Beef and Vegetable Soup
Warming, hearty and satisfying, this chunky, big soup is packed with tender meat, potatoes, plus loads of vegetables bathed in a delicious broth. With deep, rich and savoury flavour, you'll be amazed at just how good (and easy) it is.
It's recommended you read the accompanying blog post before starting the recipe.
Ingredients
- 500 - 600 g stewing beef (see Recipe Notes)
- salt and black pepper
- 2 tbsp oil (e.g. light olive, sunflower)
- 1 - 2 large - medium onions (skinned, roughly chopped)
- 2 stalks celery (finely chopped)
- 6 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 250 g carrots (peeled or scraped and cut into small - medium dice: weight after prep.)
- 150 g swede/rutabaga (or parsnip, turnip, celeriac, or more carrots) (peeled and cut into small - medium dice: weight after prep.)
- 2 level tsp dried mixed herbs (or dried thyme or oregano)
- 1 rounded tbsp tomato puree
- 30 g plain/all-purpose flour
- 1000 ml beef stock (if using cubes: 4)
- 350 g potatoes (peeled or not, cut into small - medium dice)
- 120 g frozen peas
- 1 small bunch parsley (stems discarded, leaves finely chopped)
Instructions
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Cut the beef into small (approx. 2 cm) bite-sized pieces, discarding any excess fat or gristle.
Toss with a little salt and pepper.
Put the oil in a large casserole dish or saucepan over high heat.
When hot, brown the beef in batches until well coloured all over: don't crowd the pot or the meat will steam rather than brown.
As each batch browns, remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate or bowl. Leave the oil in the pan.
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When all the beef is browned, reduce the heat to medium/medium-low then add the prepared onion, celery, and garlic, seasoning with a pinch of salt and a good grind of pepper. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are starting to soften and are browned.
Add the carrot and swede, a pinch more salt and pepper, and stir around for a minute or two. Stir in the dried herbs and the tomato puree. Cook for a minute, stirring all the time, then take the pot off the heat.
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Stir in the flour until thoroughly combined with the rest of the ingredients. Put back on the heat and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Off the heat again, gradually stir in approximately 500 ml of the stock, ensuring there are no lumps of flour, then stir in the remaining 500 ml of stock.
Put back on the heat, turned up to medium-high, and keep stirring until the liquid bubbles and slightly thickens. Cook for 2 minutes then turn the heat down to medium-low so the soup simmers.
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Stir the browned beef into the soup and bring back up to a gentle simmer.
Put on a lid and cook until the meat is just tender (approximately 1 - 1¼ hours although different cuts will vary).
During this time complete the next step.
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While the beef is simmering, put the diced potatoes in a saucepan and more than cover with cold water. Season with a little salt, bring to a rapid simmer, then cook until only just starting to soften on the outside (4 - 8 minutes).
Drain and set aside.
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When the beef is almost tender, stir in the part-cooked potatoes and simmer again until both the meat and the potatoes are done to your liking (20 - 25 minutes).
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Stir in the frozen peas and most of the chopped parsley (save some to use as a garnish). Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed then cook for a few more minutes until the peas are done.
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Serve with the remaining parsley scattered over.
Will keep for 3 days in a container in the fridge.
Can be frozen if you don't mind the vegetables becoming softer.
Recipe Notes
Which beef to use?
You will need boneless chunks of beef. I most often use ready diced beef sold as ‘stewing beef’. This can contain any of the tougher cuts that require longer cooking but which have good flavour. You could also use braising steak which is similar. If you want to buy a specific cut, boneless shin of beef is excellent although fattier than some cuts.
For a more economical soup, use the smaller suggested amount of beef and include extra vegetables.