This Vegetable Beef Soup has that simmered-all-day flavor, but it's ready in less than thirty minutes! This recipe uses ground beef for quick cooking, load of veggies, all cooked in a savory broth that includes the powerhouse "secret" ingredient--V8 Juice!!!! Healthy and comforting, this soup is a must-make this fall and winter!
1cupcelery, cut into small pieces*about 3-4 stalks
1cupcarrots, diced*1-2 medium carrots
1cupfresh or frozen green beans*cut it 2 inch pieces
1cupfrozen corn*
1cuppotatoes, diced into small cubes*about 1 medium potato, peeled or unpeeled
114 ozcan diced tomatoes
3cupsV8 Juice
2cupsbeef stock or beef bone brothSee Note 1
1tbspWorcestershire sauce
2bay leaves
Instructions
In a large pot (I used my 6 qt. dutch oven) over medium high heat, add olive oil. Add ground beef and brown meat, breaking it up as it cooks--about 3-4 minutes. Pro tip: Using a potato masher during the last half of cooking helps break up the meat easily! Season meat with Italian seasoning, salt and garlic powder (if you are using lean ground beef, no need to drain the grease).
Add onions, carrots and celery. Cook 4-5 minutes until veggies start to soften.
Add ALL remaining ingredients. Give everything a big stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Taste and add salt IF NEEDED (See Note 2).
Notes
*Mix and match vegetables however you like! You can use fresh, frozen or a combination of the two! Some great additions/swaps are: peas, lima beans, mushrooms and zucchini. There's really no wrong answer here :)Note 1: If you can find beef STOCK or beef bone broth, that works best! However if you can only find beef BROTH, that's fine too! You can add 2 beef bullion cubes to deepen the flavor of the broth if you like. Note 2: Canned tomatoes and beef stock have varying degrees of salt levels, so it's best to taste the soup, then salt only if needed.