This wonderful old-fashioned vegetable beef soup is slow cooker easy with these simple step by step photo instructions.
Editor’s Note: Originally Published September 21, 2013. Updated with expanded, detailed instructions and refreshed photos.
This variation is based on my stovetop version Old Fashion Vegetable Beef Soup, which was based on a modification of a recipe from this 1972 Betty Crocker’s Cookbook.
I have always been a big fan of vegetable beef soup, and this is just super easy. It will frequently be repeated.
My Rating:
A very nice solid 5. I see my winter lunches staring me in the face.
Pro Tips: Recipe Notes for Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
The Meat
Start with some stew meat. Cut your own for a roast or just be lazy and buy it pre-cut. If you do the pre-cut, check it a little for anything that might need to be trimmed.
If you want to cut your own meat, my favorite is chuck roast, but really with cooking in broth for that long, almost any beef roast will do.
One last thing on the beef, I like to brown the meat on the stovetop while prepping everything else. I think it adds a lot of flavors. You can skip it if you want.
The Vegetables
I chose the traditional carrots, celery, and green beans. The carrots and celery should be fresh. The green beans can be fresh or frozen.
Other options would be potatoes and peas. If you do potatoes, do now add a lot since it can overwhelm the other veggies. If you do peas, add frozen the last hour or so of cooking.
The Spices
Salt and pepper are really enough. The original recipe includes thyme, marjoram, and a bay leaf. I feel all three of those are optional. Add them if you really want that old 1950’s taste.
Just an FYI, Marjoram is a cousin of oregano but not as strong. It was a common spice years ago but not seen much anymore.
The Crock Pot
As written, this makes about 3 quarts of soup. It needs a crock pot of 4 quarts or more. You may double the amount if you have a 7 quart or more size crock pot.
Dump everything in and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 on low.
Storage
This is good refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for 3-4 months. Like many soups and stews, the flavors come together, and it is even better the next day.
Other Great Soups
Our Best Soups
Old Fashion Vegetable Beef Soup
Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Easy One Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup
You can use pre-cut stew meat or cut your own from a beef roast.
If browning meat, then add 1 tablespoon oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add about 11 1/2 to 2 pounds of cubed beef and cook until browning some — about 10 minutes.
While the meat is browning, clean, and prep veggies. One rib of celery chopped medium. One carrot cut into 1/4 inch medallions. One medium onion chopped medium. Also, 8 oz of fresh or frozen green beans.
Add beef and veggies to large crock pot. Add 32 oz beef broth, and one 15 oz can diced tomatoes (not drained). Salt and pepper to taste, I went with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Optional spices are 1/4 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon marjoram, and one bay leaf.
Mix well and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours until meat and carrots are tender.
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Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
This wonderful old-fashioned vegetable beef soup is slow cooker easy with these simple step by step photo instructions.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time8 hrs
Total Time8 hrs 15 mins
Servings/Adjust Amount: 8 servings
8
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds stew meat – or cut your own
- 32 oz beef broth – Low Sodium
- 15 oz diced tomatoes – not drained
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion – medium
- 1 rib celery
- 8 oz green beans
- salt and pepper to taste
Optional Spices
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon marjoram
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
-
You can use pre-cut stew meat or cut your own from a beef roast.
-
If browning meat, then add 1 tablespoon oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of cubed beef and cook until browning some — about 10 minutes.
-
While the meat is browning, clean, and prep veggies. One rib of celery chopped medium. One carrot cut into 1/4 inch medallions. One medium onion chopped medium. Also, 8 oz of fresh or frozen green beans.
-
Add beef and veggies to large crock pot. Add 32 oz low sodium beef broth, and one 15 oz can diced tomatoes (not drained). Salt and pepper to taste, I went with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Optional spices are 1/4 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon marjoram, and one bay leaf.
-
Mix well and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours until meat and carrots are tender.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- You can use pre-cut stew meat or cut your own from a beef roast.
- We like lots of meat in our soup. Some recipes this size only use 1 pound of beef.
- Like all soups, feel free to adjust the amount of ingredients to your needs.
- This will make about 3 quarts of soup. It needs a crock pot of 4 quarts or more. You can adjust to the size you need.
- Other veggies can be used.
- I have given cooking times but really use the endpoint as the carrots being tender.
- Good refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for 3-4 days.
- Like most soups and many other dishes, it is even better the next day.
Check Out Other Great Recipes
Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 272mg | Potassium: 734mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1554IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition is generally for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.
All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
Originally Published September 21, 2013.