Description
A hearty and flavorful Vegetable Beef Soup featuring tender stewing beef and a medley of vegetables simmered in a rich broth enhanced with red wine or stout. Perfect for a comforting fall or winter meal that falls apart tender and is packed with nutritious ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil, separated
- 500 g stewing beef, cut into 1.75 cm cubes
- 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tbsp)
- 2 celery stalks, cut into 0.8 cm slices
- 3 carrots, cut into 0.5 cm thick slices (halve larger ones)
- 4 tbsp flour
- 2 1/2 cups (625 ml) beef broth/stock, low sodium
- 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, cut into 1.5 cm cubes
Buttery Mushrooms (optional)
- 1 tbsp butter or oil
- 200 g small mushrooms, quartered or halved
Instructions
- Preheat and brown beef: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy-based pot over high heat until very hot. Pat the beef dry with paper towels, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown the beef aggressively in 2 to 3 batches, adding more oil if needed. Remove browned beef into a bowl.
- Sauté vegetables: If the pot looks dry, add a touch more oil. Add minced garlic and chopped onion, cooking for 2 minutes. Add carrots and celery, cooking for another 2 minutes or until onion is translucent.
- Make the base: Stir in the flour to coat the vegetables, then slowly pour in the beef broth while constantly stirring to avoid lumps. Add red wine or stout, water, tomato paste, bay leaves, and thyme. Stir well, then return the browned beef to the pot.
- Simmer soup: Cover the pot and adjust heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the beef is tender and starting to fall apart.
- Add potatoes and peas: Add the cubed potatoes and frozen peas to the soup. Simmer uncovered for an additional 20 minutes until potatoes are cooked through.
- Cook buttery mushrooms (optional): Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Stir the cooked mushrooms into the soup in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Season and serve: Adjust salt and pepper to taste, with an emphasis on pepper if desired. Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with parsley if available, and serve with crusty bread like Cheesy Garlic Bread or Irish Soda Bread.
Notes
- Use any stewing or braising beef cut that is well marbled for best flavor and tenderness.
- Red wine, Guinness, or stout adds depth of flavor. For non-alcoholic options, use crushed tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce as a substitute.
- This soup tastes even better the next day and keeps well for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator. It also freezes perfectly for longer storage.
- Ensure to brown the beef properly to develop rich flavors in the soup base.
- The buttery mushrooms are optional but add a nice earthy richness to the soup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 350 g)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
