Go Back

Old Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup

Old fashioned vegetable beef soup made with slow-simmered beef and a rich savory broth. Big chunks stay tender while carrots, potatoes, and corn cook into a hearty, spoonable bowl.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup Base
  • 2 lb beef stew meat cut into chunks
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 3 garlic minced
  • 8 cup beef broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
Vegetables
  • 3 carrots sliced
  • 3 celery stalks sliced
  • 2 russet potatoes cubed
  • 1 cup green beans trimmed and halved
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1 cup peas
Seasoning
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 salt and black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sear the beef
  1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then sear the beef chunks on all sides until browned. You should see deep golden-brown color on the meat.
Build the soup base
  1. In the same Dutch oven, sauté the diced onion until softened. Then add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring so it stays fragrant but doesn’t brown.
Simmer the broth
  1. Stir in beef broth, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, and dried thyme, then return the beef to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover, cooking for 1 hour until the beef is tender.
Add hearty vegetables
  1. Add the sliced carrots, sliced celery, and cubed russet potatoes, then simmer covered for 20 minutes more. The vegetables should begin to soften and the broth should keep bubbling at a steady simmer.
Finish with quick-cooking vegetables
  1. Stir in the trimmed and halved green beans, corn kernels, and peas, then simmer for 10 minutes more. When they’re tender-crisp, the soup will look vibrant and the broth will be richly colored.
Season and serve
  1. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, remove bay leaves, and serve hot. Make sure the flavor is balanced before ladling into bowls.

Notes

For the best flavor, don’t skip browning the beef—those browned bits help thicken the broth as it simmers. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days in a covered container; the flavor often improves overnight. Freezing is yes: freeze up to 3 months, then thaw and reheat gently, adding a splash of broth if needed. For a lower-sodium option, use low-sodium beef broth and Worcestershire sauce (or omit Worcestershire and add an extra pinch of thyme and pepper).