There’s something special about a pot of homemade Vegetable Beef Soup simmering on the stove. Tender chunks of beef, hearty vegetables, and a rich tomato-infused broth come together in a soup that’s pure comfort from the very first spoonful. This isn’t a quick “throw everything in the pot” recipe—it’s built with simple flavor-building techniques that create a broth with incredible depth and a soup that’s well worth the extra few minutes.
What makes this recipe different is the way each layer of flavor is developed. The flank steak is marinated for extra richness, the onions and mushrooms are browned until deeply savory, tomato paste is cooked to concentrate its sweetness, and a splash of red wine brings everything together before the soup slowly simmers into something truly memorable. It’s the kind of old-fashioned beef soup that readers tell me has become a staple in their homes.
If you love hearty homemade soups, be sure to try my Beef Barley Soup, Beef Stew, and Chicken Noodle Soup. You can also browse all of my favorite cozy bowls in my Soup Recipes collection.
✨ Before You Begin
✨ Don’t rush the browning. Browning the beef, onions, mushrooms, and tomato paste creates the rich, savory flavor that makes this soup stand out. Those extra few minutes build the deep broth readers rave about.
✨ Slice the flank steak against the grain. This simple step helps the beef stay tender and easy to eat. Flank steak cooks more quickly than chuck roast while still delivering hearty, beefy flavor.
✨ Use prepared beef broth, then add the Better Than Bouillon. The broth forms the base of the soup, while the Better Than Bouillon adds another layer of rich beef flavor. Use both for the best results.
✨ Don’t skip the mushrooms unless you need to. Even if you’re not a mushroom lover, they melt into the broth as the soup simmers, adding savory depth without overpowering the other ingredients. If you prefer, you can leave them out—many readers have and still loved the soup.
✨ This soup is even better the next day. Like many homemade soups, the flavors continue to develop as it rests, making leftovers every bit as delicious as the first bowl.
Ingredients & Why They Matter
Every ingredient in this Vegetable Beef Soup has a purpose. From the marinated flank steak to the browned onions and mushrooms, each layer helps create the rich, deeply savory broth that makes this soup so memorable. Here are a few tips to help you get the very best results.
Flank Steak: Flank steak is my favorite cut for this soup. While beef chuck is a classic choice for soups, flank steak becomes wonderfully tender in less time while delivering rich, beefy flavor. Be sure to slice it against the grain before marinating for the best texture.
Potatoes: Not all potatoes cook the same! Russet potatoes release a little starch as they simmer, creating a heartier broth. Yukon Gold potatoes have a rich, buttery flavor and hold their shape beautifully, while red potatoes are another great option if you prefer firmer chunks. My dad has one non-negotiable request whenever I make this soup—cut the potatoes small! About ½-inch cubes give you a little beef, vegetables, and broth in every spoonful, and I have to admit, I agree with him.
Onions, Mushrooms & Garlic: Don’t rush this step. Browning the onions and mushrooms builds the savory foundation of the broth, creating the deep, rich flavor that sets this soup apart. Cook the onions and mushrooms in separate batches so they brown instead of steam—you’ll develop far more flavor that way. Garlic is added at the end so it becomes fragrant without burning.
Tomato Paste: Cooking the tomato paste for a minute or two before adding the liquid caramelizes its natural sugars and gives the broth a richer, more developed flavor.
Dry Red Wine: A splash of dry red wine lifts all those flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot and adds wonderful depth to the finished soup. If you prefer not to cook with wine, simply substitute additional beef broth. Several readers have also had great success using a mixture of grape juice and balsamic vinegar.
Beef Broth, Soy Sauce & Better Than Bouillon: These ingredients work together to create a rich, beef-forward broth. I use low-sodium beef broth and soy sauce so I can control the seasoning myself. If you use regular versions, reduce the added salt and season to taste. Use prepared beef broth as the base, then stir in the Better Than Bouillon for an extra boost of savory beef flavor. I typically use the regular Better Than Bouillon rather than the reduced-sodium version.
Vegetables: Carrots, celery, tomatoes, potatoes, and green beans are the classic combination, but this soup is wonderfully adaptable. Feel free to add cabbage, corn, peas, rutabaga, or turnips to make it your own.
Thyme & Bay Leaves: These classic herbs quietly round out the broth, adding subtle savory flavor without overpowering the beef and vegetables.
🥣 How To Make Vegetable Beef Soup
Marinate the Beef: In a large bowl, toss the cubed flank steak with the soy sauce and let it marinate while you prepare the remaining ingredients. This simple step seasons the beef from the inside out and adds another layer of savory flavor to the finished soup.
Brown the Beef: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, brown the beef on all sides, then transfer it to a plate. The beef doesn’t need to be cooked through at this stage—you just want to develop a rich, flavorful crust.
Brown the Onions: Add the onions to the pot and cook until they’re soft and deeply golden, stirring occasionally. Don’t rush this step. The browned onions create one of the first layers of flavor in the broth.
Cook the Mushrooms: Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until they’ve released their moisture and begin to brown. Cooking the onions and mushrooms separately prevents the pan from becoming overcrowded, allowing both to caramelize instead of steam.
Add the Garlic & Tomato Paste: Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute or two, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly. This caramelizes the tomato paste and gives the broth a richer, more developed flavor.
Deglaze the Pot: Pour in the red wine, scraping up every flavorful browned bit from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine simmer for a minute or two to reduce slightly before moving on.
Build the Broth: Return the browned beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Stir in the beef broth, Better Than Bouillon, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, celery, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring the soup to a gentle boil.
Simmer Until Tender: Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the beef and vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded together, about 1 hour.
Finish with the Green Beans: Stir in the green beans during the last few minutes of cooking so they stay bright and tender instead of becoming overly soft.
Taste & Serve: Remove the bay leaves, taste the broth, and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve with crusty bread or your favorite crackers.
How To Make Vegetable Beef Soup in the Slow Cooker
Brown the Vegetables: Brown the mushrooms first, then the onions in a large skillet. Transfer both to a 6- to 7-quart slow cooker.
Brown the Beef: Brown the marinated flank steak in two batches, then transfer it to the slow cooker.
Build the Flavor Base: Cook the garlic and tomato paste in the same skillet for about 1 minute. Add the red wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and simmer until slightly reduced. Pour into the slow cooker.
Add the Remaining Ingredients: Stir in the beef broth, Better Than Bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaves, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, celery, green beans, salt, and pepper.
Cook: Cover and cook on HIGH for 3–4 hours or LOW for 6–8 hours, until the beef is tender. Remove the bay leaves, adjust the seasoning if needed, and serve hot.
⭐ Pro Tips
⭐ Don’t Skip the Browning: The secret to this soup’s rich, deeply savory broth is taking the time to properly brown the onions, mushrooms, and beef. Those caramelized browned bits left on the bottom of the pot dissolve into the broth when you deglaze the pan with the wine, creating incredible depth of flavor you simply can’t get by rushing this step.
⭐ Slice the Flank Steak Against the Grain: Flank steak is naturally lean and flavorful. Slicing it against the grain before marinating helps keep every bite tender and easy to eat.
⭐ Cut the Vegetables into Similar-Sized Pieces: Cutting the potatoes, carrots, and celery into evenly sized pieces helps everything cook at the same rate. I like to dice the potatoes into about ½-inch cubes so every spoonful is filled with beef, vegetables, and rich broth.
⭐ Taste Before Serving: Depending on the brand of beef broth you use, your soup may need a little more salt or pepper. Always taste the broth after removing the bay leaves and adjust the seasoning just before serving.
⭐ Make It Ahead: Like many homemade soups, Vegetable Beef Soup tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld. It’s a great recipe to make ahead for busy weeknights or weekend meal prep.
Storing + Reheating + Freezing + Make Ahead
Refrigerator: Let the soup cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. The flavors continue to develop as it rests, making leftovers even more delicious.
Freezer: Vegetable Beef Soup freezes beautifully. Cool completely, then store in freezer-safe containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Leave about 1 inch of headspace to allow for expansion.
To Reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, or microwave individual portions until heated through. If the soup has thickened during storage, simply stir in a splash of beef broth or water until it reaches your desired consistency.
Make Ahead: This is an excellent make-ahead meal. Prepare the soup a day in advance, refrigerate overnight, and gently reheat before serving. The extra time allows the flavors to meld together, creating an even richer, more flavorful broth.
Can You Make With Ground Beef Instead?
Absolutely. Just skip the flank steak and use ground beef. For the best flavor I would opt for 80/20 ground beef. Your simmer time won’t need to be as long.
Tools You’ll Need
- Mixing bowls
- Dutch oven: I love my nonstick pans just as much as the next person—but here’s a little secret: when I’m browning something and intending to deglaze the pan I never use a nonstick pan. Those little brown bits that I work so hard to achieve do not seem to be created with a nonstick pan. So I go ahead and use a regular large pot with this soup.
- A good stirring spoon
What To Serve With Vegetable Beef Soup
I love to serve some homemade bread or biscuits to dip into this thick, rich, wonderful broth. My garlic bread with fresh herbs, no-knead bread, beer bread, Bisquick biscuits, cat head biscuits, or crescent rolls are all wonderful dipping vehicles!
Tips
- Deglaze: For this soup recipe, it’s important to brown the onions until they are well browned—look for small dark bits (dark brown not black) forming on the bottom of the pan. Those bits are what the French call fond, and they help to create a deep, fantastic flavor in your finished soup.
- That depth of flavor is intensified when the beef is browned in the same skillet. That creates another layer of fond which is added to the soup when the pan is deglazed.
Storing + Freezing + Make Ahead
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? Once cooked, you can store this old fashioned vegetable beef soup in the fridge for up to four days.
- Can You Freeze This? Yes! You can make a big batch of vegetable beef soup and freeze it for a meal later. This soup will freeze for up to six months.
- Make-Ahead Tips: This beef vegetable soup tastes even better (is that possible?) if you make it a day or two ahead of serving. All those wonderful flavors marry and mix, and the broth of the soup thickens and tastes even richer.
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.
Frequently Asked Questions
◆ Why do you use flank steak instead of chuck roast?
Flank steak is my favorite cut for this recipe because it becomes tender in less time while still delivering rich, beefy flavor. While chuck roast is a classic choice for soup, it needs a much longer cooking time to become fork-tender. Top sirloin is another good substitute, though it may need a little extra simmering time.
◆ Can I skip the red wine?
Yes! The wine adds depth and helps lift all the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot, but you can substitute additional beef broth if you prefer. Some readers have also had great success using a mixture of grape juice and balsamic vinegar.
◆ Can I leave out the mushrooms?
Absolutely. The mushrooms add savory depth to the broth, but they aren’t essential. Several readers have omitted them and still loved the finished soup.
◆ Can I use different vegetables?
Definitely! This recipe is very forgiving. In addition to the vegetables listed, cabbage, corn, peas, rutabaga, and turnips are all delicious additions. Use what your family enjoys or what you have on hand.
◆ Can I make this soup in the slow cooker?
Yes! Browning the beef, onions, mushrooms, and tomato paste first is the key to developing the rich flavor that makes this soup special. Once that’s done, transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 3–4 hours or LOW for 6–8 hours.
◆ Can I freeze Vegetable Beef Soup?
Yes. Let the soup cool completely, then transfer it to freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through.
◆ Can I use ground beef instead of flank steak?
Yes. Substitute 2 pounds of lean ground beef, browning and draining it before continuing with the recipe. The flavor will be a little different, but you’ll still end up with a hearty, delicious soup.
Still have questions? Leave me a comment below—I’m always happy to help!
More Delicious Beefy Soup Recipes
- Cheeseburger Soup
- Taco Soup
- Beef And Tomato Macaroni Soup
- Crockpot Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Busy Day Soup
- Goulash Soup
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Vegetable Beef Soup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds flank steak trimmed and cut Into 1/2-inch cubed
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
- 2 cups yellow onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 48 ounces low sodium beef broth
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon~beef flavor
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes, including juice
- 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 2 celery stalks, cut into small cubes
- 1 cup frozen green beans, thawed and well-drained
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the beef (2 pounds) and soy sauce (2 tablespoons); set aside and marinate for 15 minutes.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, over medium heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the mushrooms (16 ounces) and saute, stirring frequently until the mushrooms are soft. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
- In the same pan, add 1-2 tablespoons of oil and the onions (2 cups) and brown, stirring frequently until the onions are browning and dark pieces are forming on the bottom of the pan, about 8-12 minutes. Remove the cooked onions to the bowl of mushrooms and set aside.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to the pan, then add half the beef. Cook, stirring occasionally until liquid evaporates and the beef begins to brown, about 6-10 minutes. Remove to a plate and brown the remaining meat the same way.
- Return the first batch of browned meat back to the pan with the second batch.
- Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, tomato paste (2 tablespoons), and garlic (6 cloves) and cook stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds.
- Add the red wine (1/2 cup), maintain the heat, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon to loosen up the brown bits. Continue to cook until the liquid becomes syrupy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients along with the cooked mushroom/onion mixture and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and cook on low, covered, until the vegetables and meat are tender 40-50 minutes. Remove bay leaf and adjust seasoning and serve.
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- You can substitute 2 pounds of ground beef instead of cubed flank steak. I recommend draining off excess fat if you're using ground beef.
- Opt for regular pans instead of non-stick pans to create the brown bits that are intended for deglazing.
- Don't forget to sauté the aromatic vegetables before adding them to the soup.
- Deglaze: For this soup recipe, it’s important to brown the onions until they are well browned—look for small dark bits (dark brown not black) forming on the bottom of the pan. Those bits are what the French call fond, and they help to create a deep, fantastic flavor in your finished soup. That depth of flavor is intensified when the beef is browned in the same skillet. That creates another layer of fond which is added to the soup when the pan is deglazed.
Nutrition
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This has got to be the best beef vegetable soup I’ve ever had. I’ve made it over and over. It’s incredible a few extra steps, but well well worth it..
Thank you for sharing this. It’s a staple in our home.
Hey, Carol! That’s so nice to hear. We’re happy you like this soup 🙂 Thanks for the positive feedback and 5-star rating!
This is my go to vegetable soup. The only thing I do different is add rutabaga
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Hey Mary. Sounds like a great addition!
I’m making this right now exactly as written (except I subbed a grape juice and balsamic vinegar mix for the red wine) and it is not only beautiful but absolutely delish! I’m serving with crusty French bread and butter. I think this will be on repeat at our house. Thank you for the recipe! Also I never leave comments.
Wow, thanks you Lauren, I’m honored! I’m so happy you like this yummy soup!
This is by far the best vegetable beef soup I’ve ever made. I like to make a pot of soup once a week and this is on constant repeat. Thank you for such a phenomenal recipe..
PS I didn’t change a thing
Thank you so much for you comment and 5 star rating, Carol! I’m so happy this recipe is a hit in your home, too!