Hearty beef and vegetable soup is in a league of its own—rich, savory broth, tender chunks of beef, and humble root vegetables. Here’s a version that stays true to your clean, unfussy style.
Homemade Beef and Vegetable Soup
This is a rustic, slowly simmered soup where beef becomes meltingly tender and the broth develops deep, savory flavor. Exactly what you’re craving with potatoes, carrots, onions, and green beans.
Serves: 6-8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes (or slow cooker option)
Ingredients
The Beef & Aromatics
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1½ lbs beef chuck roast, cut into ½-inch cubes
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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1 medium onion, diced
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3 cloves garlic, minced
The Broth
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6 cups beef broth (low sodium preferred)
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1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
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1 bay leaf
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1 teaspoon dried thyme
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½ teaspoon black pepper
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Salt to taste (added late, after broth reduces)
The Vegetables
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2 medium potatoes (Yukon Gold or red), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
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3 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
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2 celery stalks, sliced
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1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (frozen work well too)
For Serving (Optional)
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Crusty bread or saltine crackers
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Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
1. Brown the Beef
Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the beef cubes until deeply browned on all sides—about 3–4 minutes per batch. Don’t crowd the pot. Transfer browned beef to a plate and set aside. This step builds the foundation of the soup’s flavor. Don’t rush it.
2. Sauté the Aromatics
Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to the same pot and cook for 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3. Simmer the Soup
Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Pour in beef broth, diced tomatoes with their juices, bay leaf, thyme, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover partially and cook for 1 hour, until the beef is becoming tender.
4. Add the Hearty Vegetables
Stir in potatoes, carrots, and celery. Return to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 20–25 minutes until potatoes and carrots are just fork-tender.
5. Add Green Beans Last
Stir in green beans and cook for 8–10 minutes more, until they’re tender but still have a slight bite. Remove the bay leaf.
6. Season & Serve
Taste the broth and add salt as needed (broth reduces during cooking, so salt is best adjusted at the end). Ladle into deep bowls, garnish with parsley, and serve with crusty bread for dipping.
Slow Cooker Method
| Step | Instructions |
|---|---|
| Brown beef & sauté onion/garlic | Do this on stovetop first for best flavor, or skip for true “dump and go” |
| Slow cook beef | Add beef, onion, garlic, broth, tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, pepper to slow cooker. LOW: 7–8 hours / HIGH: 4–5 hours |
| Add vegetables | Add potatoes, carrots, celery during last 2 hours (LOW) or 1 hour (HIGH) |
| Green beans | Add during last 30 minutes |
| Finish | Remove bay leaf, season with salt |
Variations & Swaps
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Different Cuts: Beef stew meat, bottom round, or even leftover pot roast all work beautifully.
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Frozen Mixed Vegetables: In a true pantry pinch, a bag of frozen mixed vegetables (with green beans, carrots, corn, peas) added in the final 15 minutes works wonders.
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Extra Richness: Stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste when sautéing the onions, or add a splash of Worcestershire sauce to the broth.
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Barley Addition: Add ½ cup pearl barley with the potatoes for an even heartier, almost stew-like soup.
This soup freezes wonderfully (potatoes may soften slightly upon thawing but the flavor remains exceptional). It’s the kind of meal that simmers on the stove all afternoon and feeds a crowd with very little effort.
Paired with your Chopped Wedge Salad for a cold, crisp contrast, this is a complete, deeply satisfying meal. Would you like a variation that’s more of a thick stew?