slow cook vegetable beef soup recipe
The Best slow cook vegetable beef soup recipe
I started making this slow cooker vegetable beef soup on nights when I knew the schedule would fall apart around five o clock. It takes about fifteen minutes to get everything into the pot, and then I am done until dinner. My kids are picky in the way most kids are picky, and they still eat this one without a fight. They pick out the vegetables they like best and leave the rest, and I have decided not to argue about it because the broth does its job either way.
The reason it stays in my regular rotation is that it works for almost any occasion. I make it for a normal Tuesday, and I also make it when my parents drive in for the weekend or when a neighbor has had a rough week and could use a warm container of something. Beef chuck goes tender and shreds apart after a long cook, and the carrots, celery, potatoes, and green beans soak up the tomato and beef flavor in a way that makes the pot taste like it simmered all day. Serve it with cornbread or a loaf of crusty bread and nobody asks what else is for dinner.
Here is what I keep in mind with this recipe. You get a good amount of protein from the beef, plenty of fiber and vitamins from the vegetables, and a broth that is not heavy or creamy, so it sits well on a cold evening or on a day when you want something filling without a lot of fuss. I use low sodium broth and let people salt their own bowls at the table. Leftovers hold up well in the fridge for a few days, and the flavor is honestly better on day two.
Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup
Chunks of tender beef chuck and a garden’s worth of vegetables simmer all day in a savory tomato-beef broth. The slow cooker does the work, so you get a hearty, warming bowl with almost no hands-on time.
🥘Ingredients
For the Beef and Broth
For the Vegetables
👨🍳Directions
🔧Equipment
📊Nutrition Facts (per serving)
📝Notes
Watch Video Of How Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup Works
I make this soup for everything from a random Tuesday dinner to a house full of relatives on a holiday weekend, and it always works. It feeds a crowd without me standing at the stove all day, and everyone from my picky nephew to my dad goes back for a second bowl. If you keep the ingredients on hand, you can pull it together on short notice and still have something that feels like a real meal.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions About Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup
1. Can I use frozen vegetables in this slow cooker vegetable beef soup?
Yes, but add them near the end. Frozen peas, corn, and green beans only need the last 30 to 45 minutes of cooking, and stirring them in late keeps them from turning mushy. If you are using frozen onions or peppers, you can add those at the start since they release water slowly and hold up well over a long cook time.
2. What cut of beef works best for slow cooking?
Go with a cut that has some marbling and connective tissue, such as chuck, bottom round, or stew meat cut from the shoulder. Lean cuts like sirloin tend to dry out over six to eight hours. Cut the meat into even one-inch pieces so it cooks at the same rate, and trim only the large hard fat caps, leaving the smaller flecks that keep the broth rich.
3. How long should the soup cook, and can I leave it all day?
Most slow cookers need six to eight hours on low or four to five hours on high. If you will be gone longer than eight hours, set the cooker to low, keep the lid on, and use the warm setting if your model has one. Vegetables hold up better than you might expect, but pasta and dairy should always wait until the end so they do not break down.
4. Why is my vegetable beef soup bland?
Under-seasoning is the usual culprit, followed by too much liquid. Brown the beef in batches before it goes in the pot, add tomato paste and let it darken for a minute, and taste for salt near the end rather than only at the start. A splash of Worcestershire sauce, a bay leaf, and a pinch of dried thyme add depth without turning the soup into something heavy.
5. Can I freeze the leftovers, and how long do they keep?
This soup freezes well. Cool it completely, portion it into containers, and leave an inch of headspace so the liquid can expand. It keeps about three months in the freezer and three to four days in the refrigerator. If your batch contains potatoes, expect them to soften and crumble slightly after thawing, which is fine for a rustic bowl but noticeable if you like distinct chunks.
