This hearty vegetable soup is packed with tender beef and veggies simmered in a flavorful broth. It’s a simple and nourishing soup recipe ready in an under an hour!

Other cozy soups that warm us up on chill days include crockpot beef stew and chicken and rice soup, especially when paired with a dinner roll.

Vegetable beef soup in a white bowl with a spoon.

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Hearty Vegetable Soup

This hearty vegetable soup recipe is one of my favorite cozy soup recipes! It’s similar to my delicious hamburger soup or even this albondigas soup with meatballs, but with a few more seasonings and veggies like my favorite cabbage soup.

Beef and vegetable soup is one of my favorite soups to make during the winter to serve with Lion House rolls or sweet cornbread. It’s a Whole 30 recipe that’s made with wholesome yet hearty ingredients.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Easy. No complicated steps or ingredients and this hearty vegetable soup is easily made in one pot on the stovetop!
  • Versatile. Adjust the spices and veggies to what your family likes and you have on hand.
  • Soup that freezes well. This soup freezes well for meal prep! Make a big batch to have on hand all winter long.

Vegetable Soup Ingredients

The best thing about this hearty veggie soup is that you can add in any vegetables that you have on hand and it always tastes delicious!

Vegetables cut on cutting board.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Meat: I used lean ground beef, but ground turkey or a combination of the two could be used for a lighter beef vegetable soup. You could also make a chicken vegetable soup!
  • Vegetables: I used onion, bell pepper, celery and carrots but cauliflower, spinach, zucchini, squash, peas, green beans, corn and cabbage also work. Frozen vegetables add near the end of coking time.
  • Potatoes. Russet potatoes are a popular choice for vegetable soup, but red potatoes or Yukon gold also work.
  • Tomato broth: Rotel, or a can of diced tomatoes and green chiles, tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar and water (or chicken broth, beef broth, vegetable broth etc).
  • Seasonings: Simple yet flavorful chili powder, salt and black pepper.

How to Make Hearty Vegetable Beef Soup

Prep veggies. Heat oil over medium heat in large pot or Dutch oven. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Then stir in ground beef and cook until browned. Drain remaining fat.

Hearty vegetable soup ingredients in a pot.

Add in potatoes, celery, carrots, rotel, tomato sauce and water and bring to a simmer. Then add balsamic vinegar, chili powder, salt and pepper and stir. Turn heat to low and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until root veggies are fork tender. Stir occasionally.

Hearty vegetable soup simmering in a pot.

Top this comforting soup with fresh basil, fresh parsley, and Parmesan cheese if desired.

A bowl of hearty vegetable soup with beef.

Tips and Variations

  • Consistency. Add vegetable broth or beef broth to thin out the consistency and make this hearty vegetable soup stretch even further.
  • Meatless. If you would like to make a plant based hearty soup recipe, omit the meat and add in beans or chickpeas.
  • Scrape sides of pan: When adding your liquids, scrape the bottom of the pot incorporate the browned bits from your meat and onion for even more flavor.
  • Time-saving tip: Look for pre-cut onion, carrots and celery in your produce department or use frozen, no need to thaw first.
  • Spices. Add a dash of hot sauce or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a little heat. Substitute the chili powder for Italian seasoning for a different flavor.
  • Garnish. Top with fresh herbs for more flavor (basil, oregano or parsley taste great). Freshly grated Parmesan cheese or avocado slices also taste delicious on top.

Serving Suggestions

This vegetable beef soup recipe is great with some fresh bread to soak up all the juices! Try some garlic bread, breadsticks, or rolls. Our family favorite is to serve it with grilled cheese!

Vegetable beef soup in a blue pot.

Looking for more easy soup recipes? Try this corn chowder, chicken tortilla soup, or creamy sweet potato soup!

More Easy Soup Recipes

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Vegetable beef soup in a blue pot.

Hearty Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe

4.99 from 120 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6
This hearty vegetable soup is packed with tender beef and veggies simmered in a flavorful broth. It's a simple and nourishing soup recipe ready in an under an hour!
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Ingredients 

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion , diced
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic , more if desired
  • 1 pound lean ground beef , or turkey
  • 2-3 small potatoes , peeled and diced
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 14.5 ounces rotel , or can of diced tomatoes and green chiles
  • 15 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1 ½ -2 cups water , more as needed (can also use broth)
  • 1-2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1-2 teaspoons chili powder , more or less to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt , more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper , more to taste

For serving (optional): Fresh basil or parsley, parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Brown ground beef. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the 1 small chopped onion and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon garlic and 1 pound ground beef and cook until browned. Drain any remaining fat. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
  • Add veggies. Stir in 2-3 small diced potatoes, 1 cup celery and 1 cup carrots, rotel, 1 can rotel and 1 can tomato sauce and 1 1/2 cups – 2 cups water (or broth). Bring to a light simmer and then stir in 1-2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1-2 teaspoons chili powder and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add more water or broth as needed, depending on preference.
  • Simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer for about 30-45 minutes (or until the potatoes and carrots are fork tender), stirring occasionally. Add more water as needed. Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Top with fresh basil or parsley and parmesan if desired.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Vegetables: Feel free to add in a mix of different vegetables or omit the meat and add an extra cup of vegetables like bell peppers. You can also add vegetable broth to make the soup go further.
Storage: Store in a covered container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. 
Freezer instructions: This soup also freezes great! Let cool and then place in a zip top bag and then lay flat in the freezer. Thaw over night and reheat on the stove top. 

Nutrition

Calories: 230kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 49mg, Sodium: 666mg, Potassium: 1037mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 4125IU, Vitamin C: 22.4mg, Calcium: 78mg, Iron: 5.5mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

FAQs

Can I make this in the slow cooker?

That should work. You will still need to brown your meat first, than add all ingredients to your crock pot and cook on low 6-7 hours until your potatoes are tender.

What is the difference between vegetable beef soup and stew?

Soup refers to your ingredients being cooked in liquid until tender, it is usually thinner and contains more broth or liquid. Stew on the other hand means stewing your ingredients which includes submerging your ingredients in just enough liquid to cover them. The result is that your stew is very thick.

What kind of beef is best for hearty vegetable soup?

Vegetable beef soup is so versatile and that include the type of beef used! You can use beef stew meat or chuck roast instead of ground beef but you will need to simmer your beef in the tomato broth mixture for about 30 minutes until it becomes tender chunks of beef before adding remaining ingredients.

How to store and reheat?

This hearty veg soup will keep for about 3 to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. You can also freeze the soup for up to two months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight. Then reheat in a pot in the stove until warm. You may need to add in a little water or broth to thin out the consistency.