Beef & Vegetable Soup Recipe

Prepare ingredients

Trim excess fat from the beef and pat the cubes dry with paper towels. Dice the onion, peel and slice carrots, slice celery, mince garlic, and dice the potatoes to uniform sizes so they cook evenly.

Brown the beef

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 2 tbs oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in a single layer, add the beef cubes (seasoned lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper) and brown on all sides, about 4–6 minutes total. Remove browned beef to a plate and set aside. If meat releases a lot of liquid, drain excess leaving fond on bottom.

Sweat aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Add a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and onions are translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Build the broth

Stir in 2 tbs tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the browned beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Pour in 6 cups beef broth and 1 cup water. Add bay leaves, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried parsley, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1.5 tsp salt, and 3/4 tsp black pepper. Stir to combine.

Simmer

Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to maintain a low simmer. Cover partially and simmer until the beef is tender, about 45–60 minutes depending on the cut and size of cubes. Skim any foam or excess fat from the surface as needed.

Add root vegetables

When the beef is nearly tender (about 20 minutes before finishing), add the diced potatoes to the pot. Continue simmering until potatoes are fork-tender, about 15–20 minutes more.

Add quick-cooking vegetables

Add the green beans and frozen peas to the simmering soup in the last 5–7 minutes of cooking. Continue to simmer until the green beans are bright and tender-crisp and peas are heated through.

Adjust seasoning and finish

Remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste. Stir in 2 tbs chopped fresh parsley and 1 tsp lemon juice if using to brighten the flavors. Let the soup rest off heat for 5 minutes to meld flavors.

Serve warm topped with extra parsley if desired. Leftovers keep refrigerated for 3–4 days and reheat gently on the stovetop; add a splash of water or broth if it has thickened.