Yummy Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup!

I love fall for many reasons, but one of  them is that it's great weather for homemade soup. One of my family's favorites is my homemade vegetable beef soup - and it's really easy to make!


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I'll be honest with you - I'm all about getting the soup done as quickly as possible, with the minimum amount of work, but still getting great flavor. You can use any brand of ingredients that you like, but I'm listing the ones that I use because they're the ones that have the best flavor, IMO.


Ingredients:
1 TBSP. cooking oil
3-4 TBSP. chopped sweet Vidalia onion
1.5-2 lbs. beef strips (for stir-fry), cut into bite-size pieces
seasoned salt to taste
46 oz. can Campbell's tomato juice (V-8 juice is also good)
Swanson beef Flavor Boost packet
14.5 oz. can Swanson beef broth
2 - 15 oz.cans diced potatoes
2 - 14.5 oz. cans sliced carrots
8.75 oz. can Kroger brand early peas

Note about the beef: I've also used stew meat, but I think the beef strips become tender more quickly. The stew meat needs a minimum of 4 hours to be melt-in-your-mouth tender. So you can use whatever cut of beef you like, just adjust your simmer time accordingly.


I make everything in a 5 qt. stock pot/Dutch oven - less to clean up that way. I heat the pot, add cooking oil, then the chopped onion. I like to cook the onion until it just started to become translucent, then I add the beef - keeping the heat at medium. Once the meat starts to brown a little, I sprinkle it with a little seasoned salt. I don't measure the salt, so use it "to taste" - just keep in mind that you will be adding broth later, which is salty.

Once the meat is browned, I add enough tomato juice to just cover it, and then I add the beef flavor boost packet. When the liquid starts a slow boil, I lower the heat, cover the pot, and allow it to simmer for about 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes, I check the liquid level, and add more tomato juice if needed. Covering the pot again, I simmer for another 45 minutes.


After that, I add all of the vegetables, a can of beef broth, and enough tomato juice to not quite cover the veggies. Then I replace the lid, and simmer for about an hour.

After an hour, I remove the lid and stir - adding more tomato juice if needed (but it's usually not needed at this point) - then I simmer, uncovered, for another 45-60 minutes. Check the meat, and if it's not tender enough, continue to simmer until it melts in your mouth.

I like to let the soup cool, then reheat it a bit before serving, but you can serve it right away if you like.


Enjoy!

What's your favorite soup recipe?

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