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Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe

Vegetable Beef Soup

Wholesome Cove
This vegetable beef soup recipe simmers fork-tender seared chuck roast with Yukon Gold potatoes, carrots, green beans, and corn in a rich tomato-Worcestershire broth, with vegetables added in stages so each one finishes cooked through but intact.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 330 kcal

Equipment

  • Dutch oven or heavy stockpot - 6 quarts (5.7 L) or larger, for searing and simmering in the same vessel
  • Chef's knife - for cubing the chuck and dicing vegetables
  • Large cutting board - ideally with a juice groove for the beef
  • Wooden spoon - for scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pot
  • Ladle - for skimming fat and serving
  • Large bowl or rimmed plate - to hold the seared beef between batches
  • Paper towels - for drying the beef
  • Measuring cups and measuring spoons
  • Airtight freezer-safe containers - for storing leftovers

Ingredients
  

For the beef

For the soup

  • 1 large yellow onion - about 1½ cups / 225 g, diced
  • 3 medium carrots - about 1½ cups / 190 g, peeled and sliced ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick
  • 3 ribs celery - about 1 cup / 120 g, sliced ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick
  • 4 cloves garlic - minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 8 cups low-sodium beef broth - 1.9 L, divided into 1 cup (240 ml) and 7 cups (1.66 L)
  • 1 can diced tomatoes - 14.5 ounces / 411 g, with their juices
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes - 450 g, about 3 medium, scrubbed and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
  • 1½ cups green beans - 170 g, trimmed and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces, fresh or frozen
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels - 150 g, no thawing needed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley - chopped, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Pat the cubed chuck roast very dry with paper towels and toss with ½ teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Dice the onion, slice the carrots and celery, mince the garlic, cube the potatoes, and cut the green beans, keeping the potatoes separate from the green beans and corn.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear half the beef in a single layer, untouched for 3 minutes, then turn and cook 3 to 4 minutes more until browned; transfer to a bowl and sear the second batch in the rendered fat.
  • Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining olive oil, onion, carrots, celery, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and cook 6 to 8 minutes until the onion is translucent. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the tomato paste and cook 1 to 2 minutes until brick red.
  • Pour in 1 cup broth and scrape up every browned bit, then add the remaining 7 cups broth, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, and thyme. Return the beef and its juices to the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer gently for 1 hour.
  • Stir in the cubed potatoes, making sure they are submerged, and simmer partially covered for 15 minutes until they start to soften but still hold a firm center.
  • Stir in the green beans and frozen corn, return to a gentle simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, testing the beef, a potato cube, and a green bean and simmering longer if any is still firm.
  • Discard the bay leaves, skim excess fat from the surface with a ladle, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with parsley, and serve hot.

Notes

  • Buy a whole chuck roast and cube it yourself; packaged stew meat mixes different cuts that cook at different rates and leaves some pieces chewy.
  • Dry the beef well with paper towels before seasoning, since wet cubes steam instead of sear and never form the dark crust that flavors the broth.
  • Never crowd the pan; sear in two batches so the beef browns instead of releasing liquid.
  • Stage the vegetables: potatoes go in after the beef has simmered an hour, and green beans and corn go in at the very end so nothing turns mushy.
  • Keep the simmer gentle with just a few lazy bubbles; a hard boil tightens the muscle fibers in the beef and makes it tough.
  • Toast the tomato paste for 1 to 2 minutes before adding liquid to remove the raw, tinny taste and add savory sweetness.
  • If the beef is still firm after 1 hour, simmer it another 10 to 15 minutes before adding the potatoes.
  • If the broth tastes thin after seasoning, stir in 1 teaspoon of beef base and simmer for 2 minutes.
  • Cool the soup off the heat for up to 30 minutes and refrigerate within 2 hours; store airtight for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) headspace. Frozen potatoes can turn slightly grainy, so slightly undercook them if freezing.
  • The soup thickens in the fridge as potato starch absorbs broth; add ½ cup (120 ml) broth or water per two servings when reheating to 165°F (74°C). If you add noodles, store them separately so they do not turn soft.
  • Variations: slow cooker (low 7 to 8 hours, potatoes last 2 hours, green beans and corn last 30 minutes), Instant Pot (high pressure 25 minutes for the beef), barley (½ cup pearl barley plus 1 cup extra broth), ground beef (1½ pounds, simmer only 25 minutes), or a spicy version with ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1BowlCalories: 330kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 26gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 560mgPotassium: 700mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 15mg
Keyword beef soup recipe, chuck roast soup, homemade vegetable soup, one pot beef soup, vegetable beef soup
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