A hearty Vegetable Beef Soup with melt-in-your-mouth slow cooked chunks of beef, potato and vegetables simmered in a herb infused savoury broth. You’ll love how the broth of this beef soup recipe is slightly thickened so it’s like gravy and has extra flavour from a secret ingredient!
Vegetable Beef Soup
So many beef soups are watery and dull. Not this one!!! The thing that sets this beef soup recipe apart from the rest is the broth. It’s slightly thickened so it’s more like a thinnish gravy. It’s infused with herb flavour and also gets an extra depth of flavour from the secret ingredient: red wine. Or beer or stout. (They’re all good)
It’s not about boozing up our soup! It’s about adding complexity and character to the soup broth flavour without simmering for hours up hours like we do with Beef Stew and Pot Roast.
Without the wine, the broth still tastes very, very good.
With the wine, it’s stellar! (And in care you’re concerned, the alcohol gets cooked out, just leaving behind flavour.)
What goes in Vegetable Beef Soup
Here’s what you need.
Stewing beef – anything economical, in small bite size pieces (remember, we’re making a soup here, not a stew)
Red wine, stout or guinness – all of these work great here. Red wine gives it a classic beef stew flavour, Guinness or stout will give the soup a more intense, deep flavour like Irish Guinness Stew. I use wine most frequently because I always have some on hand, and because I prefer not to just use part of a can of beer that I wouldn’t choose to drink!
How to make Beef Soup
The key step here is to brown the beef well – aggressively is the term that I use. This adds a ton of flavour to the beef itself and the broth, from the brown bits on the bottom of the pot that dissolves into the broth.
I like to sauté the mushrooms in butter and add them towards the end – but this is optional. Because golden brown buttery mushrooms vs mushrooms just simmered in the broth? There is no contest! (But really, it is optional 🙂 )
Fall-apart slow cooked beef!
I promised you fall-apart beef, and fall apart beef you shall get. And you will see just how tender the beef is in the recipe video below using the most ridiculous method – chopsticks of all things!!
I know, I know, it’s soooo Asian.
But right at that moment while I was filming, it was the first thought that came to me as the easiest way to show it on camera! 😂 I mean, how else can I pry a piece of beef apart using one hand??
What Beef Soup goes with
There’s a ton of veggies in this soup, and you could add even more into the soup. Green beans would be ideal, but they were extortionately overpriced on the day I shot this and I just couldn’t do it.
So it’s an ideal meal-in-a bowl that doesn’t need anything more. But I’m pretty sure no one would say no to a side of quick Cheesy Garlic Bread!!! Or try one of these soup dunkers:
Soup Dunkers
Also, this soup just gets better with time and freezes 100% perfectly. So make a double batch! ~ Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Vegetable Beef Soup (Fall apart beef!)
Ingredients
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil , separated
- 500g/1 lb stewing beef , cut into 1.75cm / 2/3″ cubes (Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
- 1 onion , chopped
- 3 garlic , minced (1 tbsp)
- 2 celery , cut into 0.8 cm / 1/3″ slices
- 3 carrots , cut into 0.5 cm / 1/5″ thick slices (halve larger ones)
- 4 tbsp flour
- 2 1/2 cups (625ml) beef broth/stock , low sodium
- 1 1/2 cups (375ml) dry red wine, Guinness beer or stout (Note 2)
- 1.5 cups (375ml) water
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp thyme dried
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 potatoes (any), cut into 1.5cm / 2/3″ cubes
Buttery mushrooms (optional):
- 1 tbsp (15g) butter or oil
- 200g/ 6oz small mushrooms , quartered or halved
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp oil until very hot in a large, heavy based pot over high heat.
- Pat beef dry with paper towels, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Brown beef aggressively in 2 or 3 batches, adding more oil if needed. Remove browned beef into a bowl.
- If pot looks dry, add a touch more oil.
- Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes.
- Add carrot and celery, cook for 2 minutes or until onion is translucent.
- Stir in flour, then slowly pour in beef broth while constantly stirring.
- Add beer, water, tomato paste, bay leaves and thyme, stir well. Then add the beef back in.
- Cover, adjust heat to medium low so it’s bubbling gently. Simmer 1 hr 15 min or until beef is pretty tender.
- Add potatoes and peas, simmer for a further 20 minutes without the lid. Add cooked mushrooms in the last 5 minutes.
- The soup is ready when the potatoes are cooked and beef is very tender (see video).
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste (I like lots of pepper in this!).
- Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with crusty bread if desired. Try quick Cheesy Garlic Bread or super easy Irish Soda Bread!
Buttery Mushrooms (optional):
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until browned. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Recipe Notes:
- Red wine – any dry, full bodied red wine. Cab Sauv and Merlots are ideal.
- Guinness Beer and Stout are dark beers, labelled as such on the cans. You should find these at most liquor stores. Use some, drink some – or tip the whole can in an simmer for longer with the lid off!
- Non alcoholic sub – add 400g/14 oz can of crushed tomato, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce. This will add alternative flavour to compensate.
Nutrition Information:
Originally published May 2019. Updated for housekeeping matters March 2020, no change to recipe.
More chunky, hearty soups
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Deborah Porton says
Hi Nagi! This looks amazing. Could you add barley? If so, what tweeks would you advise to make sure the soup remsins a soup?
Teresa Plattsmier says
What is I want to make enough for 12 servings? how much should I use of each ingreident
Nagi says
Hi Teresa, use the sliding scale on the recipe to adjust the servings and it will automatically adjust each ingredient for you – N x
Elizabeth says
I plan to make this today, can’t wait! It looks and sounds delicious!
Saundra says
Absolutely amazing. I added some beef bouillon and that’s it. Family loved it. My husband said to not lose the recipe. I just make again.
Nagi says
That’s wonderful Saundra!
Monie Thompson says
I’ve made this recipe four times. It’s absolutely wonderful, especially on a cold winter day like today. My husband said “you can’t get a bowl of soup outside anywhere like this one!” Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe. It might be one of my favs.
Nagi says
That’s so great to hear Monie!
Ana says
I must say my house smelled amazing while this soup was simmering. I made a rustic bread so we could dip bread in the broth…. yum! My husband and I have found our favorite soup. Thank you Nagi!
Nagi says
YUM!!! Bread is a MUST for dunking!
Theresa says
Full disclosure, I have never been a fan of vegetable soup. I thought this recipe wouldn’t be any different.
If I could give this recipe ten stars, I would. Even my husband who only likes the ground beef vegetable soup, loved it too.
Stacey says
I am currently making the vegetable beef soup, simmering as I type. By the smell I think this will be a big hit with my family. I am wondering how/what steps to make this in the crockpot on busy days? Thank you for your recipes I have added so many into our rotation so things don’t get boring.
Nagi says
Hi Stacey, at step 9 you could transfer to a slow cooker and cook for 4 hours on low, I’d at the potatoes & peas with about 2 hours to go – N x
Katelyn says
This looks so enticing! Only questions before j make this tomorrow, when you say you use all three of the Guinness, red wine and stout, do you mean all three at one time or just one? Just wanna make sure I read this right! Can’t wait to make it!
Nagi says
Hi Katelyn, you can use dry red wine, Guinness beer OR stout – just one of the three – N x
Katelyn says
Awesome! Thank you!!! That’s what I thought but I was just making sure! Making it tonight! So excited!
Nagi says
Hi Katelyn! Use just ONE of those 🙂 Not all 3!! N xx
Bob Odey says
OMG, I wanted a hearty vegetable beef soup and I came across yours. This was the BEST soup I ever had. The only thing I didn’t add was the flour and I’m glad I didn’t. Only because I wanted more of a soup then a stew like soup. I did add both a Cabernet and the Guinness. This was awesome!!! I’ll have to follow you now and try some of your other creations. Thank you SO much! Your too kind for sharing your talents.
Kim says
I love you for this recipe (although my husband might love you even more!!! lol) This is my second time making this recipe in the last two weeks! This may not be a big deal to some but my husband is a very particular eater. But he’s been in love with this recipe since the first spoonful! He’s been bugging me to make this again… thank you so much!!! (I also loved your mexican rice casserole recipe).. Any other suggestions for one-pot recipes that will last a week at a time? We are both workaholics with little time on our hands for cooking purposes so these recipes in the last month have been lifesavers!!! 💜
Nagi says
You’ve totally converted him Kim, this is the best compliment ever!
LeAndra Karnos says
I had a hard time with this recipe followed directions took a long time to get the potatoes cooked completely. Any suggestions for the next time
Nagi says
Hi LeAndra, sorry you had issues – was it just the potatoes? What type did you use? – N x
Chantelle says
Delicious recipe. My only advice is use 4 level tablespoons of flour not heaped. I used a 220g sirloin steak and bulked out with extra veg. I would give this recipe a 3/5 on day 1 one and 5/5 on day two with my variations but I’m sure it would be much nicer if made as written. Thanks alot!
Nagi says
You’re so welcome Chantelle – N x
Robert Adams says
I liked this recipe but I made two changes. I replaced the potatoes and peas with a bag of gnocchi and a bag of spinach. That worked well but next time I will use just 1/2 bag of gnocchi because it swells sitting in the broth. I think I am also going to ditch the guinness and go for red wine because the guinness seemed to have a slight aftertaste that I did not care for.
Nagi says
Sounds great Robert, just like a dumpling soup!
Chuck says
Hi Nagi,
I made your vegetable beef soup and it was delicious. I didn’t have any stout beer on hand so used some India Red Ale. Although the soup was lighter in color it still had a wonderful aroma and taste. I’m looking forward to my leftovers tomorrow.
Thank you again for sharing another great recipe.
Nagi says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Chuck!
Jann Sarjit Dhaliwal says
Hi Nagi may I substitute the beef with lamb?
Nagi says
Hi Jann, you sure can! Enjoy – N x
Madeline says
Hi I make my stew soup in the pressure cooker. I brown well then use onion soup mix brown broth and pressure cook for about 15 min. Then release pressure and add all Vegas and cook for 5 min. More . Release pressure and taste if gravy isn’t thick enough I ad corn starch and water and thicken up and it is great.
Agill says
Excellent recipe! You are my go-to blog because of recipes like this. Next time I’ll add some smoke paprika to give it a bit of a kick. Otherwise an easy recipe that requires simple ingredients easy to find year around in Canada!
Nagi says
Thanks so much Agill, I really appreciate the feedback!
Jennifer says
The recipe looks delicious. What is the roll thing you pull apart in the video. It also looks divine🤤
Magda says
Lovely soup. My 8 year old really enjoyed it if though “it had things in it she knows she doesn’t like” (celery).
Only question I have is why my budget meat cuts always take way longer to cook than recipes say? This took about 3 hrs for the meat to be soft. That’s the case with all recipes I try.
Nagi says
Hi Magda, I’m so glad you loved it – What kind of meat were you using? – N x
Magda says
Oyster blade.