Soup Season
Lisa Grentz, MS, RDN, CD/LDN, FAND
When the sun goes down and the air turns brisk, there is something so comforting about a warm bowl of soup. A simmering pot of homemade soup on the stovetop makes the whole house smell heavenly and can be conveniently packaged for sharing with friends and neighbors. It also makes great leftovers that can be easily heated for lunch the next day or stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
With soup season upon us, we wanted to share some of our favorite recipes. Our first feature this month is a classic that still holds up today. We hope you enjoy this vegetable beef soup packed with tender beef, veggies, potatoes, and herbs. This easy recipe tastes like it simmered all day.
Vegetable Beef Soup
4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 ½ to 2-pounds beef stew meat, dice larger chunks into bite size pieces
Sea salt
Ground black pepper
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
8 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1-pound (about 4-5) red potatoes, chopped into ½-inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, chopped
4-ounces white button mushrooms, diced (about 1 cup)
1 cup frozen peas
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Pat beef dry with paper towels, then sprinkle with salt and pepper to season. Add half of the beef to the pot and brown, about 4-5 minutes, turning half-way through to sear the beef on all sides. Transfer beef to a plate and set side. Repeat this process with the other half of the beef.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the now empty pot then add onions, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté mixture for 4-5 minutes. Add the browned beef back into the pot, pour in the broth and tomatoes, and add the basil, oregano, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
Add potatoes then continue to simmer, covered, 25 minutes.
Stir in zucchini and mushrooms and simmer, covered, another 15-20 minutes, or until all of the veggies and beef are tender.
Add peas and simmer until heated through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove bay leaf, stir in parsley, season with additional salt or pepper if desired, and serve warm.