Vegetable beef soup is easy and so versatile. It's a perfect way to use up any vegetables in the fridge or toss in a bag of mixed vegetables from the freezer. Packed with tender beef, hearty vegetables, and a rich broth, this soup is an easy, hands-off way to create a satisfying meal in one bowl.
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Soup season is my favorite season! Nothing is as cozy as a warm bowl of soup on a fall day. But, I'll eat this vegetable beef soup any time of year. It's one of my favorite go-to lunches. Vegetable beef soup is nutritious and hearty and leaves me feeling like I didn't deprive myself of anything but it isn't high in carbs or fat. I like to make a big batch of this soup and freeze single-serving bags.
The best part? The slow cooker does most of the work for you, making it an ideal dish for busy days. Toss everything in, let it simmer, and by dinner time, you'll have a delicious, flavor-packed soup ready to go.
Are you looking for more soup recipes this fall? Try these! My broccoli cheese soup is a huge hit with kids and beer chili is made for football season!
Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- Healthy Comfort Food: Loaded with veggies and protein, it's a balanced, hearty meal that's both nutritious and comforting.
- Effortless Cooking: The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting, so you can set it, forget it, and come back to a perfect dinner.
- Family-Friendly: This recipe is perfect for families, and it's customizable to include your family's favorite vegetables.
Jump to:
Vegetable Beef Soup Ingredients
- Beef roast or stew meat
- Olive oil
- Canned tomatoes
- Beef stock
- Onion
- Beans - kidney or cannellini
- Potatoes - red or russet
- Cabbage
- Mixed frozen vegetables
- Worcestershire sauce
- Garlic
- Bay leaves
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Salt & pepper
See the recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Vegetable Beef Soup
- Step 1: Cut the roast into bite-size pieces or cook whole and shred before serving. In a large skillet or a slow cooker with searing capabilities, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the beef and sear the meat for 3-4 minutes on each side until browned. This step helps deepen the flavor of the soup but can be skipped if you're short on time. When flipping the meat to the second side, add in the onions to begin to soften. If searing in a skillet, transfer the meat and onions into the slow cooker.
- Step 2: Add the seasonings, garlic and potatoes.
- Step 3: Place the rest of the chopped vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Step 4: Pour in beef stock and crushed tomatoes with their juices. Set the slow cooker on low and cook for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until the beef is tender and the vegetables are fully cooked.
- Step 5: Once the soup is done, taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper, if needed. Remove the bay leaves. If using a whole roast, pull out beef roast chunks, pull them apart with two forks, and return the shredded beef to the pot. Discard any bones. Stir and serve hot with crusty bread or your favorite soup crackers! Garnish with fresh chopped parsley for color and a pop of fresh flavor.
Hint About Slow Cooking: Patience is key when it comes to slow cooking. For the most tender beef and flavorful broth, it's best to cook on low heat for the full 7-8 hours. The slow, gentle simmer allows all the flavors to marry together. If you're tempted to peek, resist the urge-lifting the lid releases heat and can add extra cooking time.
Substitutions & Variations
- Vegetables- Customize this soup to your family's favorites! Whatever you have left over in your fridge, dice into bite-sized pieces and add it in! Some great choices are zucchini, mushrooms, celery, parsnips, cauliflower, bell peppers, and kale or spinach.
- Ground Beef - If you prefer ground beef, simply brown it in your slow cooker if it has the functionality or in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker. Ground beef will create a slightly different texture, but the soup will still be delicious. You can also reduce the cooking time as the ground beef doesn't need as long to tenderize as stew meat or a beef roast.
- Make It Spicy - Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or diced jalapeños for a little kick.
- Low-Carb Option - Skip the potatoes and add more low-carb veggies like mushrooms.
Equipment
This is my favorite slow cooker. It has multiple functions and a large capacity that are super handy. I especially love that I can sear meat in it before slow cooking. Eliminating a dirty pan is always a win.
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Storing and Freezing
This soup makes great leftovers! Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It also freezes beautifully-simply cool the soup completely and transfer it to freezer-safe containers. It'll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to enjoy, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot.
Top Tip
To enhance the flavor of this soup even more, add a splash of red wine while browning the beef. The wine will deglaze the pan, lifting those delicious browned bits and adding a rich depth to the soup. Plus, it pairs beautifully with beef and herbs. Just be sure to let the wine cook off for a minute or two before moving to step 2.
Vegetable Beef Soup FAQ
Absolutely! To make a vegetarian version, skip the beef and use vegetable broth instead of beef broth. You can bulk up the soup with extra vegetables, beans (such as kidney or chickpeas), or even lentils for added protein and texture. Other grains that can bulk this soup up are barley and farro.
Yes! To make this soup on the stovetop, follow the same steps for browning the beef, then add the vegetables, broth, and seasonings to a large pot. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer covered for about 2 to 3 hours, or until the beef is tender and the vegetables are cooked through. If you are using ground beef, it only needs 1 hour to cook. Stir occasionally and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Of course! This recipe makes a double batch of soup that fills my slow cooker. When I make this, I usually feed it to my family for a meal, and then a few of us eat it for lunch a few times. I also often freeze part of it in single-serving sizes for fast meals. You can easily cut this recipe in half if you'd like fewer leftovers.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup
Ingredients
- 3-4 pound chuck roast or bottom round roast, or 2 pounds of stew meat
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 28-ounce cans whole peeled or crushed tomatoes crush by hand if using whole peeled
- 6 cups beef stock
- 2 12-ounce packages frozen mixed vegetables
- 2 medium russet or red potatoes, diced small
- 1 14.5-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ medium head green cabbage, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Step 1: Cut the roast into bite-size pieces or cook whole and shred before serving. In a large skillet or a slow cooker with searing capabilities, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the beef and sear the meat for 3-4 minutes on each side until browned. This step helps deepen the flavor of the soup but can be skipped if you're short on time. When flipping the meat to the second side, add in the onions to begin to soften. If searing in a skillet, transfer the meat and onions into the slow cooker.
- Step 2: Add the seasonings, garlic and potatoes.
- Step 3: Place the rest of the chopped vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Step 4: Pour in beef stock and crushed tomatoes with their juices. Set the slow cooker on low and cook for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until the beef is tender and the vegetables are fully cooked.
- Step 5: Once the soup is done, taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper, if needed. Remove the bay leaves. If using a whole roast, pull out beef roast chunks, pull them apart with two forks, and return the shredded beef to the pot. Discard any bones. Stir and serve hot with crusty bread or your favorite soup crackers! Garnish with fresh chopped parsley for color and a pop of fresh flavor.
Notes
- Vegetables- Customize this soup to your family's favorites! Whatever you have left over in your fridge, dice into bite-sized pieces and add it in! Some great choices are zucchini, mushrooms, celery, parsnips, cauliflower, bell peppers, and kale or spinach.
- Ground Beef - If you prefer ground beef, simply brown it in your slow cooker if it has the functionality or in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker. Ground beef will create a slightly different texture, but the soup will still be delicious. You can also reduce the cooking time as the ground beef doesn't need as long to tenderize as stew meat or a beef roast.
- Make It Spicy - Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or diced jalapeños for a little kick.
- Low-Carb Option - Skip the potatoes and add more low-carb veggies like mushrooms.
- Storage - This soup makes great leftovers! Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It also freezes beautifully-simply cool the soup completely and transfer it to freezer-safe containers. It'll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to enjoy, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot.
Nutrition
For information about food safety, visit the FDA food safety basics page.
Anonymous says
Love veggie soup!
Lets Make It! says
A hardy filling soup that tastes even better than it looks!
Michael says
A must have for a cold winter's day
Michael says
What great depth of flavor