Hearty Beef and Vegetable Soup (Printable version)

A comforting bowl filled with tender beef, carrots, potatoes, and herbs in rich beef broth.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1.5 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 3 medium carrots, sliced
06 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
07 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
08 - 1 parsnip, peeled and diced
09 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
10 - 1 cup frozen peas
11 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

→ Liquids

12 - 8 cups beef broth

→ Herbs & Seasonings

13 - 2 bay leaves
14 - 1 tsp dried thyme
15 - 1 tsp dried oregano
16 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
17 - 1 tsp salt
18 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

# Step-by-step guide:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add beef cubes and brown on all sides for 5-7 minutes. Remove beef and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
03 - Return browned beef to the pot. Stir in potatoes, parsnip, green beans, tomatoes with juice, beef broth, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, pepper, and salt.
04 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender.
05 - Add peas and cook uncovered for another 10-15 minutes, or until all vegetables are soft.
06 - Remove bay leaves. Adjust seasoning to taste. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • This soup transforms tough, budget-friendly chuck roast into impossibly tender bites that practically melt in your mouth
  • The vegetable lineup creates a perfect balance of sweetness and earthiness that even veggie skeptics secretly love
  • Makes enough for dinner tonight plus lunches all week, and yes, it actually tastes better on day two
02 -
  • Don't rush the beef browning step, those caramelized bits are what give the soup its deep, complex flavor
  • Adding delicate vegetables like green beans and peas too early results in gray, mushy bits floating in your soup
  • The soup continues to absorb liquid as it sits, so you might need to thin leftovers with a splash of water or broth when reheating
03 -
  • Cutting your beef into slightly larger cubes (1.5 inches) prevents it from becoming too small during the long cooking time
  • Adding a splash of Worcestershire sauce or a dash of smoked paprika creates this incredible depth that makes people think you've been cooking all day
  • Skimming any foam that rises to the surface during simmering results in a clearer, more refined finished soup
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