🥣 Best Ever Easy Vegetable Beef Soup
🍽️ Serves: 6–8
⏱️ Ready in: 1 hour (or simmer longer for deeper flavor)
🛒 Ingredients:
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1 lb beef stew meat (or chuck roast, cut into bite-sized pieces)
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1 tbsp olive oil
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1 medium onion, diced
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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3 carrots, sliced
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2 celery stalks, sliced
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1 large potato, peeled & diced (Yukon gold or russet)
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1 cup green beans, trimmed & chopped
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1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
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6 cups beef broth
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1 tsp Italian seasoning
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Salt & black pepper, to taste
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Optional: 1 bay leaf, 1 tbsp tomato paste for richness
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Optional: 1 cup frozen corn or peas (add near end)
👩🍳 Instructions:
1. Sear the beef:
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In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
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Add beef in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and brown on all sides (don’t overcrowd).
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Remove to a plate and set aside.
2. Sauté veggies:
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In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5–6 minutes, until softened.
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Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
3. Build the soup:
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Return beef to the pot.
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Stir in diced tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, Italian seasoning, and beef broth.
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Optional: Add tomato paste and bay leaf for deeper flavor.
4. Simmer:
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Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.
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Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until beef is tender and veggies are cooked through.
✅ Stir occasionally and add more broth or water if it thickens too much.
5. Add quick-cook veggies:
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Add frozen corn or peas in the last 10 minutes of cooking, if using.
6. Taste & adjust:
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Remove bay leaf, taste, and adjust salt, pepper, or seasoning as needed.
🥄 Serve with:
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Crusty bread
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Cornbread
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A dollop of sour cream or sprinkle of Parmesan (optional)
🔄 Variations:
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Ground beef version: Brown 1 lb ground beef instead of stew meat
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Slow cooker: Sear beef and sauté veggies, then dump everything in slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours
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Pressure cooker/Instant Pot: Sauté beef and veggies, then pressure cook for 30 minutes, natural release
🧊 Storage:
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Keeps in fridge 4–5 days
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Freezes beautifully for up to 3 months
Want a low-carb version, or one with barley, rice, or noodles added in? I can help with that too!
