This Old Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup recipe can’t be beat for its incredible flavor. Full of tender chunks of beef, pasta, and loaded with vegetables, all swimming in a rich beef broth, it’s a hearty, easy lunch or dinner for the whole family.
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Homemade Soups
Homemade soups are pure comfort food and perfect for cold winter days. There's something magical about tossing together a variety of vegetables, some fresh herbs, and maybe a bit of leftover chicken or whatever's hanging out in the fridge into a large stockpot and having it come together so deliciously. The aromas of homemade soup as it cooks are mouthwatering and are a great way to get the whole family to the table pronto.
This easy Vegetable Beef Soup made with beef soup bones has been in my family for years and is one of my all-time favorites. Of course, it is always hard to choose which favorite soup recipes to make when the temps dip into single digits. But it's hard to beat our Split Pea Soup, Slow Cooker Hamburger Soup, or 15 Bean Soup.
Ingredients for Vegetable Beef Soup
Beef Marrow Bones - These beef bones are easy to find in your grocer's meat department. They add a decided richness to the broth as well as the additional benefits associated with bone broth such as supporting the immune system, aiding in bone strength, and providing additional collagen. (Read more from WebMD about the benefits of bone marrow.)
Beef - I feel like the best cut of meat to use for a beef soup is a rump roast for its tenderness and flavor but you can also use chuck roast, beef stew meat, or try ground beef for a Ground Beef Vegetable Soup.
Pasta - I like to keep it small and use alphabet noodles but you can replace this with your favorite small pasta such as pastina or small elbow macaroni, or use rice. For more variety try substituting barley for a Beef Barley Vegetable Soup.
Beef Soup Vegetables - Almost anything goes here. You can add fresh vegetables such as carrots, celery, onion, diced tomatoes, yellow potatoes, green beans, or frozen vegetables such as corn, peas, lima beans or even mixed vegetables. Replace some of the veggies with chopped cabbage and leeks for a real change of pace.
Stewed Tomatoes - Some vegetable soups are made without tomatoes, although I think the addition of tomatoes makes this soup richer. If a bit of chunky tomato isn't your thing in soup, try substituting tomato sauce, tomato juice, or V8. You can also omit it altogether and replace it with more beef broth, water, or even red wine.
Beef Broth - is a great base for soups and provides flavor. Beef stock can also be used.
Seasonings - can be added to give this soup more of a flavor boost. Try adding fresh herbs such as basil, oregano, thyme, or some Italian Seasoning.
How to Make Vegetable Soup with Beef
- First, to get a rich broth that will absolutely make the soup, brown beef in a large pot. Adding a little water as it browns and scraping the brown bits off the bottom for more flavor. Remove the beef from the stockpot.
- Saute onion and garlic in a small amount of olive oil.
- Place the meat back in the stockpot along with the beef bones.
- Pour chopped stewed tomatoes over the top.
- Add beef stock to create a rich broth.
- Top with enough water to cover the meat. Simmer for 1-2 hours. The longer you simmer, the richer it will get and help to create super tender beef.
- Add some hearty veggies. I add carrots, celery, parsnips, peas, and parsley but you can add in your favorites as well.
- Simmer for another hour. (You can also add dice red potatoes in place of the pasta at this point)
- Add pasta, i.e. pastina, alphabet noodles, orzo, or any small pasta.
- Cook until the pasta is done, according to package instructions.
If you can find the alphabet noodles, they're a great incentive to get small children to eat the soup. I usually serve this Old Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup with a side of crackers or my freshly baked French bread. It really is the perfect lunch or dinner to warm you up on a cold winter's day. Enjoy!
How to Store / Freeze Leftovers
To store, let the soup cool to room temperature then place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for 4-5 days. Bonus - this soup is way even better the next day!
This soup freezes great. Just allow the soup to cool then place it in a freezer bag or airtight container and store it in the freezer. It will keep well for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight then heat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot.
Lifestyle Variations
Gluten-Free - substitute gluten-free pasta for the regular pasta or opt for sweet potatoes. Make sure that your beef stock is also labeled gluten-free.
Keto/Low Carb - omit the pasta, carrots, and parsnips, and add other favorite vegetables such as riced cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, and spinach.
Paleo - substitute riced cauliflower for the pasta.
How to Make Crockpot Vegetable Beef Soup
Follow steps 1-4 as noted in the recipe card directions then add the remaining ingredients except for peas, substitute potatoes for pasta, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours.
Make Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
Follow steps 1-4 as noted in the recipe card directions but on the saute setting for Instant Pot. Add remaining ingredients except for peas and pasta, cover, and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Allow a natural release of pressure for 10 minutes then vent to release the remaining pressure. Set to saute and add frozen peas and small pasta and cook until tender.
Frequently Asked Questions
My personal preference is beef rump roast for its flavor and because it becomes so tender. However, you can also use stew meat or even ground beef.
You don't want to rush the cooking process or the beef will be tough and chewy. For the best results, cook the stew low and slow, for at least two hours, to create the most delicious fall-apart beef.
You can add the vegetables in when you're simmering the meat but they will get very soft. I like mine slightly more crisp so I always wait to add until later.
Of course. You can opt to add potatoes, red potatoes, russet potatoes, or sweet potatoes, instead of pasta. Add the potatoes when you add the vegetables to give them enough time to soften. You can also leave a starch out altogether.
Soups You Can Enjoy Any Time of Year
Seafood Gumbo - is a flavorful and easy seafood gumbo that is all about shellfish, andouille, okra, chicken, and spice.
Blender Tomato Basil Soup - takes just 5 minutes prep to create and results in a creamy and rich soup with flavors of onion, garlic, and basil.
Turkey Soup is perfect for after the holidays and is good for the soul.
Creamy Corn Chowder - is a healthy soup of chicken, corn, and vegetables nestled in a thick creamy base that you'll think is full of calories but it's not!
Find more soup recipes right here on 2CM!
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Old Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds rump roast, cubed
- 4 beef marrow soup bones (optional)
- 30 ounces can stewed tomatoes, cut up
- 32 ounces beef broth
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 5-6 stalks celery, chopped
- 5-6 carrots, chopped
- 1-2 medium parsnips, chopped
- 10 ounces pkg. frozen peas
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ½-3/4 cup small pasta, such as alphabet noodles, pastina or orzo
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large stock pot over medium high heat. Add meat and sear to a nice brown, add a little water and scrape bits off bottom, let brown slightly and pour off browned broth into a bowl. Turn meat and sear each side, adding water and pouring off browned broth as you go. This broth is rich and adds a nice depth to the soup but is also totally optional.
- Remove meat from stock pot.
- Add a slight bit of olive oil to the bottom of the pot and sauté onion for 5 minutes or until soft and translucent.
- Add meat back into stock pot with onions.
- Add bone marrow soup bones, beef broth, stewed tomatoes and enough water to cover beef.
- Bring to boil, lower heat and let simmer, uncovered, on stove for 1-2 hours.
- Add vegetables and seasoning and continue to simmer for another hour.
- Add alphabet noodles and cook for 15 minutes or as directed on package. (pastina can also be substituted and cuts the cooking time to about 6 minutes)
- Serve hot with a side of warm bread or crackers.
Notes
Nutrition
This post has been updated with new photos and more information. It was originally published on January 7, 2018.
