Description
A hearty and comforting Vegetable Beef Soup featuring tender stewing beef, fresh vegetables, and a rich broth simmered with red wine and herbs, perfect for a warming meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Soup Ingredients
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil, separated
- 500g (1 lb) stewing beef, cut into 1.75cm (2/3″) cubes
- 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tbsp)
- 2 celery stalks, cut into 0.8 cm (1/3″) slices
- 3 carrots, cut into 0.5 cm (1/5″) thick slices (halve larger ones)
- 4 tbsp flour
- 2 1/2 cups (625 ml) low sodium beef broth/stock
- 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) dry red wine, Guinness beer or stout
- 1.5 cups (375 ml) water
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 potatoes (any variety), cut into 1.5 cm (2/3″) cubes
Buttery Mushrooms
- 1 tbsp (15g) butter or oil
- 200g (6 oz) small mushrooms, quartered or halved
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Main Soup: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Brown the stewing beef in batches to develop a rich crust; then set the browned beef aside to maintain the pot temperature.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pot, sauté the minced garlic and chopped onion until fragrant and softened. Add the sliced celery and carrots and cook briefly to combine flavors.
- Add Flour and Liquids: Stir in 4 tbsp of flour to coat the vegetables evenly, then gradually add beef broth, red wine (or Guinness beer/stout), water, tomato paste, bay leaves, and dried thyme. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
- Simmer Soup: Return the browned beef to the pot. Cover and simmer the soup gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes to tenderize the beef and meld flavors.
- Add Vegetables: Add frozen peas, cubed potatoes, and mushrooms to the pot. Continue simmering uncovered for another 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Buttery Mushrooms: In a separate pan, melt 1 tbsp butter or heat oil. Add the quartered or halved mushrooms and cook over medium heat until browned and nicely caramelized. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- For best flavor, brown the beef in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan which can cause steaming instead of searing.
- Red wine can be substituted with Guinness beer, stout, or additional beef broth depending on flavor preferences.
- Feel free to use any type of potatoes you have on hand; waxy or starchy varieties both work well.
- Simmering the soup slowly allows the beef to become tender and the flavors to fully develop.
- Adding the mushrooms separately as buttery sautéed mushrooms enhances the soup with an extra depth of flavor and texture.
