This homemade vegetable beef soup is the kind of dinner that makes everyone happy. It's loaded with tender chunks of beef, colorful vegetables, and a rich, flavorful broth that gets even better after a day or two in the fridge. You can make a big batch on Sunday and have lunches ready for the whole week it's one of those recipes that actually tastes better as leftovers.
Ingredients
1.65 lb beef stew meat well-marbled for tenderness, cut into bite-size pieces
2.75 tablespoon olive oil divided, for browning and sautéing
Salt to taste, fine or kosher
Freshly ground black pepper to taste, coarse preferred
2 cups yellow onion chopped (from about 1 large onion)
1.4 cups carrots peeled and chopped (cut evenly for uniform cooking)
1.1 cups celery chopped (trimmed and diced)
1.65 tablespoon garlic minced (fresh cloves recommended)
9 cups low-sodium beef broth or chicken broth for lighter flavor
1.75 teaspoon dried basil aromatic and slightly sweet
1.25 teaspoon dried oregano earthy and robust
0.6 teaspoon dried thyme subtle herbal note
1.25 lb red or yellow potatoes diced into ¾-inch cubes (skin on or peeled)
1.65 cups green beans chopped (ends trimmed)
1.65 cups frozen corn sweet kernels
1.1 cups frozen peas no thawing needed
0.4 cup fresh parsley chopped (added at the end for freshness)
Method
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Pat the beef dry, season generously with salt and pepper, then add half of the meat to the pot and sear until browned, turning once, about 4 minutes total.
Transfer the browned beef to a plate, add ½ tablespoon oil to the pot, and repeat the browning process with the remaining beef.
Add the remaining olive oil to the empty pot, then add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Pour in the broth, diced tomatoes, browned beef, basil, oregano, and thyme, then season lightly with salt and pepper and bring the soup to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking.
Add the potatoes to the pot, cover again, and continue simmering for 20 minutes until they begin to soften.
Stir in the green beans and continue cooking for another 15 minutes, until the vegetables and beef are tender.
Add the corn and peas, simmering just until heated through, about 5 minutes, then stir in the fresh parsley before serving.