Old-Fashioned Beef Vegetable Soup

This old-fashioned beef vegetable soup is one of my favorite soup recipes and always reminds me of my grandma's kitchen. Made with tender beef and plenty of vegetables in a rich, savory broth, it's the kind of hearty meal she would simmer on the stove all afternoon. Perfect for cold days, family dinners, and leftovers that taste even better the next day.

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This is the soup I make when I want something simple, filling, and comforting. I've made it with different cuts of beef and swapped the vegetables around more times than I can count, and this version is the one I always come back to.

What I've learned over the years is that the flavor comes down to a couple of simple things. Take the time to brown the beef properly, then let the soup simmer long enough to do its thing. That's how you end up with tender meat that's easy to chew and a rich, flavorful broth that tastes like it's been cooking all day.

Ingredients for old-fashioned beef vegetable soup including beef chuck, potatoes, carrots, green beans, peas, corn, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and seasonings laid out on a wooden surface.

Recipe Ingredients

Beef Chuck or Stewing Beef: The beef becomes tender and flavorful when simmered low and slow. Cut it into bite-sized pieces so it's easy to eat.
Olive Oil: Used to brown the beef and build flavor right from the start.
Onion and Garlic: Adds flavor and depth to the broth.
Tomato Paste: This adds richness and depth to the broth. Cooking it briefly helps remove any raw tomato taste.
Beef Broth: Creates the savory base of the soup. I like to use Campbell's Beef Broth or Better Than Bouillon Beef Base, but any good-quality broth will work.
Diced Tomatoes (with juice): I used my homemade Canned Diced Tomatoes, but use whatever you have on hand.
Seasonings: All you need is salt, black pepper, dried thyme leaves, dried parsley, and a couple of bay leaves.
Carrots: In my opinion, no vegetable soup is complete without carrots.
Potatoes: I used baby potatoes, but any potatoes will work. Just cut them into bite-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
Green Beans and Corn (canned): Easy additions that make this soup classic.
Frozen Peas: Stirred in at the end for color and a pop of flavor. I used my homemade Frozen Peas, but any high-quality brand will work. I find some no-name brands have less flavor.

How to Make Old-Fashioned Beef Vegetable Soup

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Sear the meat for 3-4 minutes per side, until browned.

Raw beef chuck pieces added to a large pot with olive oil, ready to be browned for old-fashioned beef vegetable soup.

Beef chuck browned in a Dutch oven, showing deep color from searing to build flavor.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste, stir, and cook for 1 minute to deepen the flavor.

Chopped onion added to browned beef in a pot.

Garlic and tomato paste stirred into browned beef and onions to deepen flavor.

Add the beef broth, diced tomatoes (with juice), salt, pepper, thyme, parsley, and bay leaves. Stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. (The soup should be boiling gently, not rapidly.)

Beef broth, diced tomatoes, herbs, and bay leaves added to the pot for simmering beef vegetable soup.

Beef vegetable soup beginning to simmer with broth, tomatoes, and seasonings in a large pot.

Add the sliced carrots and baby potatoes to the pot. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

Sliced carrots and baby potatoes added to simmering soup.

Beef vegetable soup simmering with carrots and potatoes until tender.

Stir in the drained green beans, corn, and frozen peas. Simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes, just until everything is heated through. Remove and discard the bay leaves.

Green beans, corn, and frozen peas stirred into beef vegetable soup near the end of cooking.

Finished old-fashioned beef vegetable soup loaded with beef and vegetables in the pot.

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve immediately with crusty bread, biscuits, or cornbread. Enjoy!

Close-up of hearty beef vegetable soup served hot with rich broth and vegetables.

Things to Know

Brown the beef in batches, if needed, so it sears rather than steams.
Simmer gently - low and slow will result in more tender meat.
Dice vegetables to a uniform size so they cook evenly.
Season with salt and pepper to taste at the end if necessary.

Serving Suggestions for Old-Fashioned Beef Vegetable Soup

This soup is hearty on its own, but it's even better with warm, homemade bread for soaking up every last bit of broth.

Crusty sourdough bread, like my No Knead Sourdough Bread, for dipping and scooping.
Soft dinner rolls or Old Fashioned Air Buns if you want something light and fluffy.
Quick No Milk Biscuits or No Milk Drop Biscuits for an easy, cozy side.
Cornbread, such as Smoked Cornbread, for a classic pairing.