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!
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!
Table of Contents
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!!
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.
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! Cornbread, beer 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.
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.
Italian Beef Soup FAQ
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.
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.
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!
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!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Hearty Beef Soup + Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 to 1½-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 (about 1 tablespoon)
- 4 cups 32 ounces beef stock (I love Kitchen Basic)
- 1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 4 cups chopped red potatoes, about 20 ounces, bite-size pieces
- 3 cups chopped baby carrots, about 12 ounces, bite-size pieces
- Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Beef: Trim off any hard fat or silver skin from the chuck roast. Cut into 1 to 1½-inch cubes. Set aside.
- Coat the Beef: In a large 1-gallon resealable bag, combine the flour, paprika, pepper, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the cubed beef, seal the bag, and shake until the beef is evenly coated.
- Sear the Beef in Batches: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the butter. When the butter melts, add half of the floured beef cubes, shaking off any loose flour first. Sear each piece on all sides, turning every 3–5 minutes, until browned. Transfer browned beef to a plate and repeat with remaining beef.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Once all the beef is seared and removed from the pot, reduce heat to medium. Add diced shallots and minced garlic. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and translucent.
- Deglaze the Pot: Pour in the Cabernet Sauvignon and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, and remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
- Simmer the Beef: Return the seared beef to the pot. Stir everything together, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes, covered.
- Add Vegetables: While the soup simmers, chop red potatoes and carrots into bite-size pieces. After 40 minutes, add them to the pot. Stir well to coat with broth. Cover and simmer for an additional 40 to 50 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork-tender and the beef is melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- Taste and Adjust: Taste the broth and adjust salt if needed. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired. Serve hot with crusty bread or a side salad.
Video
Donna’s Notes
Beef: Chuck roast, chuck shoulder, chuck-eye roast, or top chuck work best. Do not use pre-cut stew meat—it’s often a mix of tough cuts. Wine Substitute: If avoiding alcohol, substitute the wine with additional beef stock or grape, pomegranate, or cranberry juice. DIY Italian Seasoning: If you don’t have a premade blend, use 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme. Stock Substitute: Substitute 4 teaspoons beef base or bouillon plus 4 cups water if needed.
Nutrition
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.
Originally published September 2014, updated and republished December 2023
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I am going to make this Thursday because it's supposed to rain here in California. The base of this soup reminds me of beef bourguignon. Instead of 3 cups of carrots I will add broccolette, mushrooms and green beans along with the carrots. I may add barley too depending on how dense it is. I love soup. Now would be a good time to make bread in my bread machine too! Thank you!
I made this tonight and it was SO good! I have never made beef so tender and flavorful! I used a chuck roast. Left out the shallots because we don't like onion. Other than that followed the recipe as written. This is a genuine winner!!
This was great. I used Shiraz since that's what we had. I made stew, but kept the same amount of broth – didn't measure the veggies, but did add turnips (rutabaga, these days).
I'm making this as I type. I cold here so this is gonna be really good. Thxz 4 sharing recipe.
Enjoy, Terry! Let us know how it goes!
Made this many times. Very flavorful.
We are so happy you enjoyed it!!
Hi Donna, I would love to try this in a Crock Pot. What will I have to do differently and for how long? Thanks so much. This sounds AMAZING.
This recipe is amazing …I used leftover Prime Rib Roast that I had in the freezer from Christmas, and leftover Pinot Noir…..OMG it's still simmering but tasting it just now it is over the top delicious. Thank you for giving us this recipe.
Enjoy, Megster! Let us know how it goes!
This soup was delicious. I didn't add red wine, but can't imagine it being any better. Served for Sunday lunch with hot rolls. Looking forward to leftovers. Thanks for yet another amazing recipe.
Thank you, Dot!! We are so happy you enjoyed it!
Such a delicious dish! Can i use store bought beef broth or beef consomme instead of beef stock for this recipe?
Hi, I'm going to make this tomorrow and I was wondering if you could give me crock pot instructions? Thanks so much!!
I have not tested it in the slow cooker, but this is what I would do: Start the beef on the stovetop and after the meat has been browned and the pan deglazed you can transfer it to the crockpot. Enjoy and let us know how it goes. I will be working on a slow cooker version this fall, so keep an eye out.
I will eb making this as well tomorrow!! Will give a full report.
Awesome!! Enjoy and let us know how it goes!
Oh my Lord!!!!! Just finished making it. This recipe is too die for!!!!! I didn't use the wine just deglazed the pot with beef stock, and I also added diced tomatoes and celer. Just delicious!! I ate off a bowl in a snap. Now my go to recipe for beef soup.
We are THRILLED you enjoyed it, AliG!!!
Hi – the recipe is unclear what you do after you trim and cube the hard fat and silver skin?
I don't think I am understanding your question. What you do in the recipe? I would proceed with the next step.
I made this for the first time tonight. It was very delicious, but I felt like it was too "Broth-y". I saw that you can cut the beef stock to 2 C to make it more stew like. When you do this, do you still use the same amount of spices? I used pinot noir because that is what I had, but I think the cab would've been much better because it is a deeper flavor.
I am so happy you enjoyed it. The photo is the original version which is like a hearty soup. When I make it the way I like it, I just cut the beef stock and leave everything else the same. It is fabulous both ways. Enjoy and let us know if you get to try it with the cab. It is our favorite soup. It's on the menu next week and we can't wait.
Made this many times. It is great!
Thanks so much!!! We are so happy you enjoyed it!
I have been making this for a couple years now, but never commented. My dad is in love with this recipe. I do tweek it a bit because he loves pearl onions instead of shallots and peas in his. I also use pino noir (because it's just what I usually have in the house). So good!
We are THRILLED to hear that, Kelly!!
Oh my goodness! this one looks so amazing!!
Thanks so much, Linda! Enjoy and let us know how it goes!
It is as amazing as it looks, superb flavor. I did not have wine so I used grape juice with a tablespoon of vinegar. I did use stew meat, but it still turned out very tender and flavorful. I will make this again and again.
Best stew ever! Dont think I will ever make a different recipe! I used Elk meat instead of beef and it was amazing! Even my 8 yr old ate it!
Thanks so much! we are so happy you enjoyed it!
Thanks so much! That is great to hear!
Wow! This really lives up to its name. Used beef chuck roast, a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, subbed onion for the shallot, subbed rutabaga for the potatoes, added green beans, corn, and a little bit of barley. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks so much, Nicole!
Good blog post. I definitely love this website.
Keep writing!
I have never been a fan of beef soup, but this recipe made me a believer. Ut is the only beef soup recipe in my recipe file, and it will be a staple for many years to come. It took me a bit longer than five minutes to cut away the hard fat and silver skin, but it was worth it, as the meat was flavorful and oh so tender (I used a chuck roast). I added a can of Italian chopped tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano. I cut the Worcestershire to 1 tsp, added an onion and a partial jalapeno from my garden, finely minced. I added garlic powder to the dredge, and could not be happier with the results. This winter, I know I will be making a lot of this soup and I will make some Italian bread from scratch and kick back and enjoy. Thanks for the recipe!
I have never done a review on a recipe but I made this today and got raving reviews on it. I ended up using Sherry Cooking Wine, vegetable broth and water (was out of beef and didn't have enough vegetable broth either lol. I just tossed in two chicken bouillon cubes. It was still the best beef soup ever. My picky co-worker, cleaned out the bowl. I have never seen her eat that much before lol
I did this recipe exactly. It was WAY too salty even though I used low sodium stock. Had to dump half the liquid and add water. Beef was not tender even though I used the exact cut recommended?
Simply WOW! We loved this recipe. Even my picky 9-yr old stepdaughter reluctantly tried it and ended up eating a large bowl full. Winner!
Currently making this I hope it turns out great. I will let you know.