The vegetable beef soup your grandmother made—tender chunks of chuck roast, classic vegetables, and a rich tomato-beef broth straight out of a Betty Crocker cookbook. No shortcuts, no gimmicks, just real old-fashioned comfort in a bowl.
It cooks in 90 minutes on the stovetop or all day in any crockpot (from a 2-quart mini to a full-size). Simple steps, everyday ingredients, and a reliable method make this a beginner-friendly soup you’ll come back to all winter long.
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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 it is: A hearty, old-fashioned vegetable beef soup with tender chuck roast, classic veggies, and a rich tomato-beef broth—stovetop or crockpot.
Why you’ll love it: Easy to make, flexible with vegetables, great for leftovers, freezer-friendly, and simple to scale down for two or up for a crowd.
How to make it: Brown the beef, add the veggies, tomatoes, broth, and seasonings, then simmer 90 minutes on the stovetop or 6–8 hours in the crockpot.
Jump to the Recipe Card or continue reading for details and options.
🐄 Ingredients
- Beef — Chuck roast is the best choice, but sirloin tip or pre-cut stew meat both work well. Trim into 1-inch cubes for even cooking.
- Vegetables — Carrots, celery, green beans, and onion. Use fresh carrots and celery; green beans can be fresh or frozen.
- Beef broth — Low-sodium preferred so you can control the final seasoning.
- Tomatoes — Diced tomatoes, undrained.
- Salt and pepper — Start light; adjust near the end.
- Optional spices — Thyme, marjoram, and a bay leaf. They’re in the original Betty Crocker version and add that old-fashioned flavor, but the soup still works without them.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: How to Make Vegetable Beef Soup
1. Prep the vegetables: Chop carrots, celery, green beans, and onion.
2. Trim and cube the beef: Cut a chuck roast into 1-inch cubes (or use stew meat). Dust with flour if you want deeper browning, then brown the beef in hot oil.
3. Add everything to the pot: Combine browned beef, vegetables, diced tomatoes, beef broth, and seasonings in a large pan or any crockpot.
4. Cook until tender: Simmer on the stovetop for 90 minutes, or cook in the crockpot for 6–8 hours on low. Use the carrots as your doneness test.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
⏰ How Long to Cook Vegetable Beef Soup?
Stovetop:
Simmer gently for about 90 minutes, then check the carrots. When they’re tender, the soup is ready.
Crockpot:
Cook 6–8 hours on LOW or 3–4 hours on HIGH. Use the same carrot test for doneness.
🐄 The Beef
- Best cut: Chuck roast is the top choice for tenderness and flavor. Sirloin tip works, too, and pre-cut stew meat is perfectly fine.
- Why brown the meat: Browning in a bit of hot oil builds deeper flavor, even if you’re using a crockpot. You can dust the cubes with flour first—optional, but it helps the browning stick and slightly thickens the broth.
- Cube size: Aim for 1-inch pieces so everything cooks evenly.
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🧂 The Seasoning
Salt and pepper are enough for a clean, simple soup.
The original 1970s Betty Crocker version used thyme, marjoram, and a bay leaf—a small trio that gives this soup its old-fashioned flavor. They’re optional, but if you want that classic taste, use them.
🥕 The Vegetables
Use carrots, celery, green beans, and onion for the traditional base. Carrots and celery should be fresh; green beans can be fresh or frozen.
Tomatoes: Use canned diced tomatoes, undrained.
Other options:
- Potatoes
- Corn
- Frozen peas (add near the end so they don’t overcook)
Keep potatoes modest—too many will overpower the rest of the vegetables.
⬇️ How to Make This a “For Two” Recipe
This soup scales down easily. The full batch makes about 8 servings and fits in a 4-quart or larger crockpot or Dutch oven, but the half version works great for smaller households.
- Use the recipe card to adjust the servings to half.
The ingredient list will change automatically. - Follow the ingredient amounts—not the instructions.
The step-by-step text doesn’t scale, but the ingredient list does. - Cooking vessel: A 2-quart mini crockpot works well (using the lower end of the broth amount), or cook on the stovetop.
- Adjust broth at the end if needed.
Add a splash more if you prefer a soupier consistency.
♨️ Other Soup Recipes
If you enjoy hearty soups, here are a few more favorites:
- Chicken Noodle Soup – simple, flexible, and beginner-friendly.
- Cheeseburger Soup – rich, creamy, and great for cold nights.
- Ham Bone Bean Soup – classic slow-cooked comfort.
- Crock Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup – easy and velvety smooth.
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
- Refrigerator:
Keeps well for 4 days. The flavors deepen and improve overnight. - Freezer:
Freeze for up to 4 months. Cool completely first, then freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags. - Reheating:
Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. If the soup thickens during storage, add a splash of broth or water to adjust.
❓ FAQs
Marjoram is a mild cousin of oregano and was a common pantry spice decades ago, but you don’t see it as often today.
Substitutes:
There’s very little marjoram in this recipe, so skipping it won’t hurt. If you enjoy thyme, add a little extra to fill the gap.
But my opinion:
The substitutes aren’t quite the same. Marjoram is part of that old-fashioned flavor this soup is known for. I keep a small jar in the pantry for that reason.
📖The Recipe Card
Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe (Stovetop or Crockpot)
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chuck roast trimmed and cubed - or stew meat
- 32–64 oz beef broth - low sodium preferred
- 15 oz diced tomatoes - undrained
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1–2 carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1–2 rib celery, sliced
- ½ lb green beans, fresh or frozen - cut into ¾ inch pieces
- 1 medium onion - chopped
- 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 a large pot with 1 teaspoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until well browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a crockpot if using one.
- Build the soup: Add the vegetables, 32–64 oz beef broth, salt, pepper, and optional spices (thyme, marjoram, bay leaves) to the pot or crockpot. Stir in the undrained diced tomatoes.
- Cook:Stovetop: Simmer covered for about 90 minutes, or until the carrots and beef are tender.Crockpot: Cook 6–8 hours on LOW or 3–4 hours on HIGH
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Chuck roast gives the best tenderness and flavor, but sirloin tip or stew meat works well.
- The recipe makes about 12 cups of soup and requires a 4-quart or larger crockpot or Dutch oven.
- The ½-size more "for 2 friendly" version works in a 2-quart mini crockpot—details are in the post above.
- Use low-sodium broth and reduce the added salt to lower the sodium.
- Add frozen peas or corn near the end of cooking if you like.
- Keeps 4 days refrigerated or 4 months frozen
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 is a highly modified recipe from the 1972 Betty Crocker's Cookbook with the crock pot adoption 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, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
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!