This hearty Vegetable Beef Soup is packed with lean ground beef, flavorful herbs, and plenty of veggies. This comfort food classic will only take you around 30-minutes to make and packs so much delicious flavor!

I grew up eating a version of this hearty Vegetable Beef Soup every year. When winter arrived, my Mom would make vegetable beef soup and serve it to us with a melty grilled cheese sandwich on the side. To this day this tomato-based soup and a grilled cheese is still one of my favorite combos.

This version doesn’t stray far from my Mom’s hearty classic recipe. It’s packed with lean ground beef, vegetables, and I added a few extra herbs and spices to give it great flavor without taking a ton of time. In around thirty minutes you have a soup that tastes like it’s simmered for hours to warm you up on those chilly nights.

Ingredient’s You Need

Ground Beef: ground beef is the hearty base of this soup. I like to use lean ground beef with a lower fat percentage so there’s not excess fat in the soup. If you cannot find lean ground beef I recommend draining it after cooking so you do not end up with a greasy soup.

Veggies: vegetables are the star of the show in this soup! onion and celery help to build the base of flavor for the soup and then we keep things easy by using frozen mixed vegetables that simmer in the soup.

Garlic: use freshly minced garlic for the very best flavor.

Tomato Paste: to help amp up that delicious tomato flavor.

Yukon Gold Potatoes: a few diced Yukon gold potatoes help this soup live up to its hearty name. No need to peel the potatoes either, unless you prefer it!

Crushed Tomatoes: I like to look for low-sodium crushed tomatoes so that I can better control the amount of salt in the soup.

Balsamic Vinegar: a touch of balsamic vinegar helps to balance the flavors of the soup.

Beef Broth: just like with the crushed tomatoes, I prefer to use low-sodium broth.

Herbs and Spices: a combination of Italian seasoning, a dried bay leaf, and plenty of fresh thyme are all used in this soup for the best flavor.

Green Onion and Parsley: I like to finish the soup with fresh sliced green onion and chopped parsley for the best final bite.

Ingredients Substitutions and FAQs

Ground Beef: I often make this soup with ground turkey or even ground chicken. Feel free to switch up the protein and use whatever you may have on hand. If you want to make a vegetarian version you can swap the ground beef for your favorite plant-based crumbles, lentils, or chopped mushrooms.
Veggies: This is a very forgiving soup and you can easily add in or use whatever vegetables you may have on hand at the time. Bell peppers, chopped spinach or kale, parsnips, or even zucchini would all be great options.
Potatoes: I love the flavor of Yukon gold potatoes in this soup but you could also swap them for russet or sweet potatoes.
Broth: You could use chicken broth or vegetable broth instead of beef.

How to Make This Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe

Step One: Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the olive oil and then the beef to the pot. Brown the ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks.

Step Two: the diced onion, diced celery, and minced garlic to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes until the onion starts to become translucent.

Step Three: Add the tomato paste, frozen vegetables, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, beef broth, Italian seasoning, salt, bay leaf, and thyme to the pot. Stir until well combined.

Step Four: Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Give the soup a taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Step Five: Serve with a little chopped green onion and fresh parsley with a grilled cheese on the side!

Can You Make This Soup in the Slow Cooker?

Yes! You can easily make this soup in the slow cooker! To make this soup in your slow cooker:

Brown the ground beef and then sauté the onion, celery, and minced garlic on the stovetop.
Once the beef is browned and the onion starts to become translucent, transfer the ground beef mixture to the base of your slow cooker.
Add the remaining ingredients and the cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours until the potatoes are tender.
Top with fresh parsley and green onion before serving!

Tips and Tricks for the Best Soup

Beef it up – if you like, you can add a bit of extra ground beef to the soup to increase the protein level.
Give the soup time to simmer – be sure to let the soup simmer for at least 30 minutes to ensure that all of the flavors meld.
Adjust the seasoning to your taste – after the soup simmers, give it a taste and adjust the seasoning to suite your tastebuds. You may need to add a bit more salt and pepper.
Spice it up – if you like things on the spicier side, feel free to add crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the soup.

How to Store, Reheat, and Freeze Vegetable Beef Soup

Store: Once the soup is completely cooled, transfer it to an air-tight container and store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Reheat: You can easily reheat this soup in the microwave and it will taste great! If I’m only reheating one bowl, this is my preferred method. If I’m reheating the entire batch of soup, I’ll let it simmer on the stove until heated through.

Freeze: You can freeze this soup in freezer safe storage bags for up to three months. Be sure to let the soup come to a complete cool before packing it up to freeze.

What to Serve with Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

My favorite thing to serve vegetable beef soup with is a perfectly cooked, melty grilled cheese sandwich. There’s just something so cozy and comforting about it. If grilled cheese isn’t your thing here are a few more options:

More Hearty Soups to Love

There are plenty of delicious soup recipes to fall in love with on All the Healthy Things. Here are a few reader favorite soups to try:

Get all of our best healthy soup recipes, here!

I hope you give this Hearty Vegetable Beef Soup a try! It’s the perfect cozy comfort food that will warm you up inside.

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