Best Ever Italian Beef Soup Recipe with Video

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Italian Beef Soup sure doesn’t cut corners! The meat is trimmed, seared, and simmered until it literally melts in your mouth. The vegetables are seasoned and cooked until just tender yet still crisp and full of flavor. Served in a mindblowing broth with savory Italian seasonings, this is my best hearty beef soup recipe to date!

Italian beef soup recipe.


 


Sometimes it’s hard to imagine the results. Check out the video below of this beef soup recipe being made for a look at what’s to come!

This hearty soup is one simple recipe that the whole family will love. It has the best flavor and is a great way to whip up a simple comfort food on a chilly day! 

spices for italian beef soup.

Italian Beef Soup

There’s just something about wholesome, hearty beef vegetable soup that no other recipe can replace. 

It’s all classic, homecooked, and smells even better than it tastes – if that’s even possible!! 

It’s a timeless dish you ate as a kid, that you serve to your kids, and that they’ll serve to their kids later down the line. 

And I’m happy to introduce you to the beef soup recipe you’ll be making from here on out, because this really is the best vegetable beef soup out there!!

While we’re replacing childhood recipes… take some time to try my chicken noodle and French onion soup recipes!!

bowl of cubed beef.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions 

  • Beef Chuck Roast – This cut comes from the shoulder of the cow and has a super rich, fatty flavor. It’s my first choice for pot roast soup!
  • Cabernet Sauvignon – This dark red wine is lending its moisture and deep, fruity flavor to our beef and vegetable soup. 

    Those who dislike cooking with alcohol can choose a non-alcoholic wine of their choice or a simple grape, pomegranate, or cranberry juice. 
  • Beef Stock – Vegetable stock works just fine, too. If you’re using bouillon or beef base, then use 4 teaspoons of the base/bouillon mixed into 4 cups of water.  
  • Worcestershire Sauce – Sweet, sour, and even a little spicy! 

    Soy sauce is your best substitute, but you can add ketchup or apple juice to it to get some of that sweet acidity back. 
  • Dried Italian Seasoning – Such a versatile combination of herbs! 

    You can mix your own with a teaspoon each of dried basil and rosemary, and ½ teaspoon each of dried oregano and thyme.
  • Shallots & Garlic – Aromatics play a big role in the overall flavor of a soup. Shallots and garlic are perfect! 

    Shallots can be replaced with an onion of your choice (for an even stronger flavor), but be sure to use fresh garlic instead of powdered.
browned beef in pan.

Kitchen Hacks for Hearty Vegetable Beef Soup

  • Don’t Forget To Deglaze – This is huge! There’s so much flavor cooked onto the bottom of the pot. 

    The wine scoops all of it up and makes a fantastic base for the soup. 
  • Best Sides to Serve – Bread is never a bad idea! Cornbreadbeer bread, and garlic bread

    And since Italian beef soup is rather rich and hearty, a crisp and refreshing salad would be a relief to bite into!
  • Thicken The Broth – There are two ways to do this. The first method is to simply use less stock – just 2 cups or so – for a thicker broth with a stronger flavor. 

    Alternatively, you can make a slurry with water and either cornstarch or flour. This won’t affect the flavor much at all, but will achieve a thick, silky consistency.  
shallot and garlic in pot.

Storing and Reheating Italian Beef Soup

Keep any leftover beef soup chilled for 3 to 4 days. 

Reheat it right back on the stovetop over medium heat until all warmed through! 

Sometimes this hearty beef vegetable soup is even better the next day, after everything sits in the broth overnight. 

adding veggies to pot.

Italian Beef Soup FAQ

What is the best cut of beef for soup? 

The best cut of meat for beef soup is either a chuck roast, chuck shoulder, chuck-eye roast or top chuck – with chuck roast being my personal favorite.

These are the most tender cuts. Despite what the name suggests, stew meat is not your best choice in a beef soup recipe! The cubes in a stew pack can actually come from any combination of cuts, and you never know if they’ll be suited for simmering or not.

Can you freeze Italian beef soup? 

Yep! 

Let it cool down first, and then portion into separate containers so that you can thaw just one serving at a time. If you plan on reheating all of it at once, then a freezer bag or other airtight container will do just fine for the whole batch.

What is the difference between soup and stew? 

It’s probably exactly what you think – a stew is basically a thicker, richer, heartier soup. 

Stews simmer down the broth for maximum flavor, while soups tend to just cook and heat the liquid. Both are great in their own way, but stews are almost always more flavorful and satisfying than soups!

What toppings go well with this homemade vegetable beef soup recipe?

Since this recipe is made with simple ingredients, you’ll love all the toppings and flavors that you can add. Bay leaves are great for adding flavor (but not to eat), and fresh parsley is always delicious. 

Add some black pepper and other fresh herbs to really enhance the wonderful taste. (garlic powder is great with the tender beef!) Crusty bread or croutons are a great choice, too! 

When you have a homemade soup this delicious, the only thing that you have to really worry about is that you’ll want more because there is lots of flavor. Keep this simple recipe handy during the winter months because it doesn’t take a lot of time to make, but it’s going to stick in your mind for a long time. 

Vegetable beef soup recipes like this are the best! It’s a simple good soup to share with family and friends! 

spoonful of beef soup.

Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours. 

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bowl of italian beef soup.

Other Easy Soup Recipes

Italian beef soup

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup + Video

Donna Elick
Italian Beef Soup is a slow simmered masterpiece. Try my easy beef soup recipe for a mouthwatering mix of tender beef and flavorful veggies!
5 stars from 7 reviews
Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Method Stovetop
Servings 12 1 cup servings

Ingredients
 

  • 2 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 – 1 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 32 ounces beef stock, 4 cups
  • 1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 4 cups chopped red potatoes, bite-size pieces (about 1/2″)
  • 3 cups chopped baby carrots, bite-size pieces
  • fresh parsley to garnish, optional

Instructions
 

  • Trim hard fat (which does not melt during the cooking process) and silver skin (white and silvery looking) from beef and cut into 1 – 1 1/2″ cubes. It takes about 5 minutes, but don’t skip this step. It is sooo worth it.
  • Combine flour, paprika, pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large 1-gallon resealable bag. Seal and shake to combine. Add beef and shake until well coated.
  • Warm olive oil in a large dutch oven (or heavy bottom pot), over medium-high heat, once you can feel the warmth when holding your hand 6 inches from the pot, add butter. Once butter is melted, carefully add beef. Do not crowd the pot, only add about 1/2 of the beef at a time.
  • Remove beef from flour and shake gently to remove loose flour. Place coated beef in the pan, one piece at a time, brown on all sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Cook in two batches, about half each time. Turn pieces until all sides are browned and remove them and place them in your upside-down pot lid. Once the first batch is cooked, add the second batch and repeat.
  • Meanwhile, prepare shallot and garlic. Shallot should be diced and garlic minced. Set aside.
  • Once all beef is browned, add shallots and garlic. Cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
  • Add wine and deglaze the pan by scraping up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add beef stock, Worcestershire and Italian seasoning, remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Return beef to the pot.
  • Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer. Allow soup to simmer 40 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, prepare potatoes and carrots. Cut vegetables into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
  • Add potatoes and carrots. Stir to coat vegetables and cover. Simmer 40-50 minutes or until vegetables are fork-tender. Taste broth. If necessary, add additional salt to taste (mine was perfect).
  • Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve and enjoy!

Video

Donna’s Notes

I do not recommend using beef stew meat. It is a combination of cuts of meat that may not be right for this soup. The best cuts of meat to use for this beef soup are chuck roast, chuck shoulder, chuck-eye roast or top chuck. These cuts will result in meltingly tender beef that you can cut with a spoon, perfect for this dish!
You can substitute onion for shallot if you are looking for a stronger onion flavor.
4 teaspoons of beef base or bouillon and 4 cups of water can be substituted for the beef stock.
Dried Italian Seasoning is a fabulous convenience ingredient. If you do not keep it on hand, combine 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme.
For a thicker stew-like consistency, cut the beef stock back to 2 cups.
I know some people are sensitive to alcohol. I will say the wine adds a fabulous rich burgundy flavor to the soup, and if you can use the cabernet, I highly recommend it. However, you can substitute with beef stock, grape, pomegranate, or cranberry juice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 243cal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 642mg | Sugar: 3g | Fiber: 2g | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 3mg

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Italian beef soup recipe.

Originally published September 2014, updated and republished December 2023

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251 Comments

  1. Can you cook this all when it is done in a slow cooker?? Just wondering how that would be. I hate to have it burn when I forget at times in the sauce pan 🙂

  2. I made this soup tonight for supper and it was amazing! I made a few additions because I like a lot of vegetables. I added a can of diced tomatoes, some fresh green barns, and some frozen corn. My 8 year old want to finish every ones and asked to take the leftovers in her lunch at school tomorrow. So good, thanks for the recipe!

  3. I just made this soup and it is DELICIOUS! I added a bit more salt and pepper (that's just my taste) and some celery but everything else was pretty much per your recipe. The meat was quite tasty and very tender. I look forward to eating this for the next few days!

  4. This is on the stove right now, it's for dinner, dinner will be early according to the wonderful aroma coming from the kitchen. Can't wait, the broth is phenomenal already! Thank you TSRI.

  5. This soup is awesome….I made last week for some friends everyone raved over it…I think the wine is the key..

  6. This was soooo YUMMY! My whole family loved it. Hubs said add this one to e go to list. I used pearl onions, they were a nice a addition. I also used grape juice instead of the wine. It was delish! Thank you for this wonderful recipe.

  7. Just made this and it's AMAZING. Truly the best recipe I've ever made for beef soup (and better than any beef stew recipe too). The flavors are perfect. I did make a couple adjustments, which I try not to do my first try at a recipe, but after tasting the broth I wanted a little extra kick. I added a teaspoon of salt, an extra pinch of italian seasoning, an extra pinch of pepper and a can of diced tomatoes (which really complimented the texture and flavor). I keep eating it even though I'm completely full. Can't wait for my husband to come home and try it. Thank you!

  8. Wow, this is too good to be true. I didn't even finish making it because I couldn't resist the temptation to just take it off the stove and eat it. I got up to adding the red wine and deglazing the pan and then I added one cup stock, the carrots, some herbes de provence, cooked 20 more minutes and served over egg noodles. Fabulous comfort food! Thank you so much. Next time I'll try to finish it through.

  9. Can’t wait to give this recipe a try! You have a beautiful blog with so many great recipes.

  10. I made this recipe last night and it was great. I added flour and water while simmering to make it a thick beef stew, it turned out delicious and me and my girlfriend loved it.

  11. I made this recipe for me and my girlfriend last night–and it was GREAT. I added flour and water while simmering to make it a thick stew, and it was awesome. I highly recommend this recipe.

  12. Donna, I never review anything so writing this is a rarity for me. I have made this dish at least 10 times now and its a family favorite, I simply love it! Im a stew freak and this is the best Ive ever had–in restaurants, other recipes etc. Thanks for posting it!

  13. ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING! I too will have to make a huge batch for the freezer, my husband raved over this…however at our house it will fall short of serving 12, he ate a serving bowl full of this soup!

  14. It's rare for me to add a new recipe in my files, but this is by far the best stew recipe there is. Please don't leave the wine out, it really makes it! Also, I'd like to add something; I started using Better Than Bouillion, Roasted Beef Base. It's in a jar at walmarts and adds the best flavor. Thank you lady for this recipe, it's outstanding if you follow your instructions..

  15. This has been our favorite since the first time I made it! For the past two years (and now), there are always containers of this soup in our freezer! Love it, thank you!!

  16. I made it and put it in the crackpot to ccoo, and I have Thieves oil diffusing. It definitely smells like fall in my house today. Thanks for the recipe!

  17. I used filet mignon as it was actually on sale in my area and used cornstarch in lieu of flour. I also did not add in worcestershire and this soup came out really tasty and the wine really gives it an extra depth of flavor. It also smells great, thanks!

  18. going to try this need to go grocery shopping and get the meat , but it looks yummy if it turns out like my chicken it will be a winner last week made a huge pot of homemade chicken soup hubby was sick and else is better when you are sick .

  19. This is a very good and simple recipe. The end result is an amazingly rich beef soup….comfort food for sure on cold day…..I doubled the stock portion of recipe and used 1.6 pounds of the meat…I also added a few root vegetables and scallions in addition to the potatoes…Highly recommend this recipe…

  20. I didn't believe it, but this IS the best stew I've made. I didn't follow the recipe exactly but I think the real secret is the Italian seasoning – I've never put that in my stew before. I used outside round roast, added celery and turnips (or rutabaga's for those of you who know better), and a Shiraz wine. I used up all the beef broth and it still made a nice stew with lots of gravy. Thanks!

  21. Smells and tastes delish! I made it exactly as written but now I want it a bit more stew like as it is too soupy. Suggestions for thickening the broth at this point? We are gluten free and I used GF flour to begin with. Thanks!

  22. What an amazing recipe for beef stew! I am a connoisseur of soups/stews and found this recipe to be a winner. My husband has said he will be eating this for breakfast and lunch!!

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