Hearty & Wholesome: Your Go-To Easy Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe
(This post is sponsored by Libby’s® Fruits & Vegetables. All opinions expressed are my own.)
Are you searching for a quick, wholesome, and incredibly satisfying dinner recipe to warm your soul tonight? Look no further! This Easy Vegetable Beef Soup recipe is your answer. It’s truly a game-changer for busy evenings, promising a meal that’s bursting with rich, savory flavors while being light on ingredients and prep time.
There’s something uniquely comforting about a steaming bowl of homemade soup, especially when the weather takes a chilly turn. Here in Southern California, we’ve recently experienced an unusual stretch of rainy days, which always sparks a craving for classic comfort food. What could be better than a warm, hearty meal to chase away the damp chill?
While many comfort food recipes can be heavy and laden with unnecessary calories, this Easy Vegetable Beef Soup stands apart. It’s thoughtfully crafted to be packed with nutritious vegetables, lean ground beef, and a savory broth, making it a delicious, comforting, and lighter option. You get all the warmth and satisfaction without the guilt, making it an ideal choice for a healthy family dinner.
The Secret to Speed: Canned Vegetables!
One of the biggest hurdles when preparing homemade soup is often the extensive chopping and prep work required for fresh vegetables. Many delicious soup recipes demand a significant time commitment in the kitchen. However, this recipe cleverly bypasses that challenge by utilizing Libby’s Canned Mixed Vegetables. This simple swap dramatically shortens the prep time, allowing you to get a wholesome meal on the table in record time.
The beauty of canned vegetables lies in their convenience. Instead of spending precious minutes or even an hour dicing various veggies, you can simply open a couple of cans and add them directly to your pot. This not only saves time but also ensures you always have a variety of healthy ingredients on hand, ready to transform into a delicious meal. Libby’s canned vegetables are a pantry staple that makes healthy eating accessible and effortless.
Nothing evokes the cozy feeling of winter comfort quite like a warm bowl of soup. But convenience doesn’t mean compromising on flavor or nutrition. Incorporating Libby’s Canned Vegetables allows you to create incredibly delicious, quick, and nutritious meals in a flash. They’re picked at their peak freshness and packed to lock in essential vitamins and minerals, offering a reliable and wholesome option for any meal.
Why Choose Libby’s Canned Vegetables?
Libby’s® Canned Vegetables are a fantastic choice for family meals for several reasons. They come in a wide variety of family favorites, including Sweet Corn, Green Beans, Carrots, and Peas – all of which are grown and packed right here in the United States. This commitment to domestic sourcing speaks to their quality and freshness. By using canned vegetables, you’re not just saving time; you’re also adding essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals to your meal.
For more delicious recipe ideas and creative inspiration on how to seamlessly incorporate Libby’s® Canned Vegetables into your everyday meals, be sure to visit their website at Get Back to the Table. You’ll find a treasure trove of simple, nutritious ways to enhance your family dinners.
Crafting the Perfect Vegetable Beef Soup: Ingredients and Flavors
This Easy Vegetable Beef Soup recipe might be simple, but it’s far from bland. The combination of lean ground beef, aromatic onions, a rich tomato juice base, and savory chicken stock creates a deeply satisfying flavor profile. The carefully selected blend of spices—kosher salt, black pepper, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and paprika—infuses the soup with warmth and complexity. Each ingredient plays a vital role in building a well-rounded and delicious soup that tastes like it simmered all day, even though it comes together in under 30 minutes.
The diced onions are sautéed until softened, forming the flavorful base of the soup. Lean ground beef is then browned with the onions, ensuring a rich umami depth. Once the beef is cooked, all the other ingredients are added, transforming simple components into a cohesive, mouth-watering meal. The canned mixed vegetables provide a colorful assortment of tender carrots, peas, green beans, and corn, adding both texture and a nutritional boost. The petite diced tomatoes, added undrained, contribute a lovely acidity and a touch more vegetable goodness to the broth.
Tips for the Best Easy Vegetable Beef Soup
- Don’t Skimp on Browning: Ensure your ground beef is thoroughly browned before adding other liquids. This step is crucial for developing deep, rich flavors.
- Adjust Seasoning to Taste: Taste your soup once it has simmered for a few minutes. You might want to add a pinch more salt, pepper, or Italian seasoning to suit your preferences. A little fresh parsley or chives at the end can also brighten the flavors.
- Make it Your Own: While this recipe is perfect as is, feel free to customize. Want a thicker soup? Add a tablespoon of flour or cornstarch slurry at the end. Prefer a touch of heat? A pinch of red pepper flakes can add a subtle kick.
- Consider Your Broth: Using a good quality chicken stock or beef broth will significantly impact the overall flavor of your soup.
- Serving Suggestions: Beyond the bread options listed below, consider serving with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, or a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese for extra richness.
Make-Ahead and Storage
This Easy Vegetable Beef Soup is fantastic for meal prepping! It tastes even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld. You can prepare a large batch and enjoy it throughout the week. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. It also freezes beautifully. Allow the soup to cool completely, then transfer it to freezer-safe containers or bags. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
This recipe is truly a testament to how simple ingredients, when combined thoughtfully, can create an extraordinary meal. It’s perfect for those busy weeknights when you need a quick dinner but refuse to compromise on taste or quality. This vegetable beef soup will quickly become a cherished favorite in your recipe repertoire.
Easy Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe
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Ingredients
- 3/4 cup onion diced
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
- 1 1/2 cup tomato juice
- 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 15 oz. cans Libby’s Mixed Vegetables, drained
- 1 14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
Instructions
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Heat the butter and oil in a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add in the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it becomes softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Crumble in the lean ground beef and brown it with the onion, breaking up any large pieces, until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat if necessary.
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Once the ground beef is thoroughly browned, add all the remaining ingredients to the skillet: kosher salt, black pepper, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, tomato juice, chicken stock, drained Libby’s Mixed Vegetables, and the undrained petite diced tomatoes. Stir everything together well. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for at least 15-20 minutes, or until all the flavors have combined beautifully and the soup is heated through. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt or pepper if desired. Remove the bay leaf before serving. Serve hot and enjoy this comforting and easy meal!
Perfect Pairings: What to Serve with Vegetable Beef Soup
A comforting bowl of Vegetable Beef Soup is incredibly satisfying on its own, but pairing it with the right side dish can elevate your meal to a new level. Here are some fantastic suggestions that complement the rich flavors and hearty texture of this soup, perfect for soaking up every last drop of the delicious broth:
- Peasant Bread (No Knead and SO easy!) – A crusty, homemade loaf is ideal for dipping.
- Homemade Bread Bowls – Turn your soup into an edible centerpiece with these impressive yet simple bread bowls.
- Easy Breadstick Recipe – Soft and savory breadsticks are a wonderful addition for scooping up the vegetables and beef.
- A Simple Side Salad: A fresh, crisp green salad with a light vinaigrette can provide a refreshing contrast to the hearty soup.
- Crusty Garlic Bread: A classic choice that’s always a winner, adding another layer of savory flavor.
If you enjoyed this comforting soup recipe, you might also like these:
Italian Wedding Soup Recipe
Tuscan Vegetable Soup
Chicken Posole Verde
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Libby’s. All opinions and text are entirely my own.