Old-Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup
This old-fashioned vegetable beef soup is hearty, rich, and deeply comforting—just like the classic soups that simmered on the stove all afternoon. Made with tender beef, a flavorful broth, and plenty of vegetables, this timeless recipe delivers big, homemade flavor with simple ingredients. Perfect for cold days, meal prep, or cozy family dinners, this vegetable beef soup only gets better with time.
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds beef chuck roast or stew meat cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 carrots sliced
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 6 cups beef broth
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme optional
- 3 medium potatoes Yukon gold or russet, diced
- 1 cup green beans fresh, frozen, or canned, drained
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional: fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Pat beef dry and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Brown beef in batches, searing all sides. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 4–5 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and tomato paste. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Return beef to the pot. Add beef broth, diced tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 60–75 minutes, until beef is tender.
- Add potatoes and simmer 20–25 minutes, until fork-tender.
- Stir in green beans and simmer 5–10 minutes more.
- Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
Notes
- Browning the beef is key for deep, old-fashioned flavor.
- Simmer gently—boiling can make the beef tough.
- Vegetables are added in stages to avoid mushy texture.
- This soup tastes even better the next day.