The Best Cut of Beef for Vegetable Soup is a medium-grained cut with a good amount of fat and a bit more marbling than other cuts. In the kitchen, these qualities make for a tender steak that cooks evenly in the pan and holds its shape once cut. Vegetable soup is a great lunch or dinner idea with endless possibilities. It is also a cheap and easy meal to make you can use almost any vegetable. Of
course, I am always looking for ways to save time and money so what cut of beef is the best option for my Vegetable Soup Recipe? Soup is the ultimate meal. Delicious, warming and filling, there is something so satisfying about a big bowl of soup. With this guide, you’ll be following a step-by-step tutorial to making the best cut of beef for vegetable soup (and you’ll discover what it takes to
make vegetable soup that’s out of this world). This is a very simple and nutritious homemade Vegetable Beef Soup recipe made easily at home. You can also say it is a “Vegetable Beef Stew.” This soup recipe is a perfect winter food, but you can also make it during the fall and spring too! There are many health benefits of beef. Cow meat helps in reducing the risk of cancer, eliminates body-fat and improves energy levels. It is considered to be the best source of protein.
Best Cut Of Beef For Vegetable Soup
The best cut of beef for vegetable soup has to be chuck roast. This cut of meat is well marbled with plenty of connective tissue. This connective tissue breaks down during the long slow cooking process, adding body and flavor to the broth. When making vegetable soup, which cut of beef should you use? How about round steak or chuck, flank steak or blade roast? These are all questions that need answers, but we have the only answer and it’s a very informative one.
There are many recipes for vegetable soups, but cooking with beef will literally help elevate your dish.
But what cut of beef is best for vegetable soups?
This article will help you choose and point out the ideal beef cut to make your vegetable soup taste much better.
Let’s check it out!
How to choose beef for vegetable soups?
Choosing beef for vegetable soups is just the same as looking for a good cut for other stews or soups.
The reason is that your beef cut will be cooked for a long time by a moist-heat cooking method.
So what are the tips to choose beef for vegetable soups? Let’s take a look at the following buying guide:
1. A tough cut with some marbling fat will be great in this case
For any soup or stew recipe, a tough cut that is well-marbled will be ideal.
The connective tissue is broken down during the cooking process so that you will end up with beef meat that can melt in your mouth.
The marbling fat will keep your beef away from being dry and make it even more flavorful.
2. Buy fresh beef and grass-fed beef if possible
The fresher the meat is, the better your dish will be.
Therefore, when choosing beef for vegetable soups, you should opt for a fresh cut rather than a frozen one.
Moreover, if you can buy a grass-fed cut of beef, it will be even better.
Grass-fed beef is often associated with more health benefits, flavors, a better texture, but also a higher price.
It is much greater than the factory-raised counterpart that is packed with more hormones and antibiotics.
3. Use bone-in cuts of beef for more flavor
You can also opt for a bone-in cut of beef for your vegetable soup because the bones will add more flavor to the soup.
There are some bone-in beef cuts that are even more economical than their boneless counterparts, making them more affordable for people from different classes.
4. Cut up beef into equal cubes and marinate well before cooking
Another key to having the best beef for vegetable soup is that you should cut your beef into equal cubes so that they can be evenly cooked.
Don’t forget to marinate your beef pieces with your favorite seasonings so that the dish will come out as you expect.
Best beef for vegetable soups
So now you know the tips to choose a good cut of beef for vegetable soups, but what exactly are these cuts? Here are some of our suggestions for the best beef for your next vegetable soup:
1. Chuck roast
Chuck roast is one of the primal and most common cuts of beef.
It is cut from the chuck section or known as the top part of the cattle’s shoulder.
Chuck roast is prized for its perfect marbling fat and a tough texture that is ideal for any slow-cooking recipe like roasting, stewing, or making soup.
2. Bone-in/ boneless short ribs
You can also use bone-in or boneless short ribs for vegetable soups.
The boneless short ribs are actually taken from the chuck cut, while the bone-in ribs are cut from the actual rib cage of the animal.
Either can work because they have a tough texture and flavorful taste.
However, bone-in short ribs are more expensive but more delicious so they are worth considering.
3. Sirloin steak
Sirloin steak is another option for your vegetable soup.
This economical cut of beef is leaner than other aforementioned beef cuts, but it is not too dry, especially when you cook it in a lot of liquid like in a soup recipe.
Sirloin steak is also more tender, so it doesn’t need to be cooked for too long.
4. Shoulder steak
Shoulder steak has also been a good choice for a slow-cooking method.
This shoulder cut’s texture is between tender and tough, making it very versatile, from grilling, pan-searing, roasting, or stewing.
You can brown this cut before braising it so that the flavor is enhanced thanks to the rendered marbling fat, as well as resulting in a more beautiful color dish.
The bottom line
In conclusion, to get the most flavor and richness in your vegetable soup, it is best to opt for a tough cut of beef with an intensely beefy taste.
Don’t worry about the chewy or tough texture because the meat will be tenderized after a long cooking time.
You can try either a chuck roast, short ribs (boneless or bone-in), or a shoulder steak for your next vegetable soup.
Good luck!
VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP
This vegetable beef soup is made with tender chunks of beef, plenty of vegetables and potatoes, all simmered in a tomato broth. A hearty one pot meal that’s perfect for a cold night!
There’s nothing more satisfying than a good soup, my family loves Mexican chicken soup, hamburger soup, and this simple, yet satisfying beef vegetable soup. This soup is a great way to get some veggies into the kids too!
In my opinion, the best soups are the heartiest soups! This vegetable beef soup is about as hearty as it gets, with a rainbow of colorful veggies, tender potatoes, and melt-in-your mouth beef. It’s the ultimate soup for a chilly day.
HOW DO YOU MAKE VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP?
This soup starts with beef stew meat, which is browned along with carrots, onions and celery. The beef and veggies go into a big pot with tomatoes, beef broth and seasonings, then everything simmers away until the beef is tender. A handful of potatoes go into the mix, along with some frozen veggies to make this delectable and easy soup.
WHAT IS THE BEST CUT OF MEAT FOR VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP?
I use beef stew meat for this soup because it’s convenient, inexpensive and tastes great. Another option would be to put a pot roast, such as a chuck roast, and cut it into pieces. If you want to make beef vegetable soup and you’re pressed for time, try using 1 1/2 pounds of lean ground beef in lieu of the stew meat. The ground beef will shave a lot of time off the simmering process.
WHAT ARE THE BEST SPICES TO USE IN VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP?
I go for convenience here and use dried Italian seasoning in my soup. It’s a blend of dried parsley, basil, oregano and sometimes garlic, and it can be found in almost every grocery store in the spice aisle.
TIPS FOR BEEF VEGETABLE SOUP
- This soup needs to simmer for at least an hour for the meat to get tender, so plan accordingly!
- The carrots, onions and celery simmer with the beef, so they end up quite soft at the end. If you prefer firmer vegetables, you can saute the veggies, then pull them back out of the pan and reserve them to add later on with the potatoes.
- Choose any potato you like here – I went with the classic Russet potatoes, but red potatoes and Yukon Gold also work great.
- I use frozen green beans, peas and corn for convenience sake. If you prefer to use fresh feel free, but add a few more minutes to the cook time.
- I love to serve vegetable beef soup with a side of bread, such as garlic knots or honey cornbread.
HOMEMADE VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP
Homemade vegetable beef soup is a warm bowl of love in a bowl. Warm, hearty, nutritious, delicate and delicious! It makes you forget about the biting cold outside. Vegetable beef soup made at home is healthy and affordable with very few ingredients. There are so many ways to make this soup, I can’t even list them all. So just try different ingredients and tasty variations will follow! I’ll give you some variations, but the best thing about making this recipe at home is that you can change it as you wish.
By the time you finish reading this, you will be an expert on how to make your very own homemade vegetable beef soup recipe. Super easy to make, so hearty and filling, so tasty, and so comforting. Made with chunks of meat and all your favorite veggies.
If you love beef stew, then this homemade vegetable beef soup recipe is right up your alley. The best beef soup you will ever have! There are different ways you can make this recipe whether you choose to make it in a slow cooker or stovetop, the process is super easy and you will have dinner on the table in no time!
HOW TO MAKE THIS HOMEMADE VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP RECIPE
There are different ways of making this vegetable beef soup recipe. You can make it on a stovetop, slow cooker or crockpot, or an instant pot. The technique is mostly similar so I will be showing you how to make it on stovetop and slow cooker.
SLOW COOKER
A great way to make your vegetable beef soup ahead and let it slow cook while you grab the kids from school or rush them to their activities and come back to dinner ready to be served! This is what you need and what you should do:
- Beef: Since you are using a slow cooker, no need to spend too much money on expensive meat. Chuck Roast will work just fine. Brown or cook the beef in a skillet to give it some extra flavor, cut it up and at it into the slow cooker. This is optional but really recommended for the best flavor.
- Vegetables: Dig up those veggies in your fridge and its time to use them up. Add in your favorite veggies. I recommend using fresh or frozen veggies.
- Broth: Beef or veggie broth would work great. You could always use water if you don’t have any broth and add in some spices for flavor.
- Sauce Base: Tomato sauce works best for a nice tomato base for this homemade vegetable beef soup. Don’t have tomato sauce, you can use some paste.
- Cook: once everything is added into the slow cooker, add in some salt and pepper and then close it. Let is cook on low for 7-8 hours until everything is tender and juicy!
STOVETOP
This method works great for some. It’s quite easy to make this homemade vegetable beef soup right on your stovetop and not have to worry about a slow cooker or instant pot. Believe or not some people just can’t be bothered using a slow cooker or instant pot.
I will keep this short and sweet! Or if you need the step by step scroll to the recipe card below.
- Get the meat ready by browning it right in the pot you will be using for a few minutes.
- Add everything else in. Literally, this will still work. Very easy!
- Bring to boil, cover the pot and allow to cook on medium heat for about 20-25 minutes.
- Ready to serve dinner!
WHAT CUT OF BEEF IS BEST FOR SOUP
The best cuts of meat to use for any soup would be chuck roast or sirloin steak. They always result in tender juicy meat when cooked in soups. Chuck roast can be a bit tough to cook and needs time to get it tender so it is best to use it when you are using a slow cooker to cook your beef soup recipe. But the result is tender flaky melt in your mouth beef!
WHAT IS GOOD WITH VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP
For a more filling soup, you can add some pre-cooked rice to your homemade vegetable beef soup. There are other great options for you:
- Sourdough bread or cornbread
- Dinner rolls
- Grilled Cheese
- Side of salad
- Crackers
- Appetizers like mini pizza bites
CAN YOU FREEZE VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP
Absolutely. If you have leftovers, you can either store in a big and tightly sealed container to freeze or divide it up into smaller containers. Remove from the freezer when ready to eat and either allow to thaw in the fridge a night before or defrost in the microvae a bit before reheating on your stovetop. Frozen beef soup should last up until 6 months.
HOW DO YOU THICKEN VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP
The easiest way to thicken your homemade vegetable beef soup is to use some sort of flour. Use about 1-2 tablespoons of any flour you have handy, white or wheat. Mix or dissolve in about 1/2 cup of cold water and pour it into the soup. This will allow the soup to thicken as it bowls for another 5-10 minutes.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF BEEF
Health benefits of beef can vary depending on the cut, preparation and cooking method used. Cooking methods such as grilling, pan frying and roasting have lower intake of calories and fat content. Grilled beef has an impressive amount of iron than other cuts like steaks and rib eye are the most tender. Pan frying lower the cholesterol level of beef adding a healthy nutty flavour to it. It is famous in areas having ethnic diversity where it is served in restaurants as fast-food.
A generation or two ago, our parents and grandparents viewed beef as a nutritious health food.
But now? These days it’s much different, and opinion is split between whether beef is healthful or harms our health.
Some of the more extreme vegan views even call for the authorities to remove meat from the food supply.
Whatever our opinion on red meat might be, there are some important health benefits of eating beef.
1. Beef Provides a Large Source of L-Carnitine
L-carnitine is an amino acid that occurs naturally in meat products.
In the table below, we can see the L-carnitine content of beef compared to some other animal foods and plant foods
Why is L-Carnitine Important?
Among other functions, L-carnitine plays a part in fat metabolism.
As part of this, L-Carnitine does the job of transporting fats into our mitochondria for burning.
It’s important to clarify that our body can synthesize sufficient amounts of L-carnitine for general needs; this makes it a non-essential amino acid.
The body synthesizes L-Carnitine within the liver and the process relies on the amino acids L-lysine and L-methionine
As a result, deficiencies are rare.
However, research suggests that a higher dietary intake of L-Carnitine may have some positive health impacts.
Various studies show the following findings;
Heart Health
A meta-analysis of randomized trials suggests that L-carnitine improves patient outcomes. Specifically, it exerts an effect on hypertension, oxidative stress, nitric oxide, and inflammation.
A further systematic review found that L-carnitine is associated with a 27% reduction in all-cause mortality in heart failure patients
Diabetes
A systematic review shows that higher L-carnitine intake in type 2 diabetes patients improves fasting glucose levels and the overall cholesterol profile
According to a systematic review and meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials, subjects using L-carnitine supplementation lost “significantly more weight” than the control group
It’s worth noting that while there are many L-carnitine supplements around, the absorption rate is poor in comparison to beef.
In fact, our body only absorbs around 14-18% of the synthetic form of the nutrient
Key Point: L-carnitine is an amino acid that naturally occurs in beef. It has a positive impact on various health markers.
2. Beef Provides the “Master Antioxidant” Glutathione
Commonly known as the ‘master antioxidant,’ glutathione has a score of research linking it to
- Anti-aging benefits
- Increasing longevity
- Preventing illness
- Reducing the risk of chronic disease
- Strengthening the immune system
It helps protect every cell in our body from cellular damage, which can lead to many chronic diseases.
On the other hand, a deficiency in glutathione contributes to oxidative stress and inflammation
As a result, keeping glutathione levels high is important for our overall health.
Subsequently, the question becomes “how can we keep our glutathione levels high?”
Endogenous Glutathione Production and Dietary Sources
First of all, our body produces glutathione endogenously.
In other words, our body uses raw materials (in this case: amino acids) to make glutathione.
For this process to occur, we should have adequate levels of the amino acids cysteine, glutamate, and glycine
These amino acids are known as glutathione precursors, and each of these amino acids is present in beef.
On the positive side, beef also contains a reasonably high source of complete (pre-formed) dietary glutathione.
Key Point: Keeping our glutathione levels high is critical for good health, and beef is a food that helps us to achieve this. Glutathione detoxes our body better than any ‘detox plan’ or supplement can.
3. Beef is High in Protein and Helps Improve Muscle Mass
There are numerous reasons why we should strive to ensure a sufficient protein intake and these include;
- Protein is the building block our body uses to repair and make bone, skin, and cartilage.
- Sufficient protein helps us to build and maintain lean muscle mass.
- Out of all macronutrients, protein is the most satiating, and it discourages food cravings.
Beef is packed with health-promoting amino acids, and it’s one of the single biggest sources of protein in the human diet.
For instance, a 6oz (170g) portion of 80% lean beef provides 46g protein.
Should we opt for a leaner variety of beef, the protein content can be even higher
The Importance of Lean Mass
As we age, building—or at least holding on to—lean mass should be a priority.
Research shows that older adults with lower muscle mass are at a higher risk of mortality.
Speaking bluntly, the more skeletal muscle mass someone loses as they age, the higher their risk of an earlier death
Also, the rate of muscle protein synthesis rapidly drops as we age, making it a lot harder to build and maintain muscle
Considering this, we should ensure we’re eating a sufficient amount of protein – this is especially essential for elderly people.
On this note, beef is one of the best protein-rich foods out there.
Key Point: Protein is essential for optimal health, and especially so as we age. Beef provides an abundant amount of this macronutrient.
4. Beef is Extremely Rich in Minerals
If you’re looking to increase your intake of various minerals, then beef is one of the best options to consider.
First of all, beef is relatively nutrient-dense in minerals.
Here we can see the mineral content of 80% lean beef
As shown in the table, beef provides more than half of the day’s recommended amount of selenium and zinc.
Many people have deficiency issues with some of these minerals.
So, the nutritional value of beef can help fight prevalent global deficiencies in iron, magnesium, and zinc
Key Point: Beef is rich in several essential minerals—especially iron, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc.
5. Eating Beef Helps Prevent Iron Deficiency Anemia
We touched on mineral deficiencies in the last point, but iron deficiency anemia deserves a mention of its own.
Sadly, iron deficiency anemia is a growing epidemic around the world.
In a developed country such as the United States, nutrient deficiencies shouldn’t be a cause of death, yet anemia kills thousands every year.
To be exact, the latest release of statistics showed that Anemia hospitalized 146,000 Americans in one year. 5,219 of these people died
Globally it’s even worse, and according to the World Health Organization, 1.62 billion people suffer from iron deficiency anemia
Heme and Non-Heme Iron
There are two types of iron available in food, and we refer to them as heme and non-heme iron.
- Heme Iron: Heme iron is the most bioavailable form of iron, and meat and other animal foods exclusively contain it.
- Non-Heme Iron: Non-heme iron is found in plant foods such as fruit, vegetables, and nuts. In comparison to heme iron, our body finds it more difficult to absorb.
One of the best health benefits of beef meat is that it contains a substantial amount of heme iron.
The best source of all? Beef liver.
Interestingly, anemia disproportionately affects females. Perhaps this isn’t a huge surprise when we think about how society seems to shame women who eat meat.
The imagery of women smiling while eating a bowl of salad is quite ubiquitous.
Key Point: Eat more beef to help prevent iron deficiency anemia.