Vegetable beef soup is a hearty and healthy soup that’s perfect for cold winter nights! Tender chunks of beef, potatoes, loads of vegetables, and a flavorful tomato beef broth. You’ll love this classic and easy one-pot soup!
Looking for more hearty beef soup recipes? Try my beef and barley soup or hamburger soup!
Nothing hits the spot on a cold like a bowl of soup with a side of warm crusty bread or cornbread muffins. And not just any soup, I want a hearty soup that’s going to fill me up. This vegetable beef soup recipe checks that box and unlike so many beef soup recipes, this one has a super flavorful broth!
The broth for this beef soup has depth of flavor thanks to tomato paste, Italian herbs, garlic and onion, and my secret ingredient that I add to many of my soup recipes, a parmesan cheese rind! The rind adds a nutty, cheesy, salty, umami flavor to the soup that leaves people wondering what makes it so delicious.
This soup can easily be customized to use whatever vegetables you have in your fridge or the ones you like best. It’s also a budget-friendly soup because it uses stew meat, which is a relatively inexpensive cut of beef.
Ingredient Notes
Stew meat – Stew meat is generally composed of cuts of beef such as chuck or round. It has a lot of connective tissue which breaks down during long slow cooking and makes the meat tender. You can either buy pre-cut stew meat or buy a chuck roast and break it down yourself.
Onion, carrots, celery, garlic – The aromatics used to flavor the base of the soup. Yellow onion or white onion can be used and I recommend mincing or grating fresh garlic rather than using jarred garlic for the best flavor.
Tomato paste – Tomato paste adds a rich tomato flavor to the soup. I use double concentrated tomato paste for the best flavor.
Italian seasoning, oregano, bay leaf – Dried herbs are what gives the broth lots of additional flavor when paired with the vegetables.
Canned tomatoes – Diced tomatoes work best, but if it’s too chunky for your liking, use petite diced tomatoes. I don’t recommend crushed tomatoes or the soup will be quite thick and less brothy.
Balsamic vinegar – Whenever I make soup that uses canned tomatoes, I generally add a little balsamic vinegar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. You can also add 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar. It won’t make the soup sweet.
Parmesan cheese rind – My secret ingredient. Don’t throw your parmesan cheese rinds away. Store them in a freezer bag and freeze them. Add them to broth based soups to add a salty, cheesy, umami flavor that will elevate the flavor of the soup. My minestrone soup is another classic that I add a parmesan cheese rind to.
Beef broth – Low sodium beef broth should be used so that the soup isn’t too salty.
Potatoes, green beans, corn – Red potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes are best for this recipe because their skin is thin and doesn’t need to be peeled. They also hold their shape better and don’t break down the way russet potatoes do. Fresh or frozen green beans and corn can be used.
Tips for Making Vegetable Beef Soup
- Use a Dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pot to make the soup.
- When buying stew meat look for a package with some fatier pieces of beef. The fatier pieces will be more tender and break down better during the cooking process.
- Sear the stew meat so it has a nice brown crust on it. Doing this gives both the meat and soup more flavor.
- Cut the vegetables so that they are similar in size and cook evenly.
- Season the soup with salt at each stage of cooking rather than only at the end. This helps enhance the flavors of each ingredient and creates a more balanced soup. Adding salt only at the end can result in a soup that tastes flat or overly salty.
- Because stew meat is a tough cut of meat it needs a longer cooking time. Plan on cooking the soup for at least an hour.
Substitutions and Variations
- Substitute with different vegetables. Peas, bell pepper, butternut squash, or sweet potatoes would all be delicious.
- Make crockpot vegetable beef soup. Brown the beef and saute the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic as instructed in the recipe. then add it to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients, minus the frozen corn. Cook for 6-7 hours on low, then stir in the corn.
- Use ground beef. If you use ground beef skip the first 30 minutes of cooking and go right to the part where the potatoes are added. Ground beef is a great option if you’re short on time.
Storing Leftovers
Leftover vegetable beef soup will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat leftover soup in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat until it’s warmed through.
You can also freeze the soup. Let it cool completely then transfer to a freezer safe container. Store in the freezer for 2-3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat using one of the methods listed above.
More Hearty Soup Recipes
Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a Dutch oven or large pot and heat it over medium-high heat.
Pat the stew meat dry with paper towels and season it with a teaspoon of the salt and black pepper to taste. Add the beef to the pot and sear it for about 4 minutes flipping it over half way through the cooking time. Remove the beef onto a plate. Cook the meat in two batches if it’s too crowded in the pot.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot along with the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3 minutes and then add in the garlic.
Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and oregano. Add in the tomato paste, stir everything together and cook for another minute.
Add the beef back into the pot and pour in the diced tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and beef broth. Drop in the bay leaf and parmesan cheese rind. Stir everything together and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Add in the potatoes and green beans, stir, and cook covered for another 30 minutes or until the potatoes and beef are tender.
Stir in the corn and cook uncovered for another 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt if needed. Remove the bay leaf and parmesan cheese rind and discard them. Garnish the soup with shredded parmesan cheese and chopped parsley before serving.
Leftover soup will keep for 4 days in the fridge or you can freeze it for 2-3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Calories: 369kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 35gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 1524mgPotassium: 1717mgFiber: 6gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 4402IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 118mgIron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you make this Vegetable Beef Soupplease leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you and do my best to respond to your comments. And if you’re on Instagram tag @reciperunner so I can see your beautiful creations!
