two or three! Just be sure to cool it completely before refrigerating.
Can I use stew meat from the grocery store?
You can, but be aware that “stew meat” is often a mix of cuts, some of which may be leaner and less ideal for long cooking. For guaranteed tenderness and flavor, I highly recommend buying a whole chuck roast and cutting it into cubes yourself. It’s a small extra step that makes a big difference.
My soup is a bit bland. How can I fix it?
No worries, this is an easy fix! The most common culprit is underseasoning. Start by adding more salt and black pepper, tasting as you go. A splash of Worcestershire sauce or a dash of red wine vinegar can also work wonders to brighten and deepen the flavors. Sometimes it just needs a little acid to make everything pop.
Is it okay to use frozen vegetables?
It’s perfectly fine and a great time-saver! For hard vegetables like carrots, using frozen is fine, but I’d still recommend sautéing fresh onions and celery for the best flavor base. For softer veggies like green beans or corn, add them frozen directly to the pot in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking so they don’t get mushy.
Vegetable Beef Soup
Make the best homemade Vegetable Beef Soup with this easy recipe. Tender beef, fresh veggies, and a rich broth make it the ultimate comfort meal. Get the recipe now!
Ingredients
For the Ingredients
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1.5 lbs beef chuck roast (cut into ¾-inch cubes)
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2 tbsp olive oil
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1 large yellow onion (diced)
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3 cloves garlic (minced)
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3 medium carrots (peeled and sliced)
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2 stalks celery (sliced)
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1 tbsp tomato paste
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8 cups beef broth (low-sodium preferred)
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1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz, undrained)
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2 medium potatoes (peeled and diced)
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1 cup frozen green beans
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1 tsp dried thyme
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2 bay leaves
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Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
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¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
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Pat beef dry; season with salt and pepper. Sear in hot oil over medium-high in batches until deeply browned (3–4 min/side). Transfer to a plate.01
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Reduce heat to medium. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery in the pot 6–8 min, scraping up fond; add garlic and cook 1 min.02
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Push veg aside; add tomato paste and cook ~1 min until darker and sweet. Stir to coat vegetables.03
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Return beef (and juices). Add beef broth, diced tomatoes (with juices), thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil.04
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Lower to a gentle simmer, lid slightly ajar, for ~1 hour until beef is beginning to turn tender.05
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Stir in diced potatoes. Cover and simmer 30–40 min until beef and potatoes are tender.06
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Add frozen green beans; simmer uncovered 5–7 min until heated through and tender-crisp.07
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Discard bay leaves. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley.08
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