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Cozy Slow Cooker Beef Vegetable Soup: Easy Family Dinner

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This cozy slow cooker beef vegetable soup is the kind of meal that makes your whole week better. It uses affordable cuts of beef and basic pantry vegetables, with a technique of searing the beef first for deep flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds beef chuck or stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, for searing
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1.5 cups)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 6 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds (about 1.5 cups)
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
  • 1 cup frozen green beans
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish)
  • Grated Parmesan cheese (optional garnish)
  • Crusty bread or buttered crackers (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients first. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, slice the carrots and celery, and cube the potatoes.
  2. Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in your large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the beef cubes in a single layer. Let the beef brown undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Toss in the diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it softens and turns translucent.
  5. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens slightly.
  6. Pour in 1 cup of the beef broth and use your wooden spoon to scrape up every last bit of goodness from the skillet. Let it simmer for about 30 seconds, then pour the whole mixture into the slow cooker over the beef.
  7. Add the remaining 5 cups of beef broth, the diced tomatoes (with their juices), Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. Give everything a good stir.
  8. Add the carrots, celery, and potatoes to the slow cooker. Stir them in so they are submerged in the broth. The frozen green beans and corn can go in now too.
  9. Cover the slow cooker and set it to LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.
  10. About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the frozen peas.
  11. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving. Remove the bay leaves.
  12. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and a sprinkle of Parmesan, if you like. Serve with crusty bread or crackers.

Notes

Do not skip the sear—it gives the broth deep, savory flavor. Cut vegetables to a similar size for even cooking. Resist the urge to lift the lid during cooking. For a thicker stew-like consistency, use 5 cups of broth instead of 6. The soup tastes even better the next day as flavors meld.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker beef vegetable soup, easy family dinner, beef soup, vegetable soup, comfort food, one-pot meal

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