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My vegetable beef soup hits that old-school, soul-satisfying comfort food button super hard, y'all!! Seasoned chuck roast chunks, boiled until fall-apart tender in water to create an amazing homemade broth that sets the fierce flavor stage. Then, ALL the veggies including the trinity, cabbage, turnips, potatoes, and corn are stirred into the pot. Finally, tomato sauce and tomatoes with green chilies are added for that sassy, slightly spicy finish to every warm and nourishing bite. Yep and yay...
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It's a Momma Thing, Y'all...
Vegetable beef soup is a staple household recipe with just as many variations as cooks stirring the pot. I affectionately call it Momma soup because many moms I've known throughout my life prepare their own signature version of this dish regularly, especially when it's cold out.
Beef and vegetable soup is also super comforting. Enjoying a piping hot bowl of it is like getting an internal "Momma" hug that warms your heart and chases your blues away.
And yes, my version of vegetable beef soup is based largely on my Mom's recipe. It has my own original flavor and texture twists and turns here and there, but I pay full homage to my Cajun mom on this one, y'all. And my brother Chris, who also made a mean Momma soup, with flavors that I can still remember vividly after many, many years.
So, I guess you could say that vegetable beef soup is a family thing, y'all. And a mighty fine one at that. For sure!!
Ingredient Essentials & Substitutions
- I highly recommend only two cuts of beef: beef chuck roast or stew meat, for this vegetable beef soup. They both yield the same result, which is fall-apart tender meat that makes each bite of this soup a soul-warming, almost celebratory event. Honestly, I would stick with one or the other or make the soup another time if you just can't get your hands on the right meat for now. If you just can't wait, add at least an hour to the anticipated cooking time when using tougher cuts such as rump.
- You need a small cabbage or half of a medium-sized or large one. You can also use a bag of coleslaw mix, as well, to save precious prep time, if necessary.
- The dried seasonings work together with the Cajun trinity veggies to inject the customary south Louisiana spin on this unforgettably delicious vegetable beef soup recipe. Therefore, use as many as possible to experience this dish how it was intended to be enjoyed.
- The tomato sauce and tomatoes with green chilies are also must-have ingredients. They amplify the flavors of the veggies and the broth, and bring a feisty lusciousness whose presence would be missed in every bite if skipped.
- You can use as many potatoes as you want in the soup with full confidence. I usually just use one big one and find that it's more than enough chopped potato pieces in the soup. However, only use one large or two small turnips, y'all. If you use too much, the soup may have an unpleasant spicy backbite that overpowers ALL of the other flavors in the dish.
Top Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe Tip
Once you prep the veggies, the vegetable beef soup practically cooks itself. So, do yourself a BIG favor and pre-cut the veggies. You can start doing this up to three days in advance and storing the cut vegetables in bags in the fridge.
The cabbage is the only vegetable that you want to chop and use within 24 hours, though. Otherwise, it may brown too much in the bag and end up releasing a slightly bitter flavor into the soup.
How to Make Vegetable Beef Soup
To start the recipe, season the meat and place it into the bottom of your biggest soup pot.
Bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
Boil until the meat is fall-apart tender. Then, add the remaining ingredients and boil until the vegetables are tender.
And that's it, y'all!!
This vegetable beef soup pleases the palate with a luscious, spice-studded broth, melt-in-your-mouth beef, and perfectly cooked vegetables. You can enjoy it straight out of the pot.
But, if you're like me, you'll want to add some piping hot pasta to your bowl. This rounds out the vegetable soup body, making it a deliciously memorable meal-in-one that you're bound to put on permanent menu rotation repeat. Like me!!
Share this vegetable beef soup with those who are just as warm and deep as they are saucy and sassy. Much food love, and see y'all on the yum side...
More Scrumptious Soup Recipes
Other hot, body-warming south Louisiana soup recipes for cozy comfort food deliciousness.
NOTE: This post was originally published on February 25, 2016, and was updated and republished on October 27, 2024.
Vegetable Beef Soup
Ingredients
For the Seasoned Beef Roast
- 1 3 to 4-pound beef chuck roast, cubed or stew meat
- 2 teaspoons parsley flakes
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
For the Vegetable Beef Soup
- 4 to 5 quarts water see notes
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 small cabbage, chopped
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 1 32-ounce bag mixed vegetables with green beans, corn, peas, and carrots
- 1 large russet potato, chopped about one pound
- 1 large turnip, chopped about one cup
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies
- additional salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
- freshly cooked pasta for serving, optional
Instructions
- Season the beef roast with the dried spices, then place into the bottom of a large stock pot.
- Cover with the water, and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
- Boil uncovered for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until the roast is fall-apart tender. (Add more water if necessary, see notes).
- Stir the remaining ingredients into the pot.
- Continue boiling uncovered for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or until all of the vegetables are tender.
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.
See our full nutrition disclaimer here.
I decided to make this soup last weekend. Made me look like a champ. It was sooo easy. My house smelled delicious. My picky eaters (kiddos) even loved it and asked for more. I don't have a Cast Iron pot (yet) and cooked mine in a large stock pot, came out wonderful. Also, I didn't use the turnip but instead added an extra potato. Can't wait to make it again and freeze it so I can bring it to work for lunch. Love-Love-Love
I am soooo happy to hear this! And even more joyous to hear that your picky kids loved it, too. It's your Momma soup now. Hope this is the start of a new tradition in your family.
Somehow I read "parsnip" instead of "turnip"... oops! I'm sure my mistake will be a delicious one... I had about 2lbs of prime rib with the bones left over from Christmas and needed to use it before it spoiled. This recipe is the perfect solution!
I bet it will be, too!! I love parsnips, and I think that they will be great in the soup. Please let me know how it turned out.