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Vegetable Beef Soup

Vegetable beef soup with tender stew meat and vegetables simmered until the broth turns rich and mahogany. This stovetop soup layers browned beef, a quick sauté base, and a final add-in of green beans and corn for bright texture.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef base
  • 1.5 lb beef stew meat cubed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 carrots sliced
  • 3 celery sliced
  • 4 garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 cup beef broth
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
Vegetable add-ins
  • 3 potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 1 cup green beans cut
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 0.5 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sear the beef
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the beef in batches until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes total per batch. Remove to a plate when the surface is dark and crusty.
Build the soup base
  1. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the Dutch oven and sauté for 5 minutes until the onion looks softened. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring until fragrant and slightly darkened.
Simmer for depth
  1. Return the beef to the pot. Add the beef broth, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaf, then bring to a boil.
  2. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Look for steady bubbles around the edges and tender beef starting to break down.
Cook the vegetables
  1. Add the potato cubes and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup should thicken slightly as potatoes release starch.
  2. Add the green beans and frozen corn and cook for the last 8 minutes. The beans should be bright green and crisp-tender, and the corn should be heated through.
Finish and season
  1. Remove the bay leaf from the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve while the vegetables are tender and the broth is hot.

Notes

For best flavor, don’t crowd the Dutch oven when searing—browning gives the broth its deeper color. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove. Freezing is okay for up to 3 months, though potatoes may soften more on thawing. For a lighter option, use reduced-sodium beef broth and keep added salt to a minimum (the tomato and thyme will still carry flavor).