Description
Hearty and flavorful Vegetable Beef Soup made with tender stewing beef, fresh vegetables, and a rich broth enhanced by red wine or stout. Perfect for a comforting main course on a chilly day.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup:
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil, separated
- 500g/1 lb stewing beef, cut into 1.75cm / 2/3″ cubes
- 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tbsp)
- 2 celery stalks, cut into 0.8 cm / 1/3″ slices
- 3 carrots, cut into 0.5 cm / 1/5″ thick slices (halve larger ones)
- 4 tbsp flour
- 2 1/2 cups (625ml) beef broth/stock, low sodium
- 1 1/2 cups (375ml) dry red wine, Guinness beer or stout
- 1.5 cups (375ml) water
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 potatoes (any), cut into 1.5cm / 2/3″ cubes
Buttery Mushrooms (optional):
- 1 tbsp (15g) butter or oil
- 200g/6oz small mushrooms, quartered or halved
Instructions
- Heat Oil: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil until very hot in a large, heavy-based pot over high heat.
- Prepare Beef: Pat the beef dry with paper towels, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Brown Beef: Brown the beef aggressively in 2 or 3 batches, adding more oil if needed. Remove browned beef to a bowl.
- Cook Aromatics: If the pot looks dry, add a little more oil. Add garlic and onion, cooking for 2 minutes.
- Add Vegetables: Add carrot and celery, cooking for another 2 minutes or until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add Flour and Broth: Stir in flour and slowly pour in beef broth while constantly stirring to avoid lumps.
- Add Liquids and Seasoning: Add the red wine or stout, water, tomato paste, bay leaves, and dried thyme. Stir well and return the beef to the pot.
- Simmer Soup: Cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and let it bubble gently. Simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes or until beef is tender.
- Add Potatoes and Peas: Add the potatoes and peas, then simmer uncovered for 20 minutes more.
- Cook Mushrooms: For buttery mushrooms, melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, add mushrooms, and cook for 5 minutes until browned, seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Add Mushrooms to Soup: Stir cooked mushrooms into the soup during the last 5 minutes of simmering.
- Final Seasoning and Serve: Check and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowls, optionally sprinkle with parsley, and serve with crusty bread like Cheesy Garlic Bread or Irish Soda Bread.
Notes
- Use stewing beef or a slow-cooking cut like chuck or boneless short rib, ideally marbled for tenderness and flavor.
- Red wine, Guinness, or stout adds rich flavor; use any dry full-bodied red wine or dark beer labeled stout/Guinness.
- For a non-alcoholic version, substitute wine/beer with a 400g can of crushed tomatoes and 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce.
- The soup improves in flavor when refrigerated overnight and keeps well for 4-5 days in the fridge; it also freezes perfectly.
- Adjust seasoning with extra pepper for added depth, and serve with crusty bread for a hearty meal.
