Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup with is the most comforting, EASY soup you’ll make. You’ll want to dip crusty bread into the amazing flavors in this soup!
The Vegetable Beef Soup doesn’t sound like it would be the most amazing dish you have to make this season. I totally get it; the name sounds like a canned soup you’d gloss over.
What this soup actually is? AMAZING. With a deeply rich, flavorful, gravy-like soup filled with genuinely tender bites of beef, potatoes, carrots, corn, peas, and green beans, I promise you’ll feel warmth and comfort in this bowl of soup.
In college, there was a local French restaurant I LOVED. For $10, you were served a three-course dinner, including the most amazing rich beef soup. It was served with all the French bread you could dip in it. Honestly, it was better than the main course or the dessert.
This soup has been a close second for me. Every time we make it, I set the cooker to cook in the early morning, and my husband stops at the grocery store on the way home from work to pick up two baguettes of fresh French bread. Served with an easy salad with a lemon olive oil dressing, this is one of our favorite meals (and the kids love this soup, too!).
Tips for making the Soup:
- Brown your beef! I used a chuck roast, seared it well on both sides, then trimmed and cut it into chunks.
- I browned the beef in my cast iron skillet, and I got a good crust on both sides, using plenty of kosher salt and black pepper.
- The secret weapon? Beef Base! I use Better than Bouillon, and you can see the good-sized dollop I added.
- If you are not using a base, use beef stock instead of broth. It’s even more important to get a good sear on the meat, then deglaze the pan with the stock to ensure all the beef flavor comes with it.
- Instead of diced tomatoes, I use tomato paste; the concentration of flavors adds so much more.
- Serve this with crusty French bread; I promise you won’t regret it.
Truth be told, I made this dish to photograph this week. Then, I ended up not being well enough to eat it and had to go on a bland diet. When my husband warmed up a bowl of it for dinner, I actually sat next to him just so I could smell it. It is that good.
Don’t be fooled by the name or the easy ingredients and prep—this beef and vegetable soup has a lot of flavor.
Q&A about the vegetables in this soup:
- I used frozen peas and added them at the end of cooking, as they only need to warm through. This keeps them vibrant and fresh.
- I used fresh green beans in the soup because I keep them on hand; you can use frozen ones.
- I used fresh carrots, as their texture is always different from that of frozen carrots, which can become rubbery.
- I used russet potatoes for the potatoes, but I also frequently made the dish with Yukon or even baby Yukon potatoes.
- If you wanted a more fall-flavored soup, you could swap potatoes for sweet potatoes.
Looking for more Soup Recipes?
- Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup
- Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup
- Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Soup
Tools used in the making of the soup:
3 Qt. Slow Cooker: The perfect size for side dishes for 10-12 people, this slow cooker is an absolute bargain and a workhorse.
Cast Iron Skillet: If you don’t have a slow cooker with a stovetop-friendly insert, this is the most used pan in my kitchen. It’s heavy, keeps heat well, and gives the BEST sear ever.
Pig Tail Flipper: I use this to flip the chuck roast quickly. I use this tool EVERY time I cook something that requires flipping; it is amazing.
Beef Base: I almost never buy boxes of broth because I keep the beef, chicken, and vegetable versions of this Better Than Bouillon.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 pounds chuck roast
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt , divided
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper , divided
- 4 russet potatoes , peeled and diced
- 3 carrots , peeled and diced
- 1 cup green beans , diced
- 1 cup corn
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 yellow onion , diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons beef base (see note)
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 5 cups water , (or enough to cover the ingredients by about ½ inch)
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Heat a cast iron skillet or other heavy skillet on medium high heat with the canola oil.
- Season the beef with half the salt and pepper.
- Sear the beef for 5-6 minutes on each side until you see a deep golden crust formed on each side.
- Trim any large sections of fat and cut the rest of the beef into 2 inch chunks.
- To slow cooker the add the beef, rest of the salt and pepper, potatoes, carrots, green beans, corn, garlic, yellow onion, bay leaves, beef base and tomato paste.
- Add water to your cast iron skillet on medium high heat and scrape up the browned bits in the skillet.
- Add the water to your slow cooker.
- Stir well and cook for 8 hours on low.
- Just before serving add in the frozen peas and stir.
Notes
Nutrition
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Kinda waxed poetic about this recipe a lot huh? Haha. That’s how much I love it!
Made this tonight – it was delicious! I will definitely be making it again. The flavor of the broth was much better than using store bought beef stock. Loved all the veggies. Thanks for sharing.
Hi! Could I use canned green beans and canned Lima beans? If so, do I still add them in the beginning? Thank you!
Could this be done in an Instant Pot?
I’d follow instructions similar to this: https://dinnerthendessert.com/instant-pot-hamburger-soup/?swcfpc=1
I’m still in the testing process on this recipe in the IP.
I’ve been using this recipe the past 5 years. It’s great. I sub 1lb of browned ground meat (grass fed beef, bison or venison) for the chuck. I add the ground meat about 2 hours before the soup is done. Be sure to use a quality beef base. This soup tastes even better on the second and third day, if it lasts that long.
Great recipe! I have yet to make a flavorful vegetable beef soup UNTIL NOW! ?? Great easy recipe and so yummy! We plan to freeze the leftovers for my maternity leave!
I made this several times and each time it was delicious!!!
I put this in my slow cooker this morning. I am cooking this today so I don’t have to cook tomorrow. It was easy to put together. Going to the store to get some french bread. Looking forward to eating it.
i haven’t tried it yet but I have a question. Could I use College Inn broth or is having the left over water and browning supposed to work?
Could I use stew meat for it as well??
Yes, that would work. You can use broth instead of the water and the beef base though I might still add a scoop of the base, if you have it, to deepen the flavor. I hope you enjoy it!
Wow! We just love this soup! I use top sirloin though, because I’m picky like that. I could eat this all winter long!
Yum!!
Good but a little bland for my taste. After original pot made one adding a couple of diced jalapeños and one using quarter pound of hot chorizo. Both added just enough flavor and heat without becoming a Tex-Mex wanna be soup.
Can this be done on high if you don’t have 8 hours? Thanks!
You can cook it for 4-5 hours on high. Enjoy!
I made your vegetable beef soup for the slow cooker last night for dinner. It was absolutely fantastic! With our children all grown, my husband and I….both 74….love to try new things. I followed and added everything to a tee….no deviations. My husband, my sous chef, dices everything to perfection. I love the fact that you use Better than Bouillon soup base, it adds extraordinary flavor. We divided the left over soup, freezing one container, and refrigerating the other for lunch today. Keep up the deliciousness from your kitchen. Thank you!
You are too kind, Pat. I’m glad you all enjoyed it.
I always hate when someone reviews without actually trying the recipe, or changing it so much it doesn’t resemble the original recipe at all! With that said, I made the recipe pretty much as written, but used leftover prime rib. The soup was superb, and even better the next day. I used beef broth instead of water, but still used the Better Than Bouillon because that just gives a depth in itself that straight broth just can’t do. Definitely a keeper!
Thanks for the 5 stars, JoAnn.
Hello I just found this recipe and I am going to give it a go! I have some cabbage I need to use before it goes bad. I was thinking of adding some of it in. When should I do this? Or do you have another recipe with cabbage I could try?
Thanks! Excited to try it!
You could add it into this recipe or I have a few other cabbage recipes that are amazing too. Here’s a direct link to one that’s my favorite: https://dinnerthendessert.com/stuffed-cabbage-soup/
How do i make this with 3.5 pound chuck
This will work with that size too. You may need an additional 30 minutes but check it and see. Enjoy!
Your picture seems to look more red than my recipe turned out It’s like more tomato sauce appearing. Any suggestions on that?
Hmmm, not sure except that maybe my beef base and tomato base had a deeper color to begin with? How did it taste?
My entire family loved this recipe! The kids didn’t even protest a single vegetable! It was easy to make and easily adjustable the second time around when I didn’t have all the listed veggies on hand. This has quickly become a regular in our household.
I love it when the whole family (including kids) enjoy a meal together. Thanks for the 5 stars.
I want to make this soup. I need to be careful though on what I eat so I would like to know what a serving size is? I see all the nutrients but don’t see the serving size.
1 serving size is about 1 cup.
I am so excited to try your recipe! Thanks for sharing it. Can I make it a day before I plan to eat it? I will be traveling and won’t have access to everything I need. Will everything be ok?
Of course. Enjoy!
I made this, wondering “could it be THAT good?” I was not disappointed! I will be scrapping the old traditional recipes I’ve used to make vegetable beef soup. This is my new favorite!
Yay!! I’m so glad you decided to give it a try.
Thinking about substituting homemade noodles for the potatoes. What do you think?
I haven’t tested it but it sounds delicious!
I’m gonna make that, well I’ll have a go at it looks pretty easy to do yummy
Love this soup! Made it with Chuck the first time, fantastic! The second time I used ground chuck – and it was fantastic! The first one I cooked in the slow cooker for about 5 1/2 hours on high – I cut things pretty small – and the ground Chuck I used my dutch oven in the oven 325* oven til the veggies were tender. Served them both with warm French bread! Had 4 teenage boys go nuts over it….Thank you SO much!
So what are the cooking times please……is it 8hrs on high or a certain amount of hours on high then so many hours on low. I work during the day so just want to make sure I cook it right. Thanks?
You’ll be cooking this for 8 hours on low. Enjoy!
Best soup EVER!!!! This recipe is my new keeper for sure????????
That’s so sweet of you to say, Karen. Thank you!
Maybe this just isn’t something I have a taste for, but I tried the recipe and it just didn’t resonate for me. I think I prefer beef soups with a tomato base, this one just seemed to be missing something.
I was curious. Did you not like my comment about your recipe and some tweaks I made? I noticed that my previous comment is not posted on your comments. Just wondering because I’ve used so many of your recipes……
Sorry, but I don’t see your comment. I’m glad you’re loving the recipes and it doesn’t offend me when people tweak them. I’m glad they feel comfortable enough to adapt the recipes to fit more to their liking or get their creative juices flowing. Have a great day!
This soup was wonderful and perfect for a snowy day. The preparation was a tad time consuming, but well worth it! My kids and husband devoured it. I tasted it through the cooking process and towards the last hour I added a pack of dried French onion soup. I was looking for a richer flavor and that was spot on. I also added a splash of Merlot. Yummy!! This is going to be a “go to” soup in this house. Thank you so much for sharing.
I love your vegetable soup recipe with the tomato juice! Just discovered this recipe and wanted to get your opinion on doing half beef stock (using the Beef base) and half tomato juice for more of that ‘veggie soup’ flavor. Do you think that would still be a good consistency/flavor? Thanks in advance!
Yes, that would work. Enjoy!
*Update* I tried this out and it was PERFECT! I travel on the weekends for work so I love to have portion sized jars of soup to freeze for a quick meal when I get home. I’m already looking forward to this Sunday’s soup! Going to stop by the grocery store and pick up some crusty bread on my way home ?
Hey this recipe sounds great but I would like to add vermicelli to it. Do you know when in the recipe should I add it?
You could mix the pasta into the slow cooke the last 15 minutes of cook time.
How much beef stock instead of Better Than Bullion?
Thanks
Instead of the water and the beef base, you can use 5 cups of beef stock instead.
I am about ready to make this soup but have a question: is it ok to cut the chuck roast into pieces ***before I do the sear***? That way you’d get a crust on all of it – but maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about! Advice please.
Yes, that’ll work 🙂
Very good vegetable soup 🙂
Best soup ever, Sabrina! My husband just looked at me and said OMG! had to go get crusty sourdough tho. I added celery and a dash of paprika, but this soup is awesome! Thanks!
If doing it stove top how long and on what heat would you cook it for? If doing it on high in the crockpot how long would you do it for?
You’ll want to bring the soup to a boil and then simmer it for about an hour or so. If you want to cook it on high in a slow cooker, 4-5 hours should do the trick. Hope this helps.
I really like this recipe! I added some red pepper flakes for a little kick and used some beef broth for part of the water. One thing I really like about this recipe is it seems like the kind that can be tweaked a little depending on preferences but definitely perfect for a cool day.
Definitely! Thanks for the 5 stars, Chris.
Very good! I like the tomato paste best too. Even better the next day!!
I am making this tomorrow. Quick question. I am using frozen veggies. I reD one comment stating she added veggies later. Good idea. Should I use less water due to frozen veggies add so much moisture?
Also…do you have additional recipes with better than bullion. Having difficulty finding easy recipes
Left out potatoes. Added 3/4 cup pearl barley. Added 1 teaspoon thyme and 1/2 teaspoon oregano.
Would skip bay leaves. Myself, along with 2 friends, did not like the flavor.
Also, 8 hrs in slow cooker on low was not long enough, and things were cut into small sizes.
I have 2 bags of frozen mixed vegetables that I would like to use in this soup. My thought is to do everything the same except not add the carrots, green beans, or corn in the beginning – then add the frozen mixed vegetables instead of the fresh vegetables about 1/2 way through cooking time – omitting the peas because they are already in the mixed vegetables. Do you think this would be feasible to do?
Yes 🙂
Hi! I have a 6qt slow cooker only and would like to try this soup, how should I adjust this recipe to that size? (I see you have made this in a smaller one.)
BTW I used you recipe “Crispy Slow Cooked Turkey Thighs” LOVED IT!!!!
I’m a new fan of yours!!!!!!
Thanks so much, Rose. You won’t need to adjust anything for a 6 qt slow cooker. Enjoy!
I couldn’t find beef at all. I really hoping vegetable works??
It’ll work, it just changes the flavor a bit. I hope you still enjoyed it.
So yummy. We omitted peas. Used sweet potatoes instead. Kids liked it!
What a yummy swap! Glad everyone enjoyed!
Sounds amazing! Is this recipes feezable? I’m in the process of making it now for my family but unfortunately I’m not able to enjoy due to being on a bland diet for the next few days 🙁
Absolutely. You can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. 🙂
I used fresh peas and added the at the beginning. They had great flavor and held up fine. I made everything the night before and refrigerated over night. I’m not sure it made a difference but it was the most incredible vegetable soup I’ve ever had. I also used the tomato paste but added a can of drained diced tomatoes and used the juice as part of the water requirement. I used all fresh vegetables except the tomatoes.
This is the best vegetable soup I’ve ever had and the Better than Bouillon was an awesome difference from most recipes I read.
Wow thank you so much for the review! I am so thrilled you enjoyed it!
I agree, Better than Bouillon is the best. I’ve been using it for years.
This recipe looks perfect and I can’t wait to make it. My husband has Alzheimer’s and he is my prep chef. This job helps him feel useful, in charge. So I try to cook things that requires him to chop and dice.
Thank you for the mention of French Bread. I was going to make cornbread but I like the French bread for a change.
In keeping the Sabbath Holy, I don’t cook on Sunday. I prepare foods on Saturday. Slow cooker makes it easy!
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
You’re welcome! Thank you for taking the time to comment.
um, HOLY CRAP THIS SOUP IS DELICIOUS. I made this today, and put it in the slow cooker on high for about 5 hours. i thought it smelled a bit weird (bay leaf i think), but whatever. when i finally tasted it, OMG IT TASTED JUST LIKE WHAT MY MOM USED TO MAKE, ONLY BETTER. i didn’t have any bread, so i made popovers and devoured like four of them, dipping them in the delicious broth. amazing job—this has to be one of the best internet recipes i’ve ever stumbled across on the internet. thank you for sharing!!!
I’m so honored! Thank you so much for coming back and leaving a review. And way to go making the popovers on the fly, impressive!
Super easy to make and DELICIOUS!!
Have made it twice. Once in a crockpot and once on the stove, both great.
So glad you like it!
So glad I came across this wonderful recipe! My first time using the better than bouillon beef base, definitely the secret weapon.. The tomato paste also adds great flavor. Everyone in my family really enjoyed! Thanks for sharing..
It is definitely my secret weapon! I love Better than Bouillon and have it in every flavor haha! Thanks for the review!
This was one of the first recipes I made when I was learning how to cook and I’m still always coming back to it. It’s so easy and always delicious! I almost never had anything that wasn’t out of a box or can as a kid and I never thought I’d be able to learn to cook but following your recipes has shown me that making delicious healthy food can be easy and fun! Thank you.
That is so great to hear! That is why I do this site so thank you for coming back and sharing with me!
Could you do the soup 4 hours on high?
I would say 5 hours on high. Let me know how you like it!
I’m making this Thursday as it’s suppose to be cooler here! I went to 2 different stores and could not find Better Than Bouillon Beef. I found it in Roasted Beef. I’m thinking it will be very similar… your thoughts? My whole family can’t wait to try this. Thanks for the recipe@
The roasted beef is the correct one. All of their products are roasted (roasted chicken and roasted vegetable) – sorry for the confusion!
I might be becoming a little obsessed with your website. I’ve made 4 of your recipes in the past 2 weeks & all have turned out perfectly. I started this fantastic soup this morning before work. I prepped the fresh veggies last night & stored them in a Ziploc bag, then dumped everything in the slow cooker this morning. I seared the roast well & deglazed the skillet as directed. We are home now from football & cheer practice enjoying this delicious home-cooked dinner with some crusty bread & salad instead of another sad drive-thru meal. Divine! Thank you for the massive amount of work you put into your recipes- makes feeding my family much less of a hassle!
I’m so happy to hear that you are loving my recipes! Thank you for sharing with me (especially since it sounds like you are a busy bee!!) I really appreciate it and hope to keep putting up winning recipes for you and your family!
This is the very first time that I’ve ever made beef soup. I am so thankful that I came across this recipe, because the soup was delicious! And, Better than Bouillon is the best broth ever. Thank you for this recipe!
I’m so happy it turned out great for your first time making it! And agree- I always have lots of Better than Bouillon on hand!