Old Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe
There’s nothing quite like a steaming bowl of old fashioned vegetable beef soup on a chilly day. It’s the ultimate comfort food, bringing together the wholesomeness of vegetables, the heartiness of beef, and the warmth of a simmered broth.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of stew beef cut into bite-sized chunks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for browning the beef
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 4 medium carrots sliced
- 3 stalks of celery sliced
- 4 medium potatoes cubed
- 1 cup green beans trimmed and cut into smaller pieces
- 1 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen
- 1 can 15 ounces diced tomatoes
- 6 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup frozen peas optional
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Start by heating the olive oil in your Dutch oven or large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the beef chunks in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Sear the beef until it’s browned on all sides. Transfer the beef to a plate and set it aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the diced onions to the pot. Cook them until they’re translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Toss in the carrots, celery, and potatoes. Stir well to coat them in the flavors from the pot. Next, return the beef to the pot and add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, basil, and bay leaves. Pour in the beef broth and stir to combine everything.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and allow the soup to simmer for about 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. This slow cooking process ensures your beef turns tender, and the flavors meld beautifully.
- About 20 minutes before the soup is done, stir in the green beans, corn, and peas. These vegetables cook quickly, so adding them later prevents them from becoming mushy.
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Remove the bay leaves before serving. Ladle the soup into bowls, and enjoy it with some crusty bread or crackers for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use fresh or frozen veggies: While canned vegetables are convenient, fresh or frozen vegetables provide better texture and flavor.
- Don’t skip searing the beef: This step adds incredible depth of flavor to the soup.
- Customize with seasonal veggies: You can easily swap in zucchini, parsnips, or butternut squash depending on what you have on hand.
- Make it ahead: This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop.