Old-Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup

This old-fashioned vegetable beef soup is the kind of pot that earns its spot on the back burner: cubes of beef chuck browned hard, then simmered in a tomato-beef broth until they give way at the nudge of a spoon. Potatoes, carrots, green beans, and sweet corn go in on a schedule, so every vegetable lands tender instead of falling apart.

It’s a homemade vegetable beef soup that stays brothy rather than thick like a stew, and one pot makes 8 generous bowls, enough for dinner tonight and lunches later in the week. You need one Dutch oven, everyday seasonings, and about 30 minutes of hands-on work. The rest is gentle simmering.

Why You’ll Love It

• Beef that is truly tender: Chuck plus a slow 1 1/2-hour simmer turns firm cubes into spoon-tender bites.
• Vegetables with texture: Potatoes and carrots go in first, green beans next, corn last, so nothing turns to mush.
• A broth with real depth: Well-browned beef, toasted tomato paste, and a splash of Worcestershire build a savory, red-brown broth.
• Grocery-store simple: No specialty ingredients, just classic vegetables and pantry seasonings.
• Made for leftovers: It reheats well, and the flavor deepens overnight.

Ingredients

Prep: 30 minutes  |  Cook: 2 hours 30 minutes  |  Total: 3 hours  |  Yield: 8 servings

Equipment: Heavy 6-quart or larger Dutch oven or soup pot with a lid

• 2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided, plus more to taste
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
• 2 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 8 cups low-sodium beef broth, divided
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch coins (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 8 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided

Ingredient Notes

• Beef chuck: Chuck has enough marbling and connective tissue to turn tender during a long simmer. Buy a roast of about 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds so you still have 2 pounds after trimming the thick fat. Pre-cut stew meat works too, but it can be a mix of cuts, and leaner pieces from the round tend to cook up drier.
• Low-sodium broth: The soup simmers for a long time and concentrates a little, so starting with low-sodium broth lets you control the salt. Season at the end.
• Three kinds of tomato: Tomato paste adds depth, tomato sauce gives the broth body and its red-brown color, and diced tomatoes add soft pieces you can see in each spoonful.
• Yukon Gold potatoes: They hold their shape in soup. Red potatoes also work. Russets break down more and will thicken the broth.
• Green beans: Fresh beans give the best texture. Frozen cut green beans can go in at the same point and may need only 8 to 10 minutes. Drained canned green beans are already soft, so stir them in with the corn.
• Corn: Frozen kernels go straight into the pot. Fresh kernels cut from the cob or drained canned corn are fine substitutes.
• Worcestershire sauce: You won’t taste it on its own, but it rounds out the beefy flavor.
• Fresh parsley: Half goes into the pot at the end and half on top, adding a fresh finish to the rich broth.

How to Make Old-Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup

1. Season the beef: Pat the chuck cubes dry with paper towels. Season them all over with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper.
2. Brown in two batches: Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a heavy 6-quart or larger Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add half of the beef in a single layer and cook without stirring for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until deeply browned on at least two sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with another 1 tablespoon of oil and the remaining beef.
3. Soften the onion and celery: Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, the onion, and the celery. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot, for 5 to 6 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.
4. Toast the garlic and tomato paste: Stir in the garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste turns a deeper brick red and the garlic smells fragrant.
5. Deglaze and build the broth: Pour in 1 cup of the beef broth and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the remaining 7 cups of broth, the diced tomatoes with their juices, the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, and thyme. Return the beef and any juices from the plate to the pot.
6. Simmer the beef until nearly tender: Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low so it bubbles gently. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring now and then and skimming off any foam or excess fat, until a cube of beef is nearly fork-tender. If the beef is still firm, simmer 15 to 30 minutes longer before moving on.
7. Add the potatoes and carrots: Stir in the potatoes, carrots, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Return to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
8. Add the green beans: Stir in the green beans and simmer, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes more, until the potatoes and carrots are fork-tender, the green beans are tender, and the beef is fully tender.
9. Finish with the corn: Stir in the frozen corn and simmer for about 5 minutes, just until heated through.
10. Season and serve: Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the parsley, then taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.

Expert Tips

• Dry the beef and don’t crowd the pot. Wet or crowded meat steams instead of browning, and browning is where much of the broth’s flavor comes from.
• Keep it at a gentle simmer. A hard boil tightens the beef and clouds the broth. Look for lazy bubbles breaking the surface.
• Test the beef before adding vegetables. Chuck varies. If a cube still resists a fork after 1 1/2 hours, give it more time before the potatoes go in.
• Cut vegetables to bite size. Keeping potatoes, carrots, and beans close to the same size helps them finish at the same time.
• Skim or chill. Skim fat as it rises, or refrigerate the soup overnight and lift off the solid fat before reheating.
• Loosen leftovers. Potatoes soak up broth as the soup sits. Add a splash of broth or water when reheating.

Variations

• Add peas: Stir in 1 cup of frozen peas with the corn for extra color and sweetness.
• More herbs: Add 1 teaspoon of dried basil or 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano with the thyme for a more herby broth.
• Red wine: After toasting the garlic and tomato paste, pour in 1/2 cup of dry red wine and scrape up the browned bits. Let it bubble until reduced by about half, 2 to 3 minutes, then continue with the broth as written.
• No-potato version: Skip the potatoes and add 1 diced green bell pepper with the carrots, then finish with 1 cup of frozen peas. The result is a lighter beef and vegetable soup.
• Ground beef shortcut: Brown 1 1/2 pounds of 85% lean ground beef instead of chuck, breaking it up, until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. Drain the excess fat, then continue with the onion and celery. Ground beef doesn’t need the long simmer: after adding the broth and seasonings, simmer for 15 minutes, then add the potatoes and carrots and continue with the recipe. Cook time drops to about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Slow cooker version: Use fully thawed beef. Complete steps 1 through 4 on the stove. Deglaze the pot with 1 cup of the broth. Put the potatoes and carrots in the bottom of a 7-quart slow cooker, then add the beef, the onion mixture, 5 more cups of broth (6 cups total), the tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, bay leaves, thyme, and the remaining salt and pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is tender. Stir in the green beans for the last 45 minutes and the corn for the last 15 minutes (switch to HIGH if you were cooking on LOW), then finish with parsley.
• Want it thicker? This soup is meant to be brothy. If you prefer a spoon-standing, gravy-style dish, try our classic beef stew instead. For a heartier grain-based pot, see this beef and barley soup.

What to Serve with Vegetable Beef Soup

This soup works as a full meal, but something to dip in the broth makes it better. Sliced crusty bread with soft butter is the classic choice, or bake a batch of rustic crusty bread rolls. Southern-style tables often pair it with buttermilk cornbread.

For a cozy soup-and-sandwich night, serve smaller bowls with a grilled cheese sandwich. A crisp green salad with a tangy vinaigrette balances the rich broth. For more cold-weather pots, browse our fall soup recipes.

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

• Refrigerate: Cool the soup and refrigerate it in shallow airtight containers within 2 hours of cooking. It keeps for 3 to 4 days.
• Freeze: Freeze in airtight containers, leaving about 1 inch of headspace, for up to 2 to 3 months for best quality. Potatoes can turn a little soft or grainy after freezing. If you plan to freeze the whole batch, take the soup off the heat when the potatoes are just barely tender. They finish cooking as the soup reheats.
• Thaw: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Reheat: Warm on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the soup reaches a simmer and 165°F throughout. In the microwave, heat in a covered bowl and stir halfway through. Thin with a splash of broth or water if needed.

Vegetable Beef Soup FAQ

What is the best cut of beef for vegetable beef soup?

Boneless chuck roast. It is well marbled and full of connective tissue that softens during a long, gentle simmer, so the cubes turn tender and stay juicy. Pre-cut stew meat is a convenient backup.

Why is my beef still tough?

Usually it needs more time, or the soup was boiling too hard. Keep the heat low and continue simmering until a cube yields easily to a fork before you add the potatoes.

How is vegetable beef soup different from beef stew?

Vegetable beef soup has a lot more liquid and no flour, so it stays brothy and spoonable. Beef stew is cooked with less liquid, and the sauce is usually thickened to a gravy.

Can I use frozen mixed vegetables?

Yes. Leave out the green beans and corn and stir in about 3 1/2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables after the potatoes and carrots have cooked for 15 minutes. Simmer until everything is tender, 8 to 10 minutes more.

Can I add pasta or rice?

Cook it separately and add it to each bowl. Pasta and rice cooked in the pot keep absorbing broth and turn soft in leftovers.

Can I make this vegetable beef soup recipe ahead?

Yes. It tastes even better the next day. Cool it, refrigerate within 2 hours, and reheat gently, adding a splash of broth if the potatoes have absorbed some of the liquid.

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