Beef Vegetable Soup

This hearty beef vegetable soup is easy to make from scratch with different cuts of meat! Simmer it on the Stove Top or in the Crock Pot and serve it with mashed potatoes or biscuits!

Prep Time10

Cook Time2

Total Time2 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: cups

Calories: 315kcal

Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

Beef Seasoning

2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/3 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ cup flour

Soup

2 lbs. chuck roast see note 1
3-6 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup dry red wine See Note 2.
4 Tablespoons cold butter separated
1 cup yellow onion diced
3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
4 cloves garlic minced
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1 sprig rosemary or ½ tsp dried
¼ teaspoon ground sage
7 cups beef broth or 6 for crock pot to account for liquid reduction on stove
1 tsp better than bouillon or 1 beef bouillon cube
2 ½ cups frozen peas/carrots/corn/green beans
¼ cup Cornstarch + ¼ cup cold water
2-3 drops Gravy Master (Optional)- Adds an even richer darker color.
Chopped parsley to garnish

Instructions

See notes for Crock Pot Method, PRO Tips, and FAQ!
Combine the beef seasoning and set aside. Measure and set out all additional ingredients.
Cut meat into 1-inch cubes, discard any large pieces of fat. Fat marbleized into the meat is fine!
Sprinkle the meat with the seasoning mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with flour and toss to coat again.
Heat 3 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the meat in batches, don’t overcrowd the pan). Brown on each side for 30-40 seconds and set aside on a plate. Add more oil in between batches as needed. (The middle of the meat should still be red and cold!)
Turn the heat off. Carefully wipe up any very black spots but leave the brown remnants on the bottom of the pan. This is called ‘fond’ and will give the soup plenty of flavor.
Once the pan has cooled a bit, add the wine and turn heat up to medium-high. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” (deglaze) the bottom of the pan. Watch it carefully while it reduces.
After 3-5 minutes, or once the liquid has reduced by half, add 2 TBS butter and the diced onions. Cook for 4 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. By now the wine should be almost completely gone with only red colored onions left.
Add everything else except cornstarch mixture and vegetables: (Browned beef, Tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, rosemary, ground sage, beef broth, and 1 beef bouillon cube.)
Cover the pot, leaving just a small crack, and simmer over medium-low heat for 2 hours (or more). The liquid should simmer softly and reduce slowly with a little bit of steam escaping.
Once ready to serve, prepare cornstarch mixture. Add ¼ cup of cornstarch to a small Tupperware container. Add ¼ cup COLD water. Cover and shake to combine.
Bring the soup to a full boil. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture in increments, using a silicone spatula to carefully stir it in as you do so. If the soup reaches your desired level of thickness before the cornstarch mixture is gone, you can refrain from adding the rest. (I like to add it all!)
Reduce heat to low. Add in the frozen vegetables and stir to combine. Heat for 10 minutes. (If a darker color is preferred, add up to 3 drops of Gravy Master.)
Remove from heat. Remove the bay leaves and rosemary stem. Swirl in 2 Tablespoons of cold butter for a smooth, velvety finish. This is a technique that chefs use called “monter au beurre”.
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve over mashed potatoes or with biscuits.

Notes

Note 1- Meat Options:

Sirloin and Tenderloin roasts are pricier but more tender, which requires less cooking time to render down than tougher cuts of meat.
Chuck Roast, Rump Roast, and Bottom Rounds are more economical cuts that render down nicely if cooked low and slow. The best option of the 3 is Chuck, then Rump, then Bottom Round.
You may have the option to buy packaged stew meat that's already cubed. That works as well, although if possible, I prefer to purchase it whole so that I can choose the cut I want. Stew meat isn’t always clearly labeled as which cut it’s from.

Note 2- Wine Options and Substitutes:

High-quality Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot works as well in this recipe. If preferred, beef or chicken broth can be used along with 2 TBS Red Wine Vinegar. The acidity from the vinegar helps render down the meat.

Note 3- Adding Mushrooms:

To add mushrooms, cook them separately to release some of the water, concentrate their flavor, and give them a nice golden color. Remove them and only add them back at the end when the soup is finished. This lets them retain their color, texture, and flavor.
See blog post for instructions in adding potatoes.

Crock Pot Instructions:

Note: Since there is much less liquid reduction in the Crock Pot, use 6 cups of beef broth instead of 7. You may also choose to use 2 beef bouillon cubes instead of 1.

Follow recipe instructions up to step 8. Transfer wine/onions/garlic to the Crock Pot along with beef and all additional ingredients except for cornstarch mixture and frozen vegetables.
Cook on low for 7 ½ to 8 hours or high for 3½ to 4 hours.
Turn the heat on high. Combine ¼ cup COLD water + ¼ cup cornstarch and stir it into the Crock Pot. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Add frozen vegetables and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Turn off the heat. Remove the bay leaves and rosemary stem.
Swirl in 2 Tablespoons of cold butter for a smooth, velvety finish.

Nutrition