Old Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup

This is definitely not a sexy meal, by any means.  But when it's dark and rainy, or I'm feeling under the weather, I want soup.  I suppose it is one of the ultimate comfort foods, in my opinion.  This one is so great because it totally babysits itself.  You throw everything in the pot, then do whatever else for a couple of hours... and then the house starts to smell amazing.  Now this isn't a thin, watery, "appetizer soup."  This thing is hearty!  Big chunks of beef, falling apart, tons of veggies, a rich broth, and even some tiny little pastas!  No sir... you won't go away hungry!!!  So delicious, and healthy; and it's almost completely fat free!  Can you beat that?!  NO!  And can I tell you a secret?  It is even better as leftovers... which means something delicious and healthy to bring to work for lunch - where it is often so cold in the building that you NEED something hot!  LOL

Click Here for Printable Recipe

Ingredients: (Makes a whole big pot!)

• 7 cups cold water 
• 1 cup red wine (whichever you want to drink that night) 
• 4 cups beef broth (regular or reduced sodium)
• 1 (28oz) canned whole tomatoes (fire-roasted or basil and oregano) 
• 1 pkg  mixed vegetables (Green Giant)
• 2 (sm-med) red russet potatoes
• 3 stalks celery 
  
• 5 cloves  garlic, finely chopped
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1.75 pounds top sirloin, trimmed of fat and cut into large chunks 
• (season them before adding to water - salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried oregano)   
• to taste salt and pepper, dried oregano 
• 2/3 cup tiny little pastas 
• The secret ingredient  - add a left-over heel of Parmigiano reggiano cheese to the soup about halfway through.  It will add a ton of flavor, and you can just fish it out later.

Step-by-step:

Put all ingredients (except pasta) in cold water.

• 7 cups cold water

1 cup red wine

4 cups reduced sodium beef broth

• 1 (28oz) canned whole tomatoes (fire-roasted or basil and oregano)

1 pkg  mixed vegetables (Green Giant)

2 (sm-med) red russet potatoes

3 stalks celery, chopped

5 cloves  garlic, finely chopped

1 (8oz) can tomato sauce

kosher salt

black pepper

1.75 pounds top sirloin, trimmed of fat and cut into large chunks

(season them before adding to water - salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried oregano)

n medium to medium-high for about two hours.  About halfway through, add the rind of Parmesan.  

The secret ingredient  - add a left-over heel of Parmigiano reggiano cheese to the soup about halfway through.  It will add a ton of flavor, and you can just fish it out later.

Note - You may need a to add a little more water 30-45 min before completion if too thick.  

I also go through at some point and snip the tomatoes apart.  I find kitchen scissors work just fabulous for this!  You may ask why I bothered to use whole tomatoes, just to have to cut them up?  Whole tomatoes are held to a higher standard than the diced ones for the canning process.  They have to be the best of the best, without blemish.

So here we are getting really close.  The soup has reduced and thickened.  The meat is super tender and the veggies are cooked.  Now its time to add the pasta, if you are doing so.

Add the pasta in the last 10 minutes. 

2/3 cup tiny little pastas

Garnish, if you'd like with grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese over the top.

Enjoy this recipe?!

I hope so, because there are many more like this on this blog, just waiting for someone to open them up and give them a try!  Hop on over to the Recipe Index and see for yourself! If you haven't already, please Click Here to Subscribe to MenuMusings so you won't miss a thing!

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Here are a few "bonus recipes" for you to enjoy!  Click the links to go directly to the recipes.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Spicy Garlic Aioli

Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli

Cranberry Orange Muffins with Brown Sugar Pecan Crumble Topping

Coconut Lime Chicken

Homemade Snickers Bars

Written Method:

Put all ingredients (except pasta) in cold watern medium to medium-high for about two hours.  About halfway through, add the rind of Parmesan.  Add the pasta in the last 10 minutes.  You may need a to add a little more water 30-45 min before completion if too thick.  Garnish, if you'd like with grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese over the top.