Old-School Vegetable Beef Soup

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Beef chuck browned hard in a heavy pot, then simmered low and slow with tomatoes and aromatics until it shreds at the touch of a spoon. Frozen mixed vegetables go in at the end — no shame, no soggy carrots, and dinner costs less than a sandwich.

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with their juice
• 8 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 lb russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 16 oz frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, carrots, green beans)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• to taste salt and pepper
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar, optional

Instructions

1. Pat the beef cubes very dry with paper towels — this is the single biggest factor in how much flavor you build. Season all over with the 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a 6- to 8-quart Dutch oven over medium-high until it just begins to shimmer, about 2 minutes. Add the beef in a single layer with space between the cubes, working in 2 batches. Sear undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes per side until deeply browned, almost crusted — you want dark brown, not gray. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the second batch.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion and celery to the fat and browned bits in the pot, along with a pinch of salt. Cook 6 to 7 minutes, scraping the bottom, until softened and the fond starts to lift.
4. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 90 seconds, until the paste darkens to a brick color and smells toasty.
5. Pour in about 1 cup of the beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pot hard with a wooden spoon until no browned crust remains. Add the remaining broth, the diced tomatoes with their juice, Worcestershire, bay leaves, thyme, and smoked paprika. Return the beef and any collected juices to the pot.
6. Bring to a bare simmer, then reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and cook for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. Keep the surface at a lazy bubble — a hard boil will make the chuck tough and stringy. Skim any foam or excess fat from the surface once or twice along the way.
7. When the beef shreds easily against the side of the pot with a spoon, add the potatoes. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until a paring knife slides in with no resistance.
8. Stir in the frozen mixed vegetables straight from the bag and simmer just 5 to 6 minutes — long enough to heat through and stay bright. Fish out and discard the bay leaves.
9. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper; if the soup tastes flat, add the teaspoon of red wine vinegar to wake it up. Stir in the parsley and let the pot sit off heat 10 minutes before serving with crackers or buttered bread.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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