Description
A comforting and hearty vegetable beef soup featuring tender stew meat, a medley of fresh vegetables, and robust beef broth. Perfect as a warming meal, this classic American recipe is gluten-free and ideal for family dinners or meal prepping.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into small cubes
Vegetables
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup corn kernels, fresh, frozen, or canned
- 1/2 cup peas (optional)
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Liquids and Canned Goods
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
- 6 cups beef broth
Spices and Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Sear the Beef: Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef stew meat and sear for 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally to brown all sides. Remove the beef and set it aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same pot, add the diced onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Vegetables and Beef: Add the carrots, celery, potatoes, green beans, diced tomatoes with their juices, and the seared beef back into the pot. Stir to combine all ingredients.
- Simmer the Soup: Pour in the beef broth, then stir in dried thyme, salt, black pepper, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 45–50 minutes, or until the beef is tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
- Add Corn and Peas: In the last 10 minutes of cooking, stir in the corn kernels and peas (if using). Continue simmering to heat them through.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the bay leaf, taste the soup, and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- To thicken the soup, mash a few of the cooked potatoes or stir in a cornstarch slurry near the end of cooking.
- This soup stores well and often tastes even better the next day after flavors meld.
- Use fresh vegetables when possible for best flavor, but frozen or canned vegetables work fine too.
