This is the vegetable beef soup your grandmother made—tender chunks of chuck roast, classic vegetables, and a rich tomato-beef broth.
Adapted from the original 1972 Betty Crocker stovetop recipe for any-size crock pot, with scaling for 2, 4, or 8 servings—faster stovetop instructions included.
Jump To (scroll for more)
- 🤔 TL;DR — Recipe Summary
- 🐄 Ingredients
- 👨🍳 Quick Overview: How to Make Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
- ⏰ How Long to Cook Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
- ♨️ Stovetop Vegetable Beef Soup
- 🐄 Ingredient Options & Tips
- ⬇️ Scaling for 2, 4, or 8 Servings
- ♨️ Other Crock Pot Soup Recipes
- ❄️ Storage of Leftovers
- 📖The Recipe Card
Featured Comment from Dorothy:
"Made you veg. Beef soup today. It was delicious! Easy to follow step-by-step instructions, and I liked how you gave suggestions."
🤔 TL;DR — Recipe Summary
What: Old-fashioned crock pot vegetable beef soup with tender chuck roast, vegetables, and rich tomato-beef broth.
Why: Easy, flexible, freezer-friendly, and simple to scale for 2, 4, or 8 servings.
How: Add the beef, vegetables, tomatoes, broth, and seasonings, then cook for 6–8 hours on LOW. Brown the beef first for extra flavor if desired. Use the stovetop method for quicker cooking.
🐄 Ingredients
- Beef: Chuck roast is the best choice, but sirloin tip or stew meat also works. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Vegetables: Carrots, celery, green beans, and onion. Use fresh carrots and celery; green beans may be fresh or frozen.
- Beef broth: Low-sodium preferred so you can adjust the salt near the end.
- Tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes, undrained.
- Seasoning: Salt and pepper, with optional thyme, marjoram, and bay leaf.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: How to Make Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
1. Prep the vegetables: Chop carrots, celery, green beans, and onion.
2. Trim and cube the beef: Cut chuck roast into 1-inch cubes (or use stew meat). For extra flavor, optionally dust with flour and brown in hot oil.
3. Add everything to the crock pot: Add the beef, vegetables, diced tomatoes, beef broth, and seasonings.
4. Cook until tender: Cook for 6–8 hours on LOW, until the beef and carrots are tender.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
⏰ How Long to Cook Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
Cook for 6–8 hours on LOW or 3–4 hours on HIGH. LOW is preferred for more tender beef.
Cooking time varies with the crock pot and the size of the beef cubes. Start checking early—the soup is done when the beef and carrots are tender.
Save this recipe!
Enter your email address and we'll send the link straight to your inbox!
♨️ Stovetop Vegetable Beef Soup
- Prepare the vegetables.
- Cut the beef into 1-inch cubes. Optionally dust with flour, then brown in oil in a Dutch oven or large pan.
- Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer until the beef and vegetables are tender, about 60–90 minutes.
🐄 Ingredient Options & Tips
- Beef: Chuck roast is the best choice for tender beef. Sirloin tip or stew meat also works. Cut into about 1-inch cubes. Browning in hot oil adds flavor; a light flour dusting before browning is optional.
- Vegetables: Carrots, celery, green beans, and onion are the standard combination. You can also add potatoes, corn, or frozen peas. Add peas near the end so they don't overcook.
- Tomatoes: Use canned diced tomatoes with their liquid.
- Seasoning: Salt and pepper are enough, or add thyme, marjoram, and a bay leaf for more old-fashioned flavor.
⬇️ Scaling for 2, 4, or 8 Servings
The full recipe makes 8 servings and fits a 4-quart or larger crock pot.
- For 2 servings: Make a quarter recipe in a 2-quart mini crock pot.
- For 4 servings: Make a half recipe in a 2-quart mini crock pot.
- For 8 servings: Make the full recipe in a 4-quart or larger crock pot.
Scaling the ingredients: Adjust the number of servings in the recipe card. The ingredient amounts will change, but the instructions do not.
♨️ Other Crock Pot Soup Recipes
- Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup
- Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Cheeseburger Soup
- Crock Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup
Beef Barley Soup
An easy and delicious dump-and-go crock pot beef barley soup recipe with tender stew meat, beef broth, vegetables, and plump barley. Use any size slow cooker, from mini crock pots to full-size.
❄️ Storage of Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store covered for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Cool completely and freeze airtight for up to 4 months.
- Reheat: Warm on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a little broth or water if the soup has thickened.
📖The Recipe Card
Old-Fashioned Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chuck roast trimmed and cubed - or stew meat
- 4-6 cups beef broth - low sodium preferred
- 2 cups diced tomatoes - undrained
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1–2 carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1–2 rib celery, sliced
- ½ pound green beans, fresh or frozen - cut into ¾ inch pieces
- 1 medium onion - chopped
- Optional oil and flour — for browning the beef
- ¼–½ teaspoon thyme
- ¼–½ teaspoon marjoram - seen notes
- 1–2 bay leaf
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep the beef: Trim and cube about 2 pounds of chuck roast or use pre-cut stew meat. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Prep the vegetables: Chop 1 medium onion. Peel and slice 1–2 carrots into ¼-inch slices. Slice 1–2 ribs of celery into ½-inch pieces. Cut ½ pound of green beans (fresh or frozen) into ¾-inch pieces.
- Brown the beef: Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Optionally, dust the beef with flour, then brown well for about 10 minutes. Transfer to the crock pot.
- Build the soup: Add the vegetables, beef broth, salt, pepper, optional spices, and undrained tomatoes to the crock pot.
- 5. Cook: Cook 6–8 hours on LOW or 3–4 hours on HIGH, until the beef and carrots are tender.Stovetop: After browning the beef, add the remaining ingredients to the pan. Cover and simmer gently for 60–90 minutes, until the beef and vegetables are tender.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
Chuck roast gives the best tenderness, but sirloin tip or stew meat works well. The full recipe makes about 12 cups (8 servings) and needs a 4-quart or larger crock pot. For 2 or 4 servings, use the recipe-card serving adjustment; either fits a 2-quart mini crock pot. Add frozen peas or corn near the end if desired. Refrigerate for 4 days or freeze for 4 months.Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
This recipe is highly adapted from the 1972 Betty Crocker's Cookbook, with a crock pot method added.
Editor Note: Originally published October 11, 2011. This was my favorite soup as a child, and this is a beautiful rendition. It is updated with expanded options and refreshed photos.
Brian Mooney says
When do you add the vegetables? Are they sautéd for two or three minutes before adding the broth? Also, wouldn’t it be best to brown the beef in batches to avoid “steamed meat” and improve the degree and rate of browning?
Great recipe! It's simplicity allows the vegetables and resulting broth to shine. It begs for some crusty French bread. It will be a cool/cold weather regular here. Thanks!
Lois Meade says
Best cookbook ever mine is from the 60's now it is falling apart. I use chuck roast and instead of cooking so long, I cut in small pieces and cook in my pressure cooker about 15 minutes. I then transfer to large pot and add the 32 oz of beef broth and 14.5 petite diced tomatoes and let that cook for awhile and then add whatever vegetables you like it takes carrots longer so I usually put them in first and simmer and then add the rest. I also keep extra tomato juice and extra beef broth in case I need to thin it out or want extra juice. Everyone loves my soup just use whatever vegetables you like such as frozen peas, frozen corn. I also love to put some macaroni sometimes. Don't skip the onions and potatoes and celery. Also put whatever spices you like, I usually put a little rosemary in mine.
Dorothy E says
Made you veg. Beef soup today. It was delicious! Easy to follow step by step instructions, and I liked how you gave suggestions re: adding barley and if you did not have marjoram.
DrDan says
Hi Dorothy,
Sorry for the delayed response.
The barley can be added. I have a beef barley crockpot soup that is this recipe modified. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/hearty-beef-barley-soup-a-la-crock-pot/
The marjoram definately identifies this recipe as an old timer. You can sub in oregano or skip it.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Petrine says
My daughter just had an operation so I am taking her this soup with tomatoes and cabbage. So yummy. Can’t wait.
DrDan says
I hope she is doing well. Good luck with the soup, it is our go-to recipe.
Dan
Colleen Boothe says
Have been looking for this recipe for years, ever since i lost my cookbook in a move. Did add a little cabbage and a cut up potato.
My favorite veggie and beef soup.
Laura says
Oh man this recipe looks good... it looks just like the beef soup my late grandmother would make for me when I came home from school and stayed at their house until my parents got off work. The tomato does it. I haven't made this, even though I have been making a similar beef stew with no tomatoes for years. Thanks for the recipe inspiration! Definitely putting this on the to do list very soon!
Cindy D. says
Made this soup a few weeks ago by the recipe. The next time I make, will add extra beef broth with chopped vegs. Tasty and filling. Served with my southern cornbread. Plan to make again this weekend.
Meredith L. Eason says
Thanks for your article. I had to add a new food for my family.
Tawn says
I have that cookbook and it looks just like that! Going to try this recipe today...sounds like a great dinner for a cold day, like today.
DrDan says
Mine is looking a lot worse the last few years... I'm considering eBay. I get some of my best recipes for that book.
DrDan
dave says
i used your recipe however i figured i would do a little adding two it , i love cabbage so got a small head chopped it up threw it in the pot onion the celery i allso added two cans of diced tomatoes and 2 more cups of beef broth i allso added a 1 lb bag of frozen soup veggies . i may have wrecked this recipe but will will see allso got a can of tomatoe paste just in case its too watery my dad used to put parsnips in his and this was very good . we called it dragin it threw the garden . well i either screwed it up or it will be good i will let you know . i think the recipe should be a winner in it self thank you for the basics my mom and dad are gone know and i rember all the good stuff they used too cook just like this thank you for the head start dave
DrDan says
It will probably come out great... A recipe is guidelines and not rules. Never be afraid to modify.
DrDan
Dan Mikesell says
Yep. It was missing from the ingredient list. Fixed... Thanks for the note.
Dr Dan says
It is one of our favorites also. We have made it several times a year for decades and it never disappoints.
Dan Moody says
This is great vegetable beef soup! I made it & my wife said it was better than her recipe, which is a time honored family recipe.I cut the meat into smaller pieces and browned them well. I made this recipe easier by using about 12 oz. frozen stew veggies and 8 oz. frozen sweet corn plus a drained can of Del Monte cut string beans. Even my finicky four year old granddaughter gobbled it up. Can't get a better recommendation than that!