Warm, hearty, and very much a “one big pot fixes everything” kind of meal 🥣🥩. This Easy Vegetable Beef Soup is classic, flexible, and perfect for weeknights or make-ahead.
Easy Vegetable Beef Soup
Serves
6–8
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45–60 minutes
Ingredients
Meat
- 1½ lb beef stew meat (or chuck, cut into chunks)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Vegetables
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 3 potatoes, diced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 cup green beans (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
Broth & Seasoning
- 6–8 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional but adds depth)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Brown the beef
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Season beef with salt and pepper.
- Brown beef in batches 3–4 minutes per side.
- Remove and set aside.
(Browning = deeper flavor. Don’t skip if you can help it.)
2. Build the soup
- In the same pot, add onion and cook 3–4 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Stir in tomato paste (if using).
3. Simmer
- Return beef to the pot.
- Add:
- Beef broth
- Diced tomatoes
- Carrots, potatoes, celery
- Thyme, basil, bay leaf
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
- Cover and cook 30–40 minutes, until beef is tender.
4. Add quick-cook veggies
- Stir in green beans and corn.
- Simmer 10–15 minutes more.
5. Finish
- Remove bay leaf.
- Taste and adjust salt & pepper.
- Let rest 10 minutes before serving (flavor gets better).
Tips for Best Flavor
- Soup tastes even better the next day
- Too thick? Add broth or water
- Too thin? Simmer uncovered 10 minutes
- A splash of Worcestershire sauce adds depth
Variations
- Slow cooker: brown beef first, then cook on LOW 6–8 hrs
- No potatoes: add pasta or barley instead
- Spicy: add red pepper flakes
- Extra hearty: add frozen peas at the end