Hearty Beef Vegetable Soup

Soup Season is definitely my favorite season of the year. Growing up in the Midwest with snowstorms and snow days, I am constantly thinking about how soup makes bad weather cozy and comforting. Our Texas winters are short, but I still occasionally make soup in October and April, just because it feels right. I’ve been known to turn our air conditioning down, just to enjoy the warmth of a bowl of hot soup.

My primary goals for creating this soup were:

1. Flavor. When cooking the beef, I seared it to keep it tender. I also used plenty of salt and pepper, and the combo of tomato paste, chipotle sauce (optional, and it’s what provides that dark red’ish color), and Worcestershire sauce adds major flavor.
2. Lean and mean. We normally eat pretty clean and lower carb about 75% of the time, so I used mostly beef and veggies, with just a minimal amount of yellow potatoes in this soup.
3. Variety. I love to try new things, so I added mushrooms to this recipe to add a new texture. You can change up the combo of veggies to this recipe, or even add noodles for something different.

Ingredients needed for Hearty Beef Vegetable Soup:

For the beef:

• Beef Roast – You’ll need a 2.5 pound of beef chuck roast that has plenty of fat marbling throughout. This will ensure a tender end result.
• Olive Oil – I use extra virgin olive oil to sear the beef.
• Salt and Pepper – Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, always.
• Beef Broth – Use enough to cover the meat while cooking it.
• Adobe Sauce – An optional ingredient, but it gives the beef a wonderful flavor.
• Tomato Paste – This also adds flavor to the meat.
• Worcestershire Sauce – I always add a couple dashes of Worcestershire to beef.

For the soup, chop up the following veggies for a pot full of delicious!

• Veggies – Carrots, celery, onion, cabbage, garlic, potatoes, frozen corn, and mushrooms.
• Bay Leaves – Add these while simmering the finished soup.
• Salt and Pepper – Add more to taste.

How to cook the beef roast

The key is to make sure you cook it long enough for it to be falling-apart tender. If it’s still tough (and you bought a good cut of meat), then cook it longer.

1. On the stove top (like the directions in my recipe).
2. In a roaster in the oven. Sear it, and cover with water/broth to roast.
3. In a slow cooker. Brown it, cover with with water/broth, and let it cook all day (or the day before).
4. Use an instant pot. Sear it right in the instant pot (sauté function), cover with with water/broth to cook. Pressure cook for 50-60 minutes, then slow release for 15 minutes, then quick release.

How to make Beef Vegetable Soup:

1. Sear beef. Cut beef into 2-3 inch cubes, and liberally season with salt and pepper. Heat large stock pot over medium high heat and add olive oil. Place beef in pan to sear, browning on all sides. You may need to do this in batches as you shouldn’t over-crowd the pan. Remove the beef to a separate dish.
2. Cook beef. To the stock pot, add about 1/2 cup of broth, tomato paste, and adobe sauce. Stir to release all the brown bits. The add the beef back to the pan, as well as the Worcestershire sauce and enough beef to complexly cover the beef. Place the lid on the pan, reduce heat to medium, and cook until the beef literally falls apart, approximately 1.5 – 2.5 hours. (You can also cook this using other methods, as stated above.)
3. Shred beef. Remove beef to a dish and let cool slightly. When you are able, shred it with two forks.
4. Strain broth. Using a colander, strain broth into a large container, reserving it for the soup. Rinse out the stock pot, and place back on the stove.
5. Cook vegetables. Add additional olive oil to pot (over medium heat). Then add the carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms, and cabbage, along with some additional salt and pepper. Cook the veggies until slightly tender, approximately 6-7 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for another minute.
6. Add potatoes, corn, and broth. Then add the chopped potatoes, the frozen corn, and the strained broth back to the pot, along with any additional broth as needed. Add a couple of bay leaves to the pot, and bring the soup to a simmer.
7. Add beef back. Add the shredded beef back to the pot. Cook for approximately 20 minutes or until veggies are soft and flavors are enhanced. Check seasonings and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
8. Serve. Serve the soup with some crusty bread or crackers.

To make this soup on a weeknight, follow these steps.

1. Make the beef the day before, or on the weekend. Chop up all the veggies.
2. Store the shredded beef in one container, and the reserved broth in another. Also, keep the chopped veggies in another container.
3. The day you want to cook the soup, remove ingredients and prepare. Start with step four in the recipe below.

Prepping food on the weekend is key to intentional eating. Instead of grazing when you are hungry, you have meals ready to go, or ready to cook up quickly.

What to serve WITH this soup?

• Kale and Quinoa Salad
• Arugula Caprese Salad
• Chewy French Bread for dipping, of course!
• Red wine pairs marvelously, too. Or make my Red Wine Sangria!

Make this soup recipe next: Shredded Beef Cabbage Soup with Tomatoes

Please let know if you try this recipe. Be sure to comment and leave a review on the blog so I can see what you think. You can also like my Facebook Page, follow me on Pinterest, and catch me on Instagram.

xoxo ~Sue