Description
A hearty and flavorful vegetable beef soup featuring tender stewing beef simmered with fresh vegetables, rich broth, and optional buttery mushrooms, perfect for a comforting fall meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 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 oil and brown beef: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil until very hot in a large, heavy-based pot over high heat. Pat the beef dry with paper towels, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then brown the beef aggressively in 2 to 3 batches, adding more oil if necessary. Remove browned beef into a bowl.
- Sauté vegetables: Add a little more oil if the pot looks dry. Add minced garlic and chopped onion, cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add carrots and celery, cook for 2 minutes or until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add flour and liquids: Stir in the flour to coat the vegetables, then slowly pour in the beef broth while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add the red wine, water, tomato paste, bay leaves, and dried thyme. Stir well to combine.
- Simmer with beef: Return the browned beef to the pot. Cover and adjust heat to medium-low so the soup simmers gently. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the beef is tender.
- 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.
- Prepare buttery mushrooms (optional): While the potatoes simmer, melt butter or heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Add cooked mushrooms to the soup during the last 5 minutes of simmering.
- Final seasoning and serve: Adjust salt and 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 stewing or braising beef with good marbling like chuck or boneless short rib for best tenderness and flavor.
- Red wine, Guinness beer, or stout will add rich depth to the broth. For a non-alcoholic option, substitute with crushed tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce.
- This soup tastes even better the next day and can be stored in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days or frozen for longer storage.
- Make sure to pat the beef dry before browning to get a good sear and maximize flavor.
- If you prefer, you can omit the optional buttery mushrooms or replace them with other mushrooms you have on hand.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 300g)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
