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Hearty Vegetable Soup with Tender Stew Meat

A close-up of a hearty bowl of vegetable soup with stew meat, potatoes, carrots, and peas in a rich brown broth.
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Make a savory, classic comfort food soup featuring tender stew meat cubes and a mix of root and green vegetables. This recipe focuses on achieving tender beef using a slow cooking method.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 pound potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russet), peeled and cubed
  • 1 cup chopped parsnips (optional)
  • 1 cup frozen green beans
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for thickening, optional)
  • 2 tablespoons cold water (for thickening, optional)

Instructions

  1. Pat the beef stew meat dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef cubes in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pot. Remove the browned beef and set aside.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  4. Return the browned beef to the pot. Add the beef broth, 2 cups of water, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 1.5 hours. This slow simmering helps make the stew meat tender.
  5. After 1.5 hours, add the cubed potatoes and parsnips (if using) to the soup. Continue to simmer, covered, for another 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
  6. Stir in the frozen green beans, frozen peas, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for an additional 5 minutes until the frozen vegetables are heated through. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
  7. If you prefer a thicker soup, mix the 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Stir the slurry slowly into the simmering soup. Cook for 5 minutes more until the soup thickens slightly.
  8. Serve this savory beef and vegetable dinner hot.

Notes

  • For the most tender stew meat, use a slow cooker: Brown the meat, sauté the vegetables, then combine everything (except frozen vegetables) in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Add frozen vegetables during the last 30 minutes.
  • Root vegetables like turnips or rutabaga work well in this recipe alongside potatoes.
  • If you do not have stew meat, you can substitute with ground beef, browning it first and draining excess fat before adding broth.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://seventhflavour.com/vegetable-soup-with-stew-meat/