Go Back

Vegetable Beef Soup

Vegetable beef soup with tender beef, potato cubes, and mixed vegetables simmered in a rich mahogany broth with tomato paste and Worcestershire. This one-pot method browns the meat first for deeper flavor, then simmers until the potatoes are just tender.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

beef stew meat
  • 1.5 lb beef stew meat, cubed
potatoes
  • 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
carrots
  • 3 carrots, sliced
celery
  • 3 celery, sliced
onion
  • 1 onion, diced
garlic
  • 4 clove garlic, minced
green beans
  • 1 cup green beans, cut
corn
  • 1 cup frozen corn
diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
beef broth
  • 6 cup beef broth
tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
bay leaf
  • 1 bay leaf
salt
  • 0.25 tsp Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef and build the base
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then sear the beef in batches until browned on all sides. Move the browned pieces to a plate and leave any deep brown bits in the pot.
  2. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables soften slightly. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat everything.
  3. Return the beef to the Dutch oven, then add the beef broth, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, and bay leaf. Stir so the bay leaf and seasonings are distributed throughout the broth.
Simmer and add vegetables
  1. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Look for steady bubbling and a broth that thickens slightly as the beef tenderizes.
  2. Add the potatoes and cook for 15 more minutes until they are tender when pierced with a fork. Keep the simmer gentle so the potatoes don’t break apart.
  3. Add the green beans and frozen corn for the last 8 minutes. Cook until the green beans are bright green and the corn is heated through.
  4. Remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper to taste. Taste the broth and adjust until the flavors are balanced, then serve hot.

Notes

Pro tip: For extra depth, don’t overcrowd the Dutch oven when searing—browning takes a few minutes per batch. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove. Freezing is yes—freeze in portions up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, use reduced-sodium beef broth and drain excess fat if the stew meat releases a lot during browning.