Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup is extra hearty, packed full of vegetables and melt-in-your-mouth, fall apart beef in a flavorful, savory broth.
This Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup recipe is the old-fashioned kind that our grandmas used to make. I love this soup, not only because it’s delicious, but because it’s so versatile. You can clear out all the vegetables in your fridge or summer garden and toss them right in. It also heats up incredibly well, making it ideal for leftovers or meal planning. I make Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup on the stove top, but I’ve also included instructions for crock pot and instant pot.
Ingredients
Stew Meat
I like to purchase already chopped up stew meat for this Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup recipe. It makes prep time much easier. This beef becomes so tender and juicy while simmering. If you can’t find already chopped meat, then picking up a chuck roast and chopping it yourself works too.
Onions and Garlic
I like to sauté onions and garlic in with the beef to give the base of the soup lots of flavor.
Flour
Flour also helps form the base of this Old-Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup by forming a roux. This helps thicken the soup.
Beef Broth and Beef Bouillon
Beef broth with a little beef bouillon mix with the flavors of the base to form the tastiest soup broth. As the beef cooks, it’ll add additional flavor to the broth.
Diced Tomatoes in Tomato Sauce
I add one can of diced tomatoes in tomato sauce for the tomatoes as well as the complexity the tomato sauce gives the broth.
Potatoes, Carrots, Celery, Green Beans
These are my favorite vegetables to add to Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup. The give the soup a healthy, nutritious boost. You can really add whatever vegetables you like though!
Spice Mixture
I like to add a mixture of fresh herbs and dried spices to this Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup. Fresh oregano, fresh thyme, ground basil, ground parsley, paprika, salt, fresh ground pepper, and a bay leaf give it a tremendous amount of flavor.
Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup Instructions
Stove Top Method:
Start by browning the beef in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Searing the meat locks in all the moisture and juices, keeping it from becoming dry and chewy while cooking. Instead, it will fall apart in your mouth. Yum.
Drain off most of the grease from the beef after browning. Then stir in onions and garlic and sauté for a few minutes. Next add flour, stir, and cook for a few minutes while base thickens up.
Next, stir in beef broth, tomatoes, and a cup of water. Stir well and bring to a boil. Finally, add the rest of the vegetables, herbs, and spices. Turn down heat to simmer for about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf prior to serving.
Crock Pot Method:
If you plan to make this Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup recipe in the crock pot, make sure you brown the stew meat first. Then transfer to the crock pot with the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low about 6-8 hours or until the beef can easily fall apart and the vegetables are cooked through.
Instant Pot Method:
For Instant Pot, follow the same steps above in Stove Top Method for browning the beef, adding onions, garlic, and flour. After these steps, add all ingredients, and pressure cook on high for about 20 minutes. If you're in the market for an instant pot, I really love ours!
Serving Instructions
Allow to cool slightly before serving. This Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup is sure to warm you up on any cool fall or winter day. While the soup itself is filling, you can serve it with grilled cheese like this Gourmet Grilled Cheese with Fried Egg or this Basil Mozzarella Grilled Cheese. A light salad like this Simple Radish Salad or Apple Spinach Salad is perfect to start with. Crusty bread is great too of course!
Substitutions/Variations
You can also use ground beef for this recipe if you don’t have stew meat or a chuck roast on hand. You’ll follow the same instructions but with browning ground beef instead of stew meat at the start. Ground turkey is another, lighter option.
Mushrooms, peas, cabbage, zucchini, and broccoli also go great in this classic soup.
Want to make it even more hearty? Throw in some pasta or grains like barley, rice, acini de pepe noodles, orzo, or elbow macaroni.
Storage
Store this Vegetable Beef Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. This soup also makes a fantastic freezer meal. Freeze for up to three months. To reheat, add a little water or broth and heat on stove top or in microwave.
FAQs
How to I spice up this Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup even more?
The spice mixture I use definitely adds a ton of flavor. No bland soups are allowed in our house. If you’d like even more flavor or to add some spiciness to it then red pepper flakes and/or jalapeno can be added.
How to thicken Vegetable Beef Soup?
This consistency of this soup is meant to be just that - a soup, not stew. If you want it to be a little thicker though, adding more flour will yield a thicker broth. If you add less beef broth and/or simmer the soup longer, it will also thicken more. Remember that if you plan to have leftovers though, some of the broth will be absorbed by the vegetables, so don’t go too light on it.
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Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup
Ingredients
Method
- Brown beef in a large stockpot over medium heat for about 5 mins stirring often.
- Drain most of grease.
- Add onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes.
- Add flour and stir. Cook for a couple more minutes. It will thicken.
- Pour in beef broth, canned tomatoes with juice, and water. Bring to boil.
- Add rest of ingredients and stir well.
- Turn heat down and simmer for about 1½ hours.
- Remove bay leaf and serve.
Samantha
This soup has so much flavor!! I liked adding red pepper flakes too for some extra spice.
Michelle
Made this last week and it was a hit with the whole family. Lots of leftovers. Added some barley too.