This easy homemade beef vegetable soup recipe is a comforting dinner made with lean ground beef, potatoes, carrots, celery, tomatoes, corn, and green beans. It takes about 15 minutes to prepare and 35–45 minutes to cook, making six generous servings in roughly 50–60 minutes.
Every spoonful is hearty, colorful, and full of savory flavor. The beef is browned with onion first, then simmered with vegetables, beef broth, tomato sauce, and Italian seasoning until the potatoes and carrots are tender and the broth is rich and satisfying.
Jump to RecipeWhy You’ll Love This Recipe
This beef vegetable soup is the kind of dinner that makes the kitchen smell inviting from the first few minutes of cooking. Browning the ground beef and onion creates a savory base, while tomatoes and beef broth make a flavorful soup that tastes like it has simmered all afternoon.
It is also practical enough for a busy weeknight. The recipe uses familiar ingredients, one large pot, and a simple cooking process, so cleanup is easy and the meal can be served without complicated side dishes.
Six servings make this soup useful for family dinner, casual entertaining, or planned leftovers. Store extra portions for lunch, because the flavors become even more cohesive after resting overnight.
If your household enjoys cozy bowls of soup, you may also want to browse this easy tortellini soup for another satisfying dinner idea.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredient list balances beef, hearty vegetables, tomato flavor, and simple herbs. Lean ground beef provides richness without making the broth overly greasy, while potatoes add substance and help every serving feel like a complete meal.
- Beef and aromatics: Use 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound lean ground beef, 1 medium diced yellow onion, and 2 minced garlic cloves.
- Fresh vegetables: Prepare 3 medium sliced carrots, 2 sliced celery stalks, and 2 medium peeled potatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
- Soup base: Add 4 cups beef broth, one 14–15 ounce can of diced tomatoes with juices, and one 8-ounce can of tomato sauce.
- Frozen vegetables: Keep 1 cup frozen green beans and 1 cup frozen corn ready for the final stage of cooking.
- Seasonings: Gather 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt or to taste, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 optional bay leaf.
For the best texture, cut the carrots, celery, and potatoes into reasonably similar pieces. The potatoes should be about 1/2 inch so they become tender during the 20–25 minute simmer without falling apart.
Full-flavored beef broth works especially well, but a lower-sodium broth gives you more control over the final seasoning. Since canned tomatoes, broth, and beef can all contribute salt, taste the finished soup before adding more.
For a meal with a creamy vegetable starter, pair this dinner with our healthy potato soup on another evening and compare the two cozy favorites.
How to Make It Step-by-Step
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and diced onion, then cook for 5–7 minutes, breaking the beef apart with a spoon as it cooks. The beef should be browned and the onion should look softened, not raw.
Step 2: Check the pot and drain excess fat if necessary, leaving enough flavorful browned bits behind to season the soup. Add the minced garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, just until its aroma fills the pot.
Step 3: Add the sliced carrots, celery, and cubed potatoes. Pour in the beef broth, diced tomatoes with their juices, and tomato sauce, then sprinkle in the Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Add the bay leaf if using and stir thoroughly.
Step 4: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once bubbling, reduce the heat and partially cover the pot. Simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until a fork slides easily into the potatoes and carrots.
Step 5: Stir in the frozen green beans and corn after the fresh vegetables are tender. Continue simmering for another 5–10 minutes, which is enough time to heat the frozen vegetables while preserving their color and bite.
Step 6: Remove the bay leaf and take a careful taste. Adjust the salt and black pepper if needed, then serve the soup hot in generous bowls with your favorite crusty bread.
Chef Tips for the Best Soup
Give the beef enough contact with the hot pot to brown properly. If you stir constantly from the beginning, the meat may steam instead of developing the deeper savory flavor that makes this soup taste especially rich.
Do not rush the vegetable simmer. Potatoes and carrots need time to soften, and the broth benefits from gently mingling with the tomato, beef, and Italian seasoning.
- Keep pieces even: Similar-sized carrot and potato pieces cook at the same rate.
- Add frozen vegetables late: Green beans and corn only need 5–10 minutes, so they stay firm instead of turning mushy.
- Taste at the end: Seasoning can change as the broth reduces, so make the final adjustment just before serving.
- Use a wide pot: A large Dutch oven gives the beef room to brown and leaves space for stirring once the broth and vegetables are added.
- Serve simply: Crusty bread, oyster crackers, or a crisp green salad are all natural pairings.
For a different texture, stew meat can replace the ground beef. Use 1 pound beef stew meat, brown it first, and simmer the soup for approximately 60–90 minutes, until the beef is tender.
Other common substitutions include frozen peas, lima beans, zucchini, or mixed vegetables. You can also use 1–2 tablespoons tomato paste instead of, or in addition to, tomato sauce, while keeping the recipe’s stated tomato sauce amount in mind.
A cool, crunchy side can balance the hot broth beautifully, so serve it with this homemade coleslaw when you want extra freshness at the table.
Storage, Reheating, and Serving
Let leftover soup cool promptly, then transfer it to airtight containers. Refrigerate it and enjoy the portions within a few days, or freeze the soup in appropriately sized containers for a convenient future dinner.
When reheating from the refrigerator, warm the soup gently in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until hot throughout. A microwave also works well for individual portions; use a microwave-safe bowl and stir halfway through heating.
If the soup has thickened in the refrigerator, add a small splash of beef broth or water while reheating. Taste again before serving, since a little extra pepper or salt may be useful after storage.
Serve each bowl with a sprinkle of cracked black pepper and fresh herbs if desired. A warm piece of bread is ideal for soaking up the tomato-rich broth, and a light dessert such as these pina colada bars can finish the meal with a sweet tropical note.
Easy Variations to Try
The standard combination of carrots, celery, potatoes, green beans, and corn creates a classic vegetable soup, but it is flexible enough to suit what you have available. Keep the basic broth, tomato, beef, and timing structure while changing one vegetable at a time.
- More green vegetables: Substitute frozen peas, lima beans, zucchini, or frozen mixed vegetables for the green beans or corn.
- More tomato flavor: Stir in 1–2 tablespoons of tomato paste along with the tomato sauce for a thicker, more concentrated base.
- Stew-meat version: Replace the ground beef with 1 pound beef stew meat and allow approximately 60–90 minutes of simmering until tender.
- Extra herb flavor: Keep the Italian seasoning and bay leaf, then finish with a small amount of fresh parsley if available.
Even with substitutions, add frozen vegetables near the end and continue cooking only until they are hot. This keeps the soup colorful and gives each vegetable a pleasant texture.
For dessert on a special comfort-food night, finish with homemade chocolate pudding pie after the soup and bread.
Easy Homemade Beef Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the lean ground beef and diced onion, then cook for 5–7 minutes while breaking the beef into small pieces, until the beef is browned and the onion is softened.
- Drain excess fat from the pot if necessary. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned.
- Stir in the carrots, celery, potatoes, beef broth, diced tomatoes with their juices, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and optional bay leaf. Mix well so the vegetables and seasonings are evenly distributed.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook for 20–25 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Stir in the frozen green beans and frozen corn. Simmer uncovered or partially covered for another 5–10 minutes, just until the frozen vegetables are heated through and remain pleasantly tender.
- Remove the bay leaf before serving. Taste the soup and adjust the salt and black pepper as needed, then ladle it into bowls and serve hot.
Notes
Final Thoughts
This easy homemade beef vegetable soup recipe is dependable, filling, and wonderfully comforting. Browning the beef, simmering the fresh vegetables until tender, and adding the frozen vegetables at the end creates a balanced bowl with rich broth and plenty of texture.
With 15 minutes of preparation and a total cooking time of about 35–45 minutes, it is a practical dinner for any night of the week. Make the full six-serving batch, serve it with bread or coleslaw, and save the leftovers for a warm lunch.
Keep this one-pot recipe close whenever you want a hearty meal made from simple pantry and freezer staples. It is easy to customize, easy to reheat, and satisfying enough to become a regular family favorite.