Make Better Vegetable Beef Soup From Scratch

Homemade soup is easy, repeat that phrase. I don’t think we’ve used canned soup just to eat as soup for years. For many years I didn’t know how to make basic soup. Cookbooks helped some, but I still didn’t get the taste I longed for. All the secrets that seasoned soup makers possessed were a bit of a mystery. Many soups are incredibly easy, but I’ll focus this post on how to Make Better Vegetable Beef Soup from Scratch!

Make Better Vegetable Soup from Scratch

This recipe will feed several adults and children. You can half this recipe or freeze the remainder. I make the whole thing and freeze what’s leftover. Freezing or saving some for leftovers actually enhances the soup flavor!

Fresh ingredients make soup wonderfully special. Don’t skimp on these. Add as many as you like.

Here are a few tips to remember for almost any soup you make (except cream based, that will be another post):

Roast or brown thawed meat with garlic before adding vegetables and broth
Use fresh spices to brown with meat and garlic
Saute vegetables in the browned meat, not before adding meat or together
Use a good broth, homemade is best, but not mandatory!
Use a cutter/slicer for vegetables that keeps everything uniform (I use this, not affiliated, just like the tool!)
Add small uncooked pasta, like Orzo to prevent too much broth absorption, pasta helps to thicken slightly.
In cases of vegetables like green beans or peas, FRESH is much tastier. Especially if they came right from your own garden.
Don’t replace sherry or wine simply because there is alcohol in it. My best sauces contain wine and I wouldn’t trade it for flavor. The alcohol reduces when it heats. Try not to use grocery store cooking wine/sherry, they are loaded with salt and lack flavor.

Brown the beef! Lots of garlic!