Hearty Beef and Vegetable Soup (Printable)

A warming bowl filled with tender beef chunks, carrots, celery, potatoes, and green beans in a rich beef broth infused with herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1.5 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 3 medium carrots, sliced
06 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
07 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
08 - 1 parsnip, peeled and diced
09 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
10 - 1 cup frozen peas
11 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

→ Liquids

12 - 8 cups beef broth

→ Herbs & Seasonings

13 - 2 bay leaves
14 - 1 tsp dried thyme
15 - 1 tsp dried oregano
16 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
17 - 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
18 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef cubes and brown on all sides for 5-7 minutes. Remove beef and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
03 - Return browned beef to the pot. Stir in potatoes, parsnip, green beans, tomatoes with juice, beef broth, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, pepper, and salt.
04 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender.
05 - Add peas and cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes, or until all vegetables are soft.
06 - Remove bay leaves. Adjust seasoning to taste. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The beef becomes so tender it practically melts on your tongue if you give it the time it deserves.
  • It's forgiving enough to make on a random Tuesday but impressive enough to serve to people you want to impress.
  • Leftovers taste better the next day, which means you're essentially getting two great meals from one cooking session.
02 -
  • Resist the urge to rush the beef browning—those golden bits clinging to the pot are pure umami, and they're what separate a good soup from a memorable one.
  • Frozen peas cook so fast that adding them at the beginning turns them to mush, so wait until the very end no matter what your instincts tell you.
03 -
  • Cut your beef into uniform 1-inch pieces so everything finishes cooking at the same time—uneven sizing leads to some bites being tender while others are still chewy.
  • If your beef broth tastes thin or salty, use half broth and half water, then adjust the seasoning yourself—it gives you control over the final flavor.
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