Hearty Crockpot Vegetable Beef Soup (Slow Cooker Method)

Why Should You Try This Recipe?

Beef and vegetables. Is there really anything better? If you ask me, the answer is no. Here are a few reasons why this crock pot vegetable beef soup recipe is awesome:

• Hands off cooking: Don’t get me wrong, I make my Stovetop Vegetable Beef Soup often and it simmering on the stove top is as comforting as possible on a cold winter day. But to be honest, sometimes I don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen cooking and cleaning. That’s the beauty of this CrockPot vegetable soup recipe. Other than searing the beef stew meat and chopping up the vegetables, there is little hands-on time to do anything else. Most of the work is done by the slow cooker.
• Stores & Freezes Well: The best part is that you can make a big batch to serve some right away and freeze the rest for later to have soup ready on hand whenever you don’t feel like cooking.
• A Crowd Pleaser: Serve it by itself with a loaf of crusty no knead bread, bulgur wheat pilaf, or one of my healthy quinoa salads on the side, it is guaranteed to be a great family meal.

Table of Contents

• Why Should You Try This Recipe?
• Ingredients:
• Best cut of beef for soup
• Fresh vegetables vs frozen vegetables
• How to cook this recipe?
• My pro tips on searing the beef:
• How to freeze
• FAQs
• Variations for this recipe
• Other soup recipes you might like
• Hearty Crockpot Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe (Slow Cooker Method)

Ingredients:

The ingredient profile for this soup is not much different from the stove-top vegetable beef soup recipe.

• Beef Stew Beef – The right cut of beef makes all the difference. I usually buy a whole chuck roast and cut it into smaller pieces myself. However, you can also purchase pre-cut stew meat to make this soup. Below I will go into detail about the other cuts of meat you can use.
• Kosher Salt + Black Pepper – For seasoning both the beef and slow-cooker stew.
• Vegetable Oil – My favorite vegetable oils are grapeseed or avocado oil.
• Onions, Carrots, Celery – Also known as mirepoix, this simple mix of aromatic vegetables offer so much flavor. I like to leave them in large pieces for a chunky beef stew.
• Garlic – Mince the garlic cloves, so they provide the most intense garlic flavor. 
• Yukon Gold Potatoes – Cut the potatoes in small cubes for size and textural variance in your vegetable beef soup.
• Diced Tomatoes
• Fresh Green Beans – Trimmed and cut in half, the smaller size makes it easier to scoop up the green beans with a spoon.
• Low-Sodium Chicken or Beef Stock – A low-sodium variety helps to control the amount of salt. This way, the seasoning is all up to you! Purchase a high-quality, organic brand for the best flavor or better yet make your own chicken stock.
• Tomato Juice – Make sure the label reads 100% tomato juice.
• Frozen Peas – No need to thaw the frozen green peas. The peas are small enough so that they simply warm through in the veggie stew. Or if you have it, you can also use blanched peas.
• Fresh Parsley

Best cut of beef for soup

I always buy a whole Chuck Roast (also known as Chuck Shoulder, Chuck-Eye Roast, or Top Chuck) and cut it into large chunks (about 1 ½ inch) myself – or ask the butcher behind the counter to do it for me.

This is just my personal preference, as stew meat is a mixture of pre-cut cuts of beef, so you never really know what you’re getting. The below passage is from TheKitchn and explains why getting pre-packaged stew meat is not the best option:

Chuck Roast is economical and comes with the added bonus of extra marbling (fat) throughout the meat, creating a fall-apart tender beef vegetable soup every time.

If you want to try making this soup with other cuts of beef, I would recommend buying Round Tip or London Broil (aka Top Round) and cutting them into smaller chunks.

Fresh vegetables vs frozen vegetables

• Crockpot vegetable beef soup with fresh vegetables – I prefer to use fresh vegetables that are in season, except for frozen peas, for the best texture and flavor. The beauty of using fresh vegetables is that you can make this CrockPot vegetable beef stew any time of year with any variety of your favorite vegetables that look best at the market.
• Slow cooker vegetable beef soup with frozen vegetables – If you do decide to go the frozen vegetable route, omit the fresh carrots, green beans, and frozen peas and purchase a 24-oz bag of frozen mixed vegetables instead and add them during the last 30 minutes of cooking. If you add the frozen vegetables too early, they will become gummy, overcooked and mushy.

Variations for this recipe

Below are a few recommendations to adjust the beef and veggie soup to your liking:

• With Leftover Pot Roast – A fun and interesting way to use up leftover pot roast in your fridge. Simply skip the seared beef steps, chop the pot roast into 1-inch pieces, and add all the remaining ingredients to the bowl of your slow cooker. Cook as directed.
• Without Potatoes – Replace the potatoes with another root vegetable of choice, such as rutabaga, turnips, or parsnips. Alternatively, use sweet potatoes during the fall months for that extra unique fall flavor.
• Without Tomatoes – Omitting the tomatoes will also omit the liquid that comes along with them. To replace that moisture, add an additional 2 cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth.
• Without Tomato Sauce/Juice – Omit the tomato juice and add an additional 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth.

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Hearty Crockpot Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe (Slow Cooker Method)

5 from 7 votes

By: Aysegul Sanford

Yields8 servings

Prep Time45 minutes mins

Cook Time8 hours hrs

Total Time8 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

A hearty CrockPot Vegetable Beef Soup recipe packed with chunks of tender beef and healthy vegetables cooked in a rich broth. Great for meal prep and freezer friendly.

Ingredients 

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For The Beef:

• ▢ 2 pounds chuck roast, or beef stew meat *, cut into 1-inch cubes
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, divided

For The Soup:

• ▢ 2 medium onions, chopped (approximately 1 cup)
• ▢ 5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 -inch thick slices (approximately1 cup)
• ▢ 5 stalks of celery, chopped (approximately 1 cup)
• ▢ 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
• ▢ 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into small cubes
• ▢ 1 can, 15 oz. diced tomatoes
• ▢ 1 ½ cups green beans
• ▢ 4 cups chicken or beef stock, low sodium or no salt added
• ▢ 1 ½ cups of tomato juice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 1 cup frozen peas
• ▢ ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions 

• Dry the beef: Line a baking sheet with a few sheets of paper towels. Transfer the cubed beef onto the sheet and pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper on all sides.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saute pan (I used my cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat. When the oil is sizzling hot, add in the cubed meat (as many as you can without crowding the pan) and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until the meat is nicely browned. Continue the same process with the rest of the meat. I had to do it in 3 batches.
• Place the seared meat onto a plate and set aside.
• To make the soup, place onion, carrots, celery, garlic, potatoes, diced tomatoes (with all its juices), green beans, seared meat, and salt and pepper into the bowl of your slow cooker. 
• Pout in the beef stock and tomato juice. Give it a gentle stir.
• Cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 6-7 hours.
• Stir in the frozen peas in the last 30 minutes. 
• Ladle into bowls, garnish with parsley, and serve.

Notes

• The Best cut of beef for this soup: I always buy a whole Chuck Roast (also known as Chuck Shoulder, Chuck-Eye Roast, or Top Chuck) and cut it into large chunks (about 1 ½ inch) myself – or ask the butcher behind the counter to do it for me.
• Store in an airtight container: Ladle into individual airtight containers and pop one out of the freezer to defrost in the fridge overnight every time the craving strikes.
  To rewarm, bring to a boil over medium heat in a small saucepan, pour into a serving bowl and enjoy!
• Store in silicone reusable bags or plastic resealable bags: Transfer the beef vegetable soup to a few reusable silicone bags or freezer-safe plastic storage bags, with a bit of room at the top.
  Push out all the air, seal tight, label, date, and lay flat in your freezer. Remove from the freezer the night before to defrost in your fridge. Transfer to a large pot, bring to a boil over medium heat, and reduce to low to keep warm. Ladle into bowls and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 1188mg | Potassium: 1198mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 7048IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

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