Summer: Vegetable Beef Soup

When the vegetables start coming in, there’s nothing quite like a pot of vegetable beef soup. The garden medley shines in this recipe with fresh corn and fresh green beans, and the tomatoes deepen the flavor, letting the beef flavor come through. Fresh parsley helps keep everything fresh and light.

Everything comes together pretty quickly on the stove top; an hour of simmering and you’re ready to serve it with a hearty sourdough roll for a dinner that’s perfect for family game night or after a day out in the sun. 

If you’re craving a bit of sunshine goodness in the middle of winter, this recipe works just as well with dried herbs and frozen vegetables and canned tomatoes. 

Volume measurements are really just to keep things in balance. Adjust as you’d like given the amount you have on hand and what you prefer as far as flavor profile. If you like a broth soup, add more water or broth; if you like it to be more like stew, keep the liquid ratio low, and tilt the lid while simmering to help reduce the liquid further. 

Ingredients
1 lb. Ground beef (or stew meat, or a chuck roast cut into cubes)
2 Tablespoons Olive oil
1/2 Yellow onion, diced
3 Carrots, diced
2 stalks Celery, diced

Half a head green cabbage, chopped (optional, but it gives it a hearty base)
3 cloves Garlic, minced
2 pounds Tomatoes (fresh or 28 ounces canned), chopped
4 cups Beef Broth
1/4 cup total Dried herbs – basil, oregano, and thyme
Salt and pepper
2 pounds New potatoes, chopped
1 c Green beans, chopped
1 c Corn, cut from the cob
Handful Fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Dab meat dry with a paper towel, then coat with salt and pepper. Set in a heavy soup pot coated with olive oil and brown over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes, turn and brown for another 4 minutes. Work in batches if necessary, depending on the size of your pan. Set beef aside once cooked.

 

In the soup pot, sauté onion, cabbage, celery, carrots, and garlic in olive oil until onion is transparent. 

Add broth, tomatoes, beef, and herbs and stir to combine. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring once or twice throughout, for 30 minutes. 

Add potatoes and green beans and simmer until everything is tender, about 30 minutes more. Add corn and parsley and simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve with sourdough rolls or crusty bread.

Make plenty, as it stores well and the flavor is even better the next day.