Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup
A hearty, cozy vegetable beef soup with tender chunks of beef, potatoes, carrots and green beans in a rich tomato broth. Just load the slow cooker and let it simmer.
Vegetable beef soup is the kind of meal that warms you up from the inside. Chuck roast cubes slowly turn fall-apart tender in a tomato beef broth with potatoes, carrots, celery and green beans.
Browning the beef first takes 10 extra minutes and gives the soup a deeper, richer flavor, but you can skip it on busy mornings and still get a great pot of soup.
It makes a big batch and freezes beautifully, so you can stock the freezer for cold nights.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fall-apart tender beef
- Packed with vegetables
- Mostly hands-off cooking
- Freezes for up to 3 months
Ingredient Notes
Beef: Chuck roast is the best cut for slow cooking because its marbling melts and keeps the meat tender. Buy a roast and cube it yourself, or buy stew meat. Use halal beef if you keep halal.
Frozen vegetables: Corn, peas and green beans go in near the end so they stay bright and do not turn mushy.
See the recipe card below for full measurements.
How to Make Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup
Brown the beef
Pat the beef dry and season with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the beef in two batches, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a 6 quart slow cooker. (You can skip this step if short on time.)
Load the slow cooker
Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, potatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, soy sauce, Italian seasoning, thyme and bay leaves. Stir to dissolve the tomato paste.
Slow cook
Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is fork tender.
Add the vegetables
Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the green beans, corn and peas, cover and cook 20 to 30 minutes more on HIGH, until heated through.
Season and serve
Taste and add salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.
Tips for the Best Results
- Deglaze the browning skillet with a splash of broth and pour it into the slow cooker; those browned bits are flavor.
- Cut the potatoes and carrots to similar sizes so they finish together.
- If the soup is thicker than you like, stir in another cup of broth.
- It tastes even better the next day as the flavors settle.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | How to fix it |
|---|---|
| Tough beef | It needs the full cooking time. If it is chewy, keep cooking until tender. |
| Mushy vegetables | Add frozen vegetables only at the end. |
| Bland soup | Taste at the end; long cooking mellows salt, so season again before serving. |
Substitutions
- Beef chuck: Ground beef, browned and drained, for a faster cook (LOW 5 to 6 hours).
- Yukon gold potatoes: Red potatoes or 1 cup of barley (add 1 extra cup broth).
- Soy sauce: 1 tsp salt or 1 tbsp coconut aminos.
What to Serve With It
- Soft dinner rolls
- Grilled cheese sandwiches
- Chicken Caesar salad
- Crusty bread
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: Refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. The potatoes soften slightly but stay good.
Reheat: Reheat on the stove over medium heat until steaming, or microwave individual bowls for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring halfway.
Tools That Make This Easier
- 6 quart programmable slow cookerHolds a full batch and switches to warm when done.Check price on Amazon
- 12-inch cast iron skilletBrowns the beef for deeper flavor.Check price on Amazon
- Freezer soup containersPortions leftovers for quick meals.Check price on Amazon
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Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup
A hearty, cozy vegetable beef soup with tender chunks of beef, potatoes, carrots and green beans in a rich tomato broth. Just load the slow cooker and let it simmer.
Ingredients
Soup
To finish
Instructions
- Pat the beef dry and season with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the beef in two batches, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a 6 quart slow cooker. (You can skip this step if short on time.)
- Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, potatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, soy sauce, Italian seasoning, thyme and bay leaves. Stir to dissolve the tomato paste.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is fork tender.
- Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the green beans, corn and peas, cover and cook 20 to 30 minutes more on HIGH, until heated through.
- Taste and add salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 25 g
- Carbohydrates
- 23 g
- Total Fat
- 12 g
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 780 mg
Nutrition is an estimate per serving without optional sauces, calculated from standard USDA values. It will vary with brands and portion sizes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to brown the beef first?
No, but browning adds a deeper, richer flavor. If you skip it, the soup is still tasty and the beef still gets tender.
What cut of beef is best for soup?
Chuck roast. Its fat and connective tissue melt during slow cooking, so the meat turns tender instead of dry.
Can I put raw potatoes in the slow cooker?
Yes. Cut them into 3/4 inch cubes and add them at the start; they cook through in the broth.
Can I make this on the stovetop?
Yes. Simmer the soup covered over low heat for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the beef is tender, then add the frozen vegetables.
