Vegetable Beef Soup
This old fashioned vegetable beef soup is a healthy and easy dinner for cool days!
Servings 8 cups
Calories 186kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb. beef stewing meat or boneless chuck roast, cut into cubes
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- ¾ cup peeled and diced carrots
- ½ cup diced celery
- ½ of a small onion, finely-diced
- 4 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 cups beef broth or beef stock
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes, not drained
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (or ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary)
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme (or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley (or ¼ teaspoon dried parsley)
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 russet potato, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes
- 2 cups frozen cut green beans
- Optional garnish: additional chopped fresh herbs; crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season beef with salt and pepper, to taste. Working in batches, when the oil shimmers, add the beef and brown on all sides (it doesn’t need to be cooked through – just make sure it gets nice color on the outside) – about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the pot and set it aside (leave the fat in the pot).
- Add the carrots, celery, and onion to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, and tomato paste and cook, stirring, for one more minute.
- Stir in the tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, parsley, oregano, bay leaf, broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Scrape up all of the flavorful beef bits from the bottom of the pot as you stir! Return the beef to the pot, along with any accumulated juices from the plate. Stir in the potatoes. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Increase the heat and bring soup to a boil. As soon as the soup boils, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour (or until beef is tender).
- Stir in the green beans. Simmer for 5-10 more minutes, or until heated through. Discard bay leaf. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Ladle into bowls and garnish with additional fresh herbs or crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.
Notes
- To serve a larger group, double all of the ingredients. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.
- Brown the meat. This is an extra step, but it's worth the effort. The caramelized surface gives the beef extra flavor, while the browned bits and drippings in the pot add even more flavor to the soup.
- When browning the meat, do not overcrowd the pot. Instead, work in batches so that the meat is spaced apart in a single layer. This will help to achieve that great sear on the meat, whereas a crowded pan will steam the meat.
- Cook the beef long enough to break down the tough connective tissue and fibers. If your meat is still tough after about 1 hour, simmer the soup a little bit longer. This will result in a delicious soup with tender chunks of beef throughout.
- Keep the Dutch oven covered while simmering in order to trap moisture in the soup. You can remove the cover during the final 10 minutes or so (after adding the green beans).
- Garnish each bowl with fresh parsley, basil, or other chopped herbs for a bright finishing touch.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 319mg | Potassium: 774mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2171IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg