Classic Vegetable Beef Soup
There’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of classic vegetable beef soup. Tender bites of beef, sweet carrots, celery, corn, green beans, and peas all simmer together in a rich tomato-beef broth. It’s hearty enough for a full meal, yet simple and flexible enough to make on a weeknight.
This recipe follows my 7-Step Soup Method, which makes soup-making simple by breaking it into foolproof building blocks: fat, flavor base, liquid, protein, mix-ins, spices, and finishes. Once you know the steps, you can easily swap ingredients to create endless soup variations.
Want to mix it up? Try:
- Adding potatoes or barley for extra heartiness
- Using zucchini or bell pepper for more summer garden flavors
- Swapping in chicken broth if that’s what you have on hand
- Freezing a batch for quick meals later in the season
✨ Pin this recipe for later so you have it handy, and check out my other soup recipes if you’re building your soup-making skills!
Classic Vegetable Beef Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbps olive oil
- 1 lb stew meat or chuck (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 cup onion (diced)
- 1 cup carrot (½ cup diced, ½ cup sliced)
- 1 cup celery (½ cup diced, ½ cup sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 6 cups beef broth
- 1 tsp beef bouillon (optional, for flavor boost)
- 1 ½ cups corn (one 15 oz can)
- 1 ½ cups green beans (one 15 oz can)
- dried herbs (thyme, parsley, rosemary)
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
Fat
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat.
Flavor Base
- Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. If the bottom starts to brown, splash in a little broth to loosen it up.
Protein
- Push the veggies to the side and add beef pieces to the pot. Stir-fry the beef for a moment and mix thoroughly with the aromatic base before adding the liquid. If your beef is already cooked, you can just add it at the same time you add the liquid.
Liquid Base
- Pour in broth and stir in bouillon, if using. Scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze, loosening any browned bits from the vegetables.
Mix-Ins
- Stir in corn, green beans, and peas. Simmer gently for 45–60 minutes, until beef is tender and vegetables are cooked through.
Spices
- Add dried herbs, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Adjust to taste, adding more salt or bouillon if you want a richer flavor.
Finishes
- Remove bay leaf and any stems from dried herbs. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with crusty bread.
Notes
- Bouillon boost: A teaspoon of bouillon or beef base makes the broth taste deeper and more savory. If you skip it, you may want to add extra salt.
- Veggie swaps: Use whatever vegetables you have on hand. Zucchini, bell peppers, potatoes, or even a bag of frozen mixed veggies work well. Canned and frozen veggies both work.
- Herbs & spices: I make this with sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme added because that’s what I grow in my garden and always have around. This recipe is great with other herbs and spices too, so feel free to use whatever you have on hand or whatever flavor profile you want to go for.
- Make it a stew: For a thicker, heartier version, add diced potatoes and let them simmer until fork-tender. You could also stir in ½ cup barley and cook until tender.
- Storage: Soup keeps 3-4 days in the fridge and freezes well for up to 3 months.
This Classic Vegetable Beef Soup is one of those timeless recipes that feels just right on a chilly evening. It’s simple, hearty, and endlessly flexible, which makes it a perfect staple to keep in your rotation. Whether you make it exactly as written or swap in whatever vegetables you have on hand, it always delivers that cozy, homemade comfort.
If you make this soup, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and let me know your favorite mix-ins or little tweaks. And don’t forget to pin this recipe so it’s easy to find the next time you’re craving something hearty and nourishing.
