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A hearty and comforting vegetable beef soup featuring ground beef, tender vegetables, barley, and a rich tomato broth, perfect for cozy family dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained fat
  • 46 oz tomato juice
  • 46 oz water (use tomato juice can to measure)
  • 1 Tablespoon better than beef bouillon (or 3 bouillon cubes)
  • 16 oz frozen mixed vegetables
  • 4 cups potatoes, cubed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon minced dry onion
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon basil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/3 cup barley
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until no pink remains; drain off fat and set the beef aside.
  2. In a large 6-quart (or larger) stockpot, add the cooked beef, tomato juice, water, beef bouillon, frozen mixed vegetables, cubed potatoes, barley, Worcestershire sauce, minced dry onion, sugar, salt, pepper, basil, and bay leaves; stir to combine.
  3. Place the pot over medium heat and bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
  4. Reduce heat to low and cook the soup uncovered at a slow simmer for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
  5. Remove and discard the bay leaves.

Notes

This recipe makes a large batch that comfortably serves 8 people., To scale the recipe, double the ingredients and use a larger stockpot or cook in batches., For a slow cooker version, brown beef first then add all ingredients; cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours., Add extra vegetables such as chopped celery, green beans, or corn to customize., Add cayenne pepper for heat or Italian seasoning for a flavor twist., For a vegetarian option, omit beef, use vegetable broth, and add more vegetables and barley., Leftovers keep in fridge for up to 4 days and freeze well for up to 3 months., Thaw frozen soup overnight in the fridge before reheating., Reheat on stove over medium heat or in microwave (stir every 30 seconds)., Fresh vegetables can be used instead of frozen; adjust simmer time as needed., Barley can be omitted; reduce water by 1 cup to keep texture.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://margorecipes.com/vegetable-beef-soup/