Description
Mom’s Old Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup is a hearty, comforting soup packed with tender beef, fresh vegetables, and flavorful herbs. Slow simmered to perfection on the stovetop, this classic American recipe delivers rich beef broth combined with a colorful medley of carrots, celery, potatoes, green beans, corn, and peas, making it the perfect nourishing meal for any day.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Broth
- 1 ½ pounds beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 ½ cups peeled and diced potatoes
- 1 cup green beans (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- 1 cup green peas (frozen or fresh)
- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Brown the Beef: Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the beef stew meat and brown on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Avoid overcrowding the pan by browning in batches if necessary. Remove the browned beef and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same pot, add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Liquids and Vegetables: Return the browned beef to the pot. Pour in beef broth, water, and diced tomatoes with juice. Stir in carrots, celery, potatoes, salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and bay leaf.
- Simmer the Soup: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover the pot and let the soup simmer gently for 1 hour, allowing the beef to tenderize and flavors to meld.
- Add Remaining Vegetables: Uncover the pot and stir in green beans, corn kernels, and green peas. Continue simmering for another 20-25 minutes, uncovered, until all vegetables and beef are tender.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the bay leaf before serving. Ladle the soup into bowls and enjoy warm, perfect for a comforting meal.
Notes
- For enhanced flavor, brown the beef in batches to prevent overcrowding and ensure a nice sear.
- This soup stores well in the refrigerator and tastes even better the next day as the flavors intensify.
- You can substitute fresh herbs such as thyme if preferred instead of dried.
