Description
A hearty and flavorful vegetable beef soup featuring tender, fall-apart stewing beef simmered with carrots, celery, potatoes, and peas in a rich broth enhanced with red wine or stout. Perfect for cozy fall and winter meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Broth
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil, separated
- 500 g stewing beef, cut into 1.75 cm cubes
- 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tbsp)
- 2 celery stalks, cut into 0.8 cm slices
- 3 carrots, cut into 0.5 cm thick slices
- 4 tbsp flour
- 2 1/2 cups beef broth/stock, low sodium (625 ml)
- 1 1/2 cups dry red wine, Guinness beer, or stout (375 ml)
- 1.5 cups water (375 ml)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 potatoes, cut into 1.5 cm cubes
Buttery Mushrooms (optional)
- 1 tbsp butter or oil (15 g)
- 200 g small mushrooms, quartered or halved
Instructions
- Heat oil and brown beef: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy-based pot over high heat until very hot. Pat the beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Brown the beef aggressively in 2 or 3 batches, adding more oil if needed, then remove browned beef to a bowl.
- Sauté aromatics and vegetables: Add more oil if pot looks dry. Add garlic and chopped onion to the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Add carrot and celery and cook for another 2 minutes until onion is translucent.
- Add flour and liquids: Stir in the flour, then slowly pour in the beef broth while constantly stirring. Add the red wine (or Guinness/stout), water, tomato paste, bay leaves, and dried thyme. Stir well.
- Simmer with beef: Return the browned beef to the pot. Cover and adjust heat to medium-low so the soup is gently bubbling. Simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the beef is tender.
- Add vegetables and peas: Add the potatoes and frozen peas to the pot. Simmer uncovered for an additional 20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through.
- Prepare buttery mushrooms (optional): Meanwhile, melt butter or heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until browned. Season with salt and pepper.
- Finish soup: Stir in the cooked mushrooms during the last 5 minutes of simmering. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, adding plenty of pepper if desired.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with parsley if desired, and serve with crusty bread like cheesy garlic bread or Irish soda bread.
Notes
- Use stewing or braising beef cuts like chuck or boneless short rib, preferably well-marbled for best flavor and tenderness.
- Red wine, Guinness, or stout add deep flavor to the broth. For non-alcoholic substitution, use a 400 g can of crushed tomatoes plus 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce.
- This soup tastes even better the next day and keeps well for 4 to 5 days refrigerated. It also freezes perfectly.
- Adjust seasoning generously with salt and pepper to enhance the flavors, especially lots of fresh cracked pepper.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 350 g)
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
