Description
This Old-Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup is a hearty and comforting meal packed with tender beef, fresh vegetables, and aromatic herbs simmered slowly to perfection. Ideal for chilly days, this classic soup combines nutritious ingredients with rich beef broth for a satisfying family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Oil
- 1 lb beef stew meat, cubed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Vegetables
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 large potato, diced
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
Liquids and Seasonings
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Brown the Beef: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the beef stew meat with salt and pepper, then sear it in the hot oil for 5-7 minutes until browned on all sides. Remove the beef from the pot and set it aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same pot, add the diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
- Add Ingredients: Return the browned beef to the pot. Pour in the beef broth and the can of diced tomatoes. Add the sliced carrots, celery, diced potato, trimmed green beans, corn kernels, and peas.
- Season and Simmer: Stir in the dried thyme, dried basil, dried oregano, and the bay leaf. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer gently for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the beef is tender and the flavors meld wonderfully.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the bay leaf from the soup. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve it immediately, perfect for warming up any day.
Notes
- For extra flavor, you can marinate the beef stew meat with a mixture of herbs and a splash of Worcestershire sauce before browning.
- Use fresh vegetables when possible for the best texture, but frozen or canned options work well too.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Feel free to add other vegetables like zucchini or cabbage for variety.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, mash some of the potatoes into the broth towards the end of cooking.
