ByDonna Elick
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Italian Beef Soupsure doesn’t cut corners! The meat is trimmed, seared, and simmered until it literally melts in your mouth. The vegetables are seasoned and cooked until just tender yet still crisp and full of flavor. Served in a mindblowing broth with savory Italian seasonings, this is my best hearty beef soup recipe to date!
Sometimes it’s hard to imagine the results. Check out the video below of this beef soup recipe being made for a look at what’s to come!
This hearty soup is one simple recipe that the whole family will love. It has the best flavor and is a great way to whip up a simple comfort food on a chilly day!
Italian Beef Soup
There’s just something about wholesome, hearty beef vegetable soup that no other recipe can replace.
It’s all classic, homecooked, and smells even better than it tastes – if that’s even possible!!
It’s a timeless dish you ate as a kid, that you serve toyourkids, and that they’ll serve totheirkids later down the line.
And I’m happy to introduce you to the beef soup recipe you’ll be making from here on out, because this really is the best vegetable beef soup out there!!
While we’re replacing childhood recipes… take some time to try mychicken noodleandFrench onion souprecipes!!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Beef Chuck Roast– This cut comes from the shoulder of the cow and has a super rich, fatty flavor. It’s my first choice for pot roast soup!
- Cabernet Sauvignon– This dark red wine is lending its moisture and deep, fruity flavor to our beef and vegetable soup.
Those who dislike cooking with alcohol can choose a non-alcoholic wine of their choice or a simple grape, pomegranate, or cranberry juice.
- Beef Stock– Vegetable stock works just fine, too. If you’re using bouillon or beef base, then use 4 teaspoons of the base/bouillon mixed into 4 cups of water.
- Worcestershire Sauce– Sweet, sour, and even a little spicy!
Soy sauce is your best substitute, but you can add ketchup or apple juice to it to get some of that sweet acidity back.
- Dried Italian Seasoning– Such a versatile combination of herbs!
You can mix your own with a teaspoon each of dried basil and rosemary, and ½ teaspoon each of dried oregano and thyme.
- Shallots & Garlic– Aromatics play a big role in the overall flavor of a soup. Shallots and garlic are perfect!
Shallots can be replaced with an onion of your choice (for an even stronger flavor), but be sure to use fresh garlic instead of powdered.
Kitchen Hacks for Hearty Vegetable Beef Soup
- Don’t Forget To Deglaze– This is huge! There’s so much flavor cooked onto the bottom of the pot.
The wine scoops all of it up and makes a fantastic base for the soup.
- Best Sides to Serve– Bread isnevera bad idea!Cornbread,beer bread, andgarlic bread.
And since Italian beef soup is rather rich and hearty, a crisp and refreshingsaladwould be a relief to bite into!
- Thicken The Broth– There are two ways to do this. The first method is to simply use less stock – just 2 cups or so – for a thicker broth with a stronger flavor.
Alternatively, you can make a slurry with water and either cornstarch or flour. This won’t affect the flavor much at all, but will achieve a thick, silky consistency.
Storing and Reheating Italian Beef Soup
Keep any leftover beef soup chilled for 3 to 4 days.
Reheat it right back on the stovetop over medium heat until all warmed through!
Sometimes this hearty beef vegetable soup is even better the next day, after everything sits in the broth overnight.
Italian Beef Soup FAQ
What is the best cut of beef for soup?
The best cut of meat for beef soup is either a chuck roast, chuck shoulder, chuck-eye roast or top chuck – with chuck roast being my personal favorite.
These are the most tender cuts. Despite what the name suggests, stew meat isnotyour best choice in a beef soup recipe! The cubes in a stew pack can actually come from any combination of cuts, and you never know if they’ll be suited for simmering or not.
Can you freeze Italian beef soup?
Yep!
Let it cool down first, and then portion into separate containers so that you can thaw just one serving at a time. If you plan on reheating all of it at once, then a freezer bag or other airtight container will do just fine for the whole batch.
What is the difference between soup and stew?
It’s probably exactly what you think – a stew is basically a thicker, richer, heartier soup.
Stews simmer down the broth for maximum flavor, while soups tend to just cook and heat the liquid. Both are great in their own way, but stews are almost always more flavorful and satisfying than soups!
What toppings go well with this homemade vegetable beef soup recipe?
Since this recipe is made with simple ingredients, you’ll love all the toppings and flavors that you can add. Bay leaves are great for adding flavor (but not to eat), and fresh parsley is always delicious.
Add some black pepper and other fresh herbs to really enhance the wonderful taste. (garlic powder is great with the tender beef!) Crusty bread or croutons are a great choice, too!
When you have a homemade soup this delicious, the only thing that you have to really worry about is that you’ll want more because there is lots of flavor. Keep this simple recipe handy during the winter months because it doesn’t take a lot of time to make, but it’s going to stick in your mind for a long time.
Vegetable beef soup recipes like this are the best! It’s a simple good soup to share with family and friends!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Easy Soup Recipes
Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup + Video
Donna Elick
Italian Beef Soup is a slow simmered masterpiece. Try my easy beef soup recipe for a mouthwatering mix of tender beef and flavorful veggies!
5 stars from 6 reviews
Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Total Time 2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Method Stovetop
Servings 12 1 cup servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 – 1 1/2 inch cubes
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 32 ounces beef stock, 4 cups
- 1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 4 cups chopped red potatoes, bite-size pieces (about 1/2″)
- 3 cups chopped baby carrots, bite-size pieces
- fresh parsley to garnish, optional
Instructions
Trim hard fat (which does not melt during the cooking process) and silver skin (white and silvery looking) from beef and cut into 1 – 1 1/2″ cubes. It takes about 5 minutes, but don’t skip this step. It is sooo worth it.
Combine flour, paprika, pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large 1-gallon resealable bag. Seal and shake to combine. Add beef and shake until well coated.
Warm olive oil in a large dutch oven (or heavy bottom pot), over medium-high heat, once you can feel the warmth when holding your hand 6 inches from the pot, add butter. Once butter is melted, carefully add beef. Do not crowd the pot, only add about 1/2 of the beef at a time.
Remove beef from flour and shake gently to remove loose flour. Place coated beef in the pan, one piece at a time, brown on all sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Cook in two batches, about half each time. Turn pieces until all sides are browned and remove them and place them in your upside-down pot lid. Once the first batch is cooked, add the second batch and repeat.
Meanwhile, prepare shallot and garlic. Shallot should be diced and garlic minced. Set aside.
Once all beef is browned, add shallots and garlic. Cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
Add wine and deglaze the pan by scraping up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add beef stock, Worcestershire and Italian seasoning, remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Return beef to the pot.
Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer. Allow soup to simmer 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare potatoes and carrots. Cut vegetables into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
Add potatoes and carrots. Stir to coat vegetables and cover. Simmer 40-50 minutes or until vegetables are fork-tender. Taste broth. If necessary, add additional salt to taste (mine was perfect).
Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Donna’s Notes
I do not recommend using beef stew meat. It is a combination of cuts of meat that may not be right for this soup. The best cuts of meat to use for this beef soup are chuck roast, chuck shoulder, chuck-eye roast or top chuck. These cuts will result in meltingly tender beef that you can cut with a spoon, perfect for this dish!
You can substitute onion for shallot if you are looking for a stronger onion flavor.
4 teaspoons of beef base or bouillon and 4 cups of water can be substituted for the beef stock.
Dried Italian Seasoning is a fabulous convenience ingredient. If you do not keep it on hand, combine 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme.
For a thicker stew-like consistency, cut the beef stock back to 2 cups.
I know some people are sensitive to alcohol. I will say the wine adds a fabulous rich burgundy flavor to the soup, and if you can use the cabernet, I highly recommend it. However, you can substitute with beef stock, grape, pomegranate, or cranberry juice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 243cal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 642mg | Sugar: 3g | Fiber: 2g | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 3mg
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Originally published September 2014, updated and republished December 2023
Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.
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