Braised Vegetable Beef Soup (Printable version)
Hearty soup with tender braised beef and fresh vegetables in savory broth.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.5 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
08 - 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
09 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juice
10 - 1 cup frozen peas
→ Liquids & Seasonings
11 - 6 cups beef broth
12 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
13 - 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
14 - 2 bay leaves
15 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
16 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
17 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
18 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
# How to Prepare:
01 - Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef pieces in batches, turning to sear all sides evenly. Remove browned beef and set aside.
03 - Add onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic.
04 - Return the beef to the pot. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to caramelize. Add beef broth, diced tomatoes with juice, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, and oregano. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 hours.
05 - Add potatoes and green beans to the simmering soup. Cover and continue cooking for 25 minutes, or until vegetables and beef are fork-tender.
06 - Stir in frozen peas and cook for another 5 minutes until heated through. Remove and discard bay leaves.
07 - Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Ladle hot soup into bowls and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The beef becomes impossibly tender after its long simmer, practically melting into each spoonful
- Every bowl feels like a hug from someone who knows exactly what you need
- Leftovers taste even better after the flavors have had time to really know each other
02 -
- Rushing the browning step is the biggest mistake I see people make because that caramelized exterior is where half the flavor comes from
- Letting the soup rest for ten minutes off the heat before serving allows the broth to thicken slightly and the flavors to settle into each other
03 -
- Skim any excess fat that rises to the top after refrigerating for a slightly lighter soup
- If the broth feels too thin at the end, mash a few potato chunks against the side of the pot