Ingredients
Vegetable beef soup is a comforting, hearty meal that that is easy to make and can feed a crowd. To make a delicious vegetable beef soup, you will need some basic ingredients. These include:
- Vegetables such as carrots, celery, potatoes, and onions.
- Beef cubes, beef broth, and tomato paste.
- Chopped herbs and spices like thyme, parsley, bay leaves, and garlic will also add flavour.
Once you have gathered these ingredients, you can start prepping and cooking your soup.
Vegetables
Vegetables are the cornerstone of any great vegetable beef soup. You’ll need a combination of items to give it flavor, texture, and nutrition. To make the stock flavorful, start with some root vegetables such as carrots, celery, onions (fresh or powdered), and garlic. If you’re using fresh vegetables for your soup stock, chopping them into small pieces will help break down the fibers and add more flavor.
In addition to these common base ingredients, feel free to get creative with your soup. Dried herbs like rosemary or thyme will add an extra layer of flavor to your finished dish. Cubed potatoes provide a hearty element and add creaminess once they have been cooked down in the broth. Fresh vegetables such as bell peppers, mushrooms (such as cremini or shiitake), kale or spinach can easily be added at the end and cook quickly along with beef chunks (if desired). Adding more variety with fresh herbs is also encouraged; try basil or oregano for a fragrant bouquet to accompany your finished soup!
Beef
Using beef as the main source of protein for this soup is a classic and popular choice. Beef brings heartiness to the soup, along with its deep and rich flavour. When choosing beef for your vegetable beef soup, it’s best to use stewing beef. This type of cut is tougher than a typical steak but it’s ideal as it breaks down more during cooking and gives off lots of flavour. Low slow simmering will ensure tender pieces in your finished soup.
Ground or minced beef can also be used in vegetable beef soup, instead of traditional chunks of stewing beef. If using ground or minced beef, you may need to cook your soup a bit longer as the cooking time will depend on the size of the pieces used; smaller pieces are quicker to cook through than larger ones. Some recipes suggest browning your ground or minced beef before adding it to your soup base as well; this does heighten its flavour significantly, but is not necessary if running low on time.
Broth
Broth is the base of your soup and will add a lot of flavor and nutrition. For vegetable beef soup, you can use either homemade or canned broth.
Homemade broth is made by simmering beef bones, onions, celery, carrots, herbs, and spices in water for several hours. This method is preferable as it imparts great flavor to your soup.
If you’d rather opt for a quicker option that enables you to start cooking your vegetable beef soup faster, canned broth can be used as well. Canned broths tend to be low in sodium and are typically labeled as “low-sodium” or “reduced-sodium” varieties in stores. When using canned broth for vegetable beef soup, select the low-sodium option and adjust seasonings accordingly to avoid making your dish overly salty.
Preparation
The key to making vegetable beef soup is the preparation. You need to gather all the ingredients, cut them into the desired sizes, and measure out the correct amount of ingredients before starting the actual cooking process. Taking the time to properly prep the ingredients will ensure that the vegetable beef soup turns out delicious.
Let’s go through the steps needed for proper preparation:
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Cut them into the desired sizes.
- Measure out the correct amount of ingredients.
Chop vegetables
Chopping vegetables is an important part of preparing vegetable beef soup. Dicing onions, garlic and peppers (if using) will bring out their flavors in the soup. Peel and dice a small onion, 2 cloves of garlic and 10 mini bell peppers (optional).
Carrots, celery, potatoes and any other vegetables you’d like to add should also be washed and chopped. Peel or scrub the carrots to remove dirt before chopping them into 1/3 inch pieces. Trim off the tops and bottoms of the stalks of celery then slice along the length into 1/2 inch pieces. Also wash, peel (if desired), cut off any bad parts, then dice two small potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes.
Once all the vegetables are chopped, they can be added to a pot with beef broth or consomme over medium heat until they are almost tender – about ten minutes or so with some stirring involved. Then you can add in stewed tomatoes, ground beef and any seasonings you would like to use for flavoring such as parsley flakes, oregano flakes, garlic powder or freshly ground black pepper – these are just suggestions! Serve hot!
Brown beef
Before you begin making your vegetable beef soup, it is important to properly brown the ground beef. Cooking the beef completely before adding it to the soup prevents raw, unpleasant flavors from infiltrating the finished dish.
To prepare the ground beef for your soup, first heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan and then add one pound of ground beef. Brown for 5-7 minutes or until all sides are nicely browned and cooked through. Using a spatula or spoon, break up any clumps of beef as it cooks so that it ends up in evenly sized pieces that will provide texture to your soup.
Once done cooking, scoop out all of the cooked meat with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl while you prepare other ingredients such as aromatics like onions, garlic and celery or carrots so they can be added to the hot skillet and softened along with remaining seasonings before adding broth and veggies. Once those ingredients are prepared you’re ready to begin assembling your vegetable beef soup!
Combine vegetables, beef, and broth
Combine the vegetables, beef cubes, and beef broth together in a large stock pot. Use a cooking spoon to stir the ingredients while they are cooking.
- Begin by adding one can of beef broth to the pot and then add the diced vegetables and beef cubes.
- Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are tender and most of the water content has evaporated.
- If necessary, add more broth or water as needed during cooking.
- If a thicker soup is desired, stir in one tablespoon of flour while stirring occasionally to prevent lumpiness.
Cooking
Cooking is a great way to create a delicious, hearty meal that can feed the whole family without spending a lot of time or money. Vegetable beef soup is a classic soup that is easy to make and can be enjoyed all year round. With a few simple ingredients, you can make a delicious, nutritious soup that is sure to hit the spot. Let’s get into the details of how to make vegetable beef soup.
Simmer on low heat
Once all the vegetables and beef have been added to the soup, it is time to simmer on low heat for 1-2 hours. This will help tenderize the beef and develop a rich flavor of the soup. During this time make sure to stir the soup every 10 minutes or so to make sure it does not stick to the bottom of your pot. Additionally, you can add more water if needed but it should still have a thick consistency at the end of cooking time.
Simmering on low heat will ensure that your vegetable beef soup comes out full of flavor and delicious!
Add additional spices and seasonings
Once your soup has cooked and the vegetables are tender, you may choose to add additional spices and seasonings to create a distinct flavor profile. Salt and pepper are almost universal additions that can be used in this recipe, but other spices like garlic, thyme, rosemary and parsley can also be used. If you prefer a spicier soup, chili powder or cayenne pepper could also be added. Experiment until you discover a flavor combination that is just right for your tastes!
Let simmer for 2-3 hours
Once you have assembled your ingredients, it’s time to start cooking. Begin by browning the ground beef and onion in a large pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the beef is browned, you can add the remaining ingredients, including carrot, celery, garlic, potatoes, tomato sauce and beef broth.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Allow your vegetable beef soup to simmer for 2-3 hours until the vegetables are completely tender—the longer the soup simmers, the more flavor it will have! For extra flavor boost consider adding herbs such as dried oregano and bay leaves.
Once your soup has cooked for about 2-3 hours taste it for seasoning; if needed season with salt and pepper to taste. Finally ladle your delicious homemade soup into bowls or tupperware containers and enjoy!
Serving
When it comes to serving a delicious vegetable beef soup, there are a few ways to go about it. You can serve the soup itself, or you can choose to top it with garnishes that add flavor and texture such as crunchy croutons, shredded cheese, and sour cream. Additionally, you can serve the soup with sides such as cornbread or crusty rolls.
Let’s take a closer look at how to serve up a tasty bowl of vegetable beef soup:
Ladle into bowls
Once the soup has cooked, simply ladle it into individual bowls. Allow guests to top with their favorite toppings, like freshly cracked black pepper, grated cheese, diced scallions or a dollop of sour cream. Additionally, you can pair your soup with a salad and hearty crusty bread for a complete meal.
Serve while the soup is still hot and enjoy!
Serve with crusty bread
When the vegetables are tender and the beef is fully cooked, the vegetable beef soup is ready to serve. Serve this hearty and comforting meal with crusty bread to complete it. For added flavor, try topping the soup with grated parmesan cheese for a delicious twist on this classic recipe.
It’s also a good idea to have extra seasonings nearby so that everyone can customize their soup based on their individual tastes. Crusty bread is perfect for dipping into the flavorful broth or for using as an edible spoon to scoop up all of the delicious ingredients. Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Once you’ve got your vegetable beef soup finished, enjoy it on its own or serve it with a variety of sides. A crusty bread or warm cornbread pairs nicely with this comforting soup. If you’d like to spruce it up a bit, try adding a dollop of plain yogurt, sour cream or grated cheese to each bowl just before serving. Another option is to add riced potatoes such as Ro-tel or diced jalapenos.
For an extra layer of flavor, serve the soup topped with crumbled bacon or shredded cheese. You can also try sprinkling fresh herbs such as oregano, thyme and parsley on top for a burst of flavor. Try adding diced tomatoes for an extra layer of flavor and texture, too!
Enjoy your vegetable beef soup just the way you like it and stay warm this season!