Old Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup
A hearty, old fashioned beef soup with tender chunks of beef, potatoes, carrots and leek in a clear, golden broth – no tomatoes needed. Inspired by Greek kreatosoupa.
Servings: 6
Calories: 530kcal
Ingredients
- 2 lb (900g) beef chuck (braising steak), cut into 1½-inch (4cm) cubes – or top round (topside)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper or paprika
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- 2 tbsp olive oil , plus more as needed
- 1 large onion , diced
- 4 celery stalks , sliced
- 1 large leek , white and light green parts only, sliced into half moons
- 4 carrots , peeled and halved
- 4 potatoes , peeled and quartered
- 1 cup (250ml) beef broth (beef stock)
- 8 cups (2 liters) water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig fresh thyme , plus leaves to garnish
- ½–1 lemon , juiced, to taste
Instructions
Stovetop
- Pat the beef dry and toss with the salt, pepper, Aleppo pepper and allspice.2 lb (900g) beef chuck (braising steak), cut into 1½-inch (4cm) cubes – or top round (topside), 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tsp Aleppo pepper or paprika, ½ tsp ground allspice
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in batches for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned, adding more oil as needed. Set aside.2 tbsp olive oil
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, celery and leek and cook for 5–7 minutes, scraping up the browned bits, until soft.1 large onion, 4 celery stalks, 1 large leek
- Add the carrots and potatoes and stir to coat.4 carrots, 4 potatoes
- Return the beef and juices to the pot. Add the broth, water, bay leaves and thyme, bring to a boil and skim off any foam.1 cup (250ml) beef broth (beef stock), 8 cups (2 liters) water, 2 bay leaves, 1 sprig fresh thyme
- Reduce to a gentle simmer, partly cover and cook for 2 hours or until the beef is very tender, topping up with hot water if needed.
- Discard the bay leaves and thyme. Stir in lemon juice to taste, then season with more salt and pepper as needed. Serve garnished with thyme leaves.½–1 lemon
Slow Cooker
- Season and sear the beef, then soften the onion, celery and leek, following steps 1–3 above.2 lb (900g) beef chuck (braising steak), cut into 1½-inch (4cm) cubes – or top round (topside), 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tsp Aleppo pepper or paprika, ½ tsp ground allspice, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 large onion, 4 celery stalks, 1 large leek
- Transfer the beef, softened vegetables, carrots and potatoes to a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the broth into the hot pot, scrape up the browned bits and add it to the slow cooker.4 carrots, 4 potatoes, 1 cup (250ml) beef broth (beef stock)
- Add 6 cups (1.5 liters) of water (instead of 8), the bay leaves and thyme.8 cups (2 liters) water, 2 bay leaves, 1 sprig fresh thyme
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the beef is very tender.
- Discard the bay leaves and thyme. Stir in lemon juice to taste, then season with more salt and pepper as needed. Serve garnished with thyme leaves.½–1 lemon
Notes
- Beef: Chuck gives the most tender result. Lean top round works but keep it at a bare simmer so it does not dry out.
- Keep it gentle: A hard boil makes the beef tough and the broth cloudy – you want just a few lazy bubbles.
- Storage: Keeps 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
- Keep the vegetables chunky: Cut the carrots and potatoes into big pieces so they don’t fall apart during the long simmer. For smaller pieces, lift them out just before serving, slice into bite-size pieces and stir back into the soup.
- Add orzo or rice: Stir in ½ cup (100g) orzo or long-grain rice for the last 15 minutes, topping up with water as needed – orzo soaks up broth like a sponge.
- Make it avgolemono: Whisk 2 eggs with the juice of a lemon, slowly whisk in a ladle of hot broth, then stir it into the pot off the heat. Do not let it boil or the eggs will curdle. It is the same trick I use for my Avgolemono Soup.
- More vegetables: Zucchini, green beans, butternut squash, celery root (celeriac) or a handful of spinach can all go in – add softer vegetables for the last 20 minutes.
- Bone-in beef: Use bone-in shank (shin) and simmer the bone with the soup for an extra-rich broth. Shred the meat back into the pot.
- A hint of tomato: For a redder broth, stir in 1 tablespoon of tomato paste with the vegetables.
Nutrition
Calories: 530kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 670mg | Potassium: 1240mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 4.3mg
