Last Updated: Oct 9, 2024 by Angela G.

Old-Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup

Use your stovetop or crockpot to make this hearty vegetable beef soup. This easy recipe, featuring stew meat or ground beef, mixed vegetables, and potatoes in a rich tomato-beef broth, is a popular go-to soup recipe when the cool months arrive.

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This homemade, old-fashioned vegetable beef soup will take you way back in so many good, wholesome ways. Can be made in your crockpot or on the stovetop.

Table Of Contents

★ Why You'll Love this Recipe ★
★ Ingredients You'll Need ★
★ How to Make this Recipe ★
★ Tips & FAQs ★
★ More Recipes You'll Love ★
Old Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup

★ Why You'll Love this Recipe ★

You'll love the tender chunks of stew meat and how it's packed with healthy veggies all in a light beefy-tomato broth.

The potatoes make it hearty so it eats like a full meal. Perfect for chilly days but truly can be enjoyed year-round.

It tastes like Grandma's vegetable beef soup.

I don't know about your grandma, but mine made a mean pot roast. Maybe because crockpots weren't invented until 1940 or could be that she just liked the way the oven warmed up the house and made it smell divine but it took her allllll day to make.

The beauty of this recipe is that it tastes as good as grandma's cooking, but does not take all day. And you do not even need to turn on the oven unless you want to warm up some bread to go along with this yummy vegetable beef soup.

You'll enjoy the tender chunks of stew meat, along with a healthy dose of mixed vegetables all stewed in a light beefy-tomato broth. Rustic potatoes add heartiness to really make this into a complete meal. Perfect for a cool crisp day.

When you don't want to deal with a long list of complicated ingredients or when you have vegetables you want to use up, this soup will come in handy.

Leftovers make a great lunch.

One of my favorite things about this soup is that is stores well in the fridge and makes a great to-go lunch. Pack it in a glass container and just pop it in the microwave for a quick and easy yet hearty and healthy lunch.

I use these glass containers with lids. (from amazon)

Old fashioned but it's easy to make.

This vegetable beef soup is made from scratch but it's very easy to make. Do you remember the mixed veggies that your mom made you eat when you were 10? Well they're back. And your adult-self will love how they add to the health and flavor factor of this soup.

Throw in a diced potato (and serve with a side of garlic bread for good measure) and we are talking a full homemade meal, with very minimal effort.

By the way — frozen dough is my favorite cheat for quick and easy fresh baked bread. Or pick up a fresh-baked loaf of crusty bread from the bakery.

★ Ingredients You'll Need ★

The beauty of my vegetable beef soup recipe is that you don't need a ton of ingredients to get a ton a flavor.

Here's everything you'll need:

Beef broth and beef bullion. For more flavorful stock we are using both.
Diced potatoes. Leave the skin on for added flavor, texture and vitamins.
Frozen mixed vegetables. Easy! Healthy!
Canned diced tomatoes. The beef and tomatoes create a lovely broth as the base for this soup.
Stew meat. You can buy this packaged, already cut into bite-sized pieces or you can use ground beef.
Butter. I like to sear the meat in butter for added creamy flavor.
Worcestershire sauce. This brings out the "meaty" flavor of the beef.
Onion, bay leaves, salt and pepper all add layers of flavor to finish off this soup.

★ How to Make this Recipe ★

First, sear the stew meat.
Add chopped onion, frozen mixed vegetables, and diced potatoes.
Add diced tomatoes.
Add Worcestershire sauce, beef broth and beef bullion.
Add bay leaves.
Bring to a boil then simmer until vegetables are soft and flavorful.

Simple and easy! This soup is ready done cooking after simmering.

How to Make Vegetable Beef Soup Step by Step

★ Tips & FAQs ★

How can I ensure meat is tender and moist?

Simple. Sear your meat.
It may be tempting to skip this step, but you should sear stew meat. When you take a couple extra minutes to sear the outside of the beef, it locks in juices and moisture. This prevents the meat from becoming dry and overly chewy. Instead, it melts in your mouth and bursts with flavor when you take a bit. Sounds good right? Totally worth it.

What is the best cut of meat for vegetable beef soup?

I like to use stew meat that's already cubed. You can typically find this at the grocery store. I enjoy the big chunks and the tenderness of the cubed steak.
Ground beef though, also works really well with this recipe. The flavor will be similarity to stew meat, you'll just experience a different texture. It's also a bit more affordable than stew meat so it's a great option if you're on a budget.
If you're looking for a delicious and natural option, you may want to try grass-fed beef. I recently have become a fan after purchasing a grass-fed steak at the new market that opened up in town.

How can I make this soup using just one pot?

Use a dutch oven to make this a one-pot recipe.
This recipe calls for sauteing the stew meat to lock in juices and tenderness, and then slow cooking the soup ingredients with the broth. You can simmer the soup in a crockpot or on the stovetop.
You can sauté and simmer all in one pot using a dutch oven, to save dishes.
I love my dutch oven because of the fact that you can sauté, boil and even roast in the oven — all in the same pot. Perfect for recipes like soups and roasts. It's kinda like an old school Instapot, without the pressure cooking feature.
Here's the dutch oven I have and use frequently: 6-Quart Lodge Dutch Oven
Sometimes I use this method of cooking when I'm going to serve this soup right away. If I'm starting the soup early in the morning for later that day I'll saute everything and then transfer ingredients to my crockpot to simmer on low for a few hours before I switch it to warm. You can choose whatever method works best for your style of cooking, or your plans for the day. But just make sure you sauté first for the best flavor.
You can make this using one pot using a dutch oven or an Instapot, or you can use a combination of a skillet and a pot or slow cooker. There's no right or wrong method, just choose what fits your lifestyle or your day best.

Can this soup be made in a crockpot?

Yes. You can prepare this soup using a combination of searing the meat on the stovetop then finishing off in the crockpot instead of the stovetop.
A slow cooker is ideal for the kind of days where you have a little time in the morning to get a jump start on dinner, saving time later in the day. You can prep and add all your ingredients and then set it to cook while you go to work or run errands, then come back to a ready-made meal.
Make sure if you are purchasing a crockpot, to go for one that has a timer built in that switches to keep warm when you want it to. This prevents overcooking if you plan to be gone longer than the cook time. Check out this slow cooker. if you're in the market for your first slow cooker or looking to upgrade.

Can this soup be made in an Instapot?

Yep! The nice thing about an Instapot is you can sauté everything in the same pot. You'll need to use this setting to sear your meat and sauté the onions then you can use the Instapot to heat the remaining ingredients and broth quickly.
Once you saute, this soup needs just 12-15 minutes (see note) on high pressure to cook the vegetables and be ready to eat. Follow the directions provided with your Instapot for sautéing, heat up time and for releasing pressure safely.
Note: The longer you pressure cook, the more tender your vegetables and meat will be.
Don't own an Instapot?
You can shop Instapots on Amazon and get one fast!

How to do you add more flavor to beef soup?

Here's the big secret to supremely flavorful soup: bullion!
To make a really flavorful soup, just add a little bouillon! Even if you're starting with beef broth, a little extra of the beef flavor goes a long way.
In general, when making soups, you want to match the meat and/or broth flavor when you add bullion. You only need a teaspoon or so of bullion at a time. The great thing is you can stir in some extra bullion at the end of preparing the recipe. So you can add a little bullion at a time, taste test, and then add more (or not) as your heart desires.
This recipe has a beef broth so you'll want to add beef bullion. You could also add vegetable bullion. I would not recommend adding chicken bullion to this soup.
Try de-glazing your pan for another boost of flavor.
If you want to be fancy and add flavor to your soup, you can de-glaze the skillet after you're done sautéing.
To do this, transfer all the solid ingredients out of the skillet then add ½ cup beef broth to the empty skillet.
Bring broth to a boil and carefully scrape the bits of leftover gristle from the sides and bottom of the skillet until they blend in with the broth. Then add the flavor-infused broth to your soup. YUM!

What kind of beef broth is best with this soup recipe?

You'll be getting some natural juice from the stew meat, but you'll need a bit more meaty flavor for a rich broth. You can go with a variety of options for your broth: beef bullion + water, canned beef broth, or beef stock paste + water.
I like to start with a carton of beef broth (I like bone broth for the flavor and nutrients) then I add some extra beef bullion for a boost of beefy flavor. This is my secret to rich and delicious broth you can eat by itself!

How do I spice up this beefy vegetable soup?

You can add easy ingredients to add a little more flavor and some heat to this soup, I have tried the chipotle hot sauce, regular hot sauce, jalapenos, banana peppers, liquid smoke, green chiles and all have been delicious additions to this easy soup. You can also add Italian Seasoning, tomato sauce, orange juice, tomato juice, Soy Sauce, white pepper, garlic powder, red wine, cilantro, fresh parsley, and green onion to this soup to bring in additional types of flavors.

Do you have to saute vegetables before making soup?

When a recipe calls for sauteing vegetables before adding them to the rest of the recipe it's because it breaks them down and releases more flavor and aroma, it also softens them so they cook faster instead of being crunchy in your finished recipe. You don't have to saute them, but if you have time, go for it and see what you think of the added flavor.

Storing Leftovers

This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Store in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months.

What to Serve with Vegetable Beef Soup

Cornbread or garlic bread go well with this soup. Something simple works since the soup itself is hearty and full of different flavors and textures.
This soup already has lot of veggies but you could also offer a side salad to go with this soup.

★ More Recipes You'll Love ★

Love homemade soup for dinner?

Check out my other easy soup recipes! Be sure to Pin your favorites for later.

Have a craving for beef? Browse all my beef recipes

This old fashioned vegetable beef soup was featured on South Your Mouth!

Old Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup

Author: Angela G.

5 from 22 reviews

Read Comments

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Skill Level: Easy

Recipe Type: Beef, Crockpot, Fall, Healthy Choices, Kid-Friendly, Meal Prep, Potatoes, Rainy Day, Served Hot, Soups

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 10

Servings: Servings

Yield: 16 cups

Ingredients

2 lb stew meat or 2lb pot roast, cubed
1 small onion diced
2 tablespoon butter
2 cup mixed vegetables (corn, carrots, green beans and peas)
3 large potatoes diced
3 ½ cups beef broth
1 beef bullion cube
14 oz can petite diced tomatoes not drained
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

Sear beef. Heat butter in a dutch oven or large pot over high heat. Add stew meat and sear so that outside edges are brown, turning over as needed to brown all sides of the meat.
Sauté aromatics. Add diced onion and saute while searing the beef. Continually stir onions to prevent sticking. Cook for about 3 minutes total.
If finishing in a slow cooker*, transfer onions and beef to your crockpot set on low once fully seared.
Add veggies and create broth. Add mixed vegetables, cubed potatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, beef bullion, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves.
Simmer. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer. Cook for at least 60 minutes or until potatoes are soft all the way through and meat is desired tenderness.**
If using a crockpot, cook for 1 hour on high (or 2 hours on low). Check potatoes to be sure they are fully cooked through, then serve.
Season and serve. Add salt and pepper to taste before serving. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Video

Notes

*Pre-heat your crockpot to reduce cook time.
**For more tender beef and vegetables, simmer soup for up to 2 hours or start with a tender cut of beef like a steak.
I leave the skin on my potatoes like my grandma did for extra vitamins and flavor but you can peel them if you prefer.
For extra flavor, de-glaze your pan after cooking the stew meat. To do this, remove the chunks of meat from the pan then add ½ cup beef broth to the empty skillet. Bring to a boil and scrape the bits of leftover gristle from the sides and bottom of the skillet until they blend in with the broth. Add the liquid and beef to your soup.

Equipment

dutch oven

Recommended equipment listed may contain affiliate links.

Nutrition Facts

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Keywords: crockpot vegetable beef soup, old fashioned vegetable beef soup, slow cooker vegetable beef soup

Comments

Nancy says

January 05, 2025 at 5:03 pm

This recipe is so simple but absolutely DELICIOUS!!!! It will be my go to vegetable beef soup recipe from now on!!!!

Reply
Taungi R Taylor says

December 02, 2024 at 2:19 am

Can I add barley to this recipe?

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  December 02, 2024 at 2:05 pm
  
  Hi Taungi, Yes! You can add barley or replace the potatoes with barley.
  
  Reply
Lois Harding says

January 19, 2024 at 4:57 pm

The best vegetable beef soup ever. I love it. This is the 2nd time making it. My daughter Gina made for me when I was in Maryland. Sooo. Good. Thank you.

Reply
Lois Harding says

December 12, 2023 at 6:23 pm

Delicious

Reply
Lois Harding says

December 09, 2023 at 2:44 pm

My daughter Gina made this delicious soup when I stayed in her home and it was so good I ate it until it was gone. The best vegetable beef soup I ever ate. Thank you Gina and thank you for the recipe

Reply
Johanna Craig says

November 07, 2023 at 7:17 pm

Absolutely delicious!! I used a can of diced tomatoes with garlic, oregano and basil. Plus a 1/2 can of petite diced tomatoes.

Reply
Jeannette says

November 02, 2023 at 2:34 pm

Definitely will not forget to add bay leaves.
Great recipe

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Nellie Frazier says

October 10, 2023 at 2:22 am

I must tell you that this was the easiest and the tastiest soup I’ve made in awhile. Making this vegetable soup reminded me of my mother. She’d make a huge pot and let it just simmer. With it, we would have Italian bread with butter! Heaven on earth! I definitely will make this again soon. Thank you!

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  October 10, 2023 at 9:07 am
  
  Nellie, That's wonderful to hear. So glad you enjoyed this soup and that it brought back warm memories for you. 🙂
  
  Reply
Kathy E says

October 09, 2023 at 4:44 pm

Can u use canned potatoes?

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  October 09, 2023 at 5:52 pm
  
  Yes, you can. I have before. They do have a slight tinny taste if you don't mind that, then they are fine. I like to rinse my well before adding.
  
  Reply
Mark says

September 28, 2023 at 8:21 pm

Tried this recipe for the first time today. Great flavor, easy to make. Everyone loved it, used German style brochen to sop up the juices. Will definitely be making this again.

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Selena says

September 17, 2023 at 4:02 pm

Added orka will see how it turns out!

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BJ says

September 10, 2023 at 7:34 pm

Made it using 2 1/2 lbs of pot roast trimmed and cubed. I used a little red wine to deglaze pot after cooking onion and meat and added 2 cloves of minced garlic. I also let it simmer for 2 hours. Everything else was kept exactly per instructions. Delicious, almost finished the whole pot for a family of 5. Served it with some warm crusty bread and it was pure comfort! Will definitely make it again.

Reply
April says

June 04, 2023 at 5:37 pm

Loved this soup !! Absolutely perfect and reminded me of the good Ole days. The only thing missing is Grandma. Bc of your easy but detailed instructions: I made her proud tho. Thank you SO much and will definitely be exploring more of your recipes.

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  June 05, 2023 at 8:54 am
  
  You are so welcome, I'm glad it brought back fond memories for you. It does the same for me. 🙂
  
  Reply
Linda R says

April 13, 2023 at 6:29 pm

Made this for dinner, everyone loved it. It was very easy to make.

Reply
Pam says

February 27, 2023 at 5:24 pm

Haven't made this yet but would love to, but my question is can you make this in a instant pot and if so how long?

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  February 28, 2023 at 8:44 am
  
  Hi Pam, I recommend 12-15 minutes depending on how tender you'd like your meat and vegetables to be. The longer you cook, the more tender. Be sure to follow your Instapot's directions for releasing pressure. A natural release will add cook time, where a quick release will shorten the cook time.
  
  Reply
Teresa says

November 17, 2022 at 4:03 pm

I made this soup as directions said but my meat was chewy and tough. No idea what I did wrong

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  November 18, 2022 at 8:35 am
  
  Hi Teresa, let's see if we can figure this out... did you use stew meat? Did you sear the meat on all sides before adding to the soup?
  
  Reply
  - Mel K says
    
    January 25, 2023 at 10:56 am
    
    Stew meat requires a few hours of cooking to be tender. 20 minutes won't do it.
  - Alyson says
    
    February 05, 2023 at 7:30 pm
    
    Made as directed, turned out great!! Will be adding to the schedule for those cold days! Yummy yummy! And my daughter tried it and liked it and she is a nasty critic! Lol Seriously though, was great!
Debbie says

September 18, 2022 at 8:41 am

Hello, question. Do you drain or leave the juice for the tomatoes? Thanks

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  September 18, 2022 at 8:09 pm
  
  You can add the tomatoes with the juice. No need to drain!
  
  Reply
- Kimberly says
  
  November 01, 2022 at 3:18 pm
  
  @Debbie, I poured in the
  contents of the can , juice and all.. it came out perfect..
  
  Reply
marsha says

July 31, 2022 at 4:41 pm

celery most veg soup does have this

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  September 18, 2022 at 8:10 pm
  
  You can definitely add celery if you like! Garlic too! I am not a fan of them in this soup but that’s just a personal preference. If you like the flavor of these ingredients, go ahead and add them! 🙂
  
  Reply
marsha says

July 31, 2022 at 4:35 pm

garlic celry none in these ?

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Jackie says

July 11, 2022 at 1:15 pm

Easy and absolutely delicious!!

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  July 11, 2022 at 1:22 pm
  
  Thanks for the review, Jackie! So glad you liked it!!
  
  Reply
Marlene says

January 28, 2022 at 12:32 pm

Great recipe - I am a fan!

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  January 28, 2022 at 1:04 pm
  
  Hi Marlene, Thanks for the review. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
  
  Reply
Denise Tilley says

January 28, 2022 at 12:14 pm

Loved this recipe! So easy and reminds me of my mom’s!!!

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  January 28, 2022 at 1:04 pm
  
  Hi Denise, that makes me happy! Glad you enjoyed it and found it easy. 🙂
  
  Reply
Conchita says

January 27, 2022 at 9:55 pm

Will chicken gravy enhance the flavor of oxtail vegetable soup?

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  January 28, 2022 at 11:18 am
  
  I would suggest using beef broth with oxtail instead of chicken gravy.
  
  Reply
Betsy says

January 16, 2022 at 12:43 pm

Can we use fresh carrots and celery? If so how much longer would I need to cook and would I need to add extra broth?

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  January 16, 2022 at 1:30 pm
  
  Hi Betsy, yes you can use fresh carrots and add celery. Just chop them small and you should not need extra cook time or extra broth. To soften the carrots faster, you could sauté them (and the other vegetables too) with the meat. This adds a little extra flavor too!
  
  Reply
Tina says

January 16, 2022 at 11:09 am

If I have roast do I just cube it all?

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  January 16, 2022 at 11:24 am
  
  Hi Tina, yes! You can cube the roast into bite sized pieces and follow the same directions. Thanks for asking!
  
  Reply
Diana says

January 10, 2022 at 11:38 pm

This was delicious!! Even my husband went back for more. All I did was add beef broth because we like to have more juice. Definitely try this!

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- Angela G. says
  
  January 11, 2022 at 9:31 am
  
  Hi Diana, so glad you and you husband enjoyed this soup! Thanks for the feedback.
  
  Reply
Becca says

January 02, 2022 at 3:27 pm

Do we add water to this as well?

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  January 03, 2022 at 7:06 am
  
  Hi Becca, No water is needed, just the beef broth.
  
  Reply
Dee says

October 16, 2021 at 9:30 pm

Delicious m!

Reply
Dee says

October 10, 2021 at 8:42 pm

Made this soup for supper tonight! Omg it was delicious. Nice & Hearty! A wonderful soup on a Fall Day.

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  October 10, 2021 at 9:01 pm
  
  Hi Dee, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
  
  Reply
Thelma says

August 31, 2021 at 3:18 pm

I made this soup in my instaPot it was delicious. I made twice the amount and my family said it was amazing!

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  August 31, 2021 at 6:00 pm
  
  Hi Thelma, I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed the soup and that you were able to make it in the Instapot. Thanks for the feedback!
  
  Reply
Maribeth Smith says

October 24, 2020 at 4:32 pm

Will the cubed beef for super tender after sautéing and one hour on high in the slow cooker?

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  October 24, 2020 at 4:39 pm
  
  I think so. Just make sure to sear all sides of the cubed beef during the satire step to lock juices in.
  
  Reply
Sue says

April 28, 2020 at 2:01 pm

How long do you cook this soup in the instapot?

Reply
- Angela G. says
  
  April 28, 2020 at 2:42 pm
  
  Hi Sue, thanks for asking. Once you sauté, this soup needs just 12 minutes on high pressure to cook the vegetables and be ready to eat. Follow the directions provided with your Instapot for sautéing, heat up time and for releasing pressure safely. I'm not an expert with the Instapot, so be sure to defer to the instruction manual for proper use of your particular model.
  
  Reply
Erin says

October 25, 2019 at 2:45 pm

Thanks for sharing at the Fabulous Friday Linky Party Angela!
Hope you can join us again this week >>https://abiggreenhouse.com/the-super-fabulous-friday-linky-party-5/

Reply

4.96 from 22 votes (1 rating without comment)

Old-Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup

★ Why You'll Love this Recipe ★