This hearty soup is a must for the cold fall and winter months. I omit noodles and potatoes in this recipe to make it freezer friendly because it’s a staple for those nights when you don’t feel like cooking. Add some warm crusty bread and you’re set!
Vegetable Beef Soup
This hearty soup is a must for the cold fall and winter months. I omit noodles and potatoes in this recipe to make it freezer friendly because it's a staple for those nights when you don't feel like cooking. Add some warm crusty bread and you're set!
Equipment
- 1 large Dutch oven or soup pot
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 soup ladle
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil I sub 1 tbsp of olive oil for rendered pork fat if I have it in the fridge
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 onion diced
- 1 ½ cups celery sliced
- 1 cup carrots sliced
- 1 cup cremini mushrooms sliced
- ½ lb savoy or green cabbage cut into large slices
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp sweet paprika Hungarian reigns supreme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 8 cups beef stock
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- chili sauce I reach for Erös Pista every time
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, heat extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break into small pieces using a wooden spoon. Give the beef a generous sprinkling of black pepper and kosher salt. Cook the beef until it's nicely browned, about 7-10 minutes. Add the Worcestershire when the meat is cooked but not yet browned (about 5 minutes), then continue browning.
- Add onion, celery, carrots and mushrooms to the pot. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent.
- Add garlic, tomato paste, paprika, oregano, basil, and thyme to the pot and stir. Cook for 1 minute, while stirring constantly.
- Add the cabbage, tomatoes, and ⅓ cup of the beef stock to the pot to deglaze, scraping all the little brown bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
- Add bay leaves and beef broth to the pot. Bring to a boil then turn the heat down to medium; simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf before serving. Taste, season with salt & pepper, if needed.
- Serve with chili sauce of your choice
Notes
This soup is made for the freezer! Feel free to halve the batch if you don’t want to make so much. I always freeze a few portions of this soup for quick meals on those cold winter nights.
If you want to add noodles like I did, simply cook them on the side and ladle soup overtop.
