Description
A hearty and flavorful Vegetable Beef Soup featuring tender, fall-apart beef stewed with fresh vegetables, red wine or stout for depth, and optional buttery mushrooms. Perfect for a cozy fall or winter meal, this soup delivers comfort in every bowl.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Vegetables
- 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 (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 (625ml) beef broth/stock, low sodium
- 1 1/2 cups (375ml) dry red wine, Guinness beer or stout
- 1.5 cups (375ml) water
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 potatoes, cut into 1.5cm / 2/3" cubes
Buttery Mushrooms (optional)
- 1 tbsp (15g) butter or oil
- 200g/6oz small mushrooms, quartered or halved
Instructions
- Heat the oil and brown beef: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large, heavy-based pot over high heat until very hot. Pat the beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Brown the beef aggressively in 2 or 3 batches, adding more oil if needed. Remove browned beef to a bowl.
- Sauté aromatics and vegetables: If the pot looks dry, add a touch more oil. Add garlic and onion, cooking for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add carrots and celery and cook another 2 minutes or until onion is translucent.
- Add flour and liquids: Stir in 4 tbsp flour to coat vegetables. Slowly pour in beef broth while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add the red wine, water, tomato paste, bay leaves, and thyme, stirring well.
- Simmer beef: Return the browned beef to the pot. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low so the soup bubbles gently. Simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the beef is very tender.
- Add potatoes, peas, and mushrooms: Add the cubed potatoes and frozen peas to the soup. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until potatoes are cooked. Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté mushrooms for 5 minutes until browned. Add mushrooms to the soup during the last 5 minutes of simmering.
- Season and serve: Remove bay leaves, adjust seasoning with salt and lots of pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with parsley if desired, and serve with crusty bread such as Cheesy Garlic Bread or Irish Soda Bread.
Notes
- Use well-marbled stewing beef such as chuck or boneless short rib for tender, flavorful results.
- Red wine, Guinness, or stout adds deep richness; for a non-alcoholic option, substitute with 400g canned crushed tomatoes and 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce.
- This soup tastes even better the next day and stores well in the fridge for 4 to 5 days; it also freezes perfectly.
- Beef should be cubed about 1.75 cm to ensure even cooking and tenderness.
- Adjust seasoning at the end, especially adding plenty of black pepper for an extra kick.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 350g)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
