Hearty Italian Vegetable Beef Soup is filled with chunks of ground beef, plenty of vegetables, and generous Italian spices. This soup is inspired by the Italian Vegetable Soup that has been a family favorite for over 20 years.
Did you know that Italian Vegetable Soup was the very first recipe I posted on this blog? And as much as we love that recipe, I haven’t touched that post since it was first published in all of its four-sentence glory 10+ years ago. It makes me smile to remember how simple blogging was in the beginning.
My husband carried one version or another of this soup to work with him for lunch at least a couple of times a week for years. The soup freezes beautifully and I almost always have a few servings tucked away for those lunches.
This Vegetable Beef Soup is deliciously filling while remaining full of nutritious veggies and completely grain-free.
As an added benefit to anyone tackling a new way of eating this year, the soup happens to fall under the “approved” category for both Whole30 and Paleo eating plans.
Me? I just like this soup because it’s delicious. It’s so comforting and, as the name suggests, hearty. This Vegetable Beef Soup feeds both body and soul.
Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup
A few years ago, my husband Sean kicked off the year with a month of fairly strict Whole30 eating. (That might have something to do with all the fudge recipes that tend to fill our house during the holidays.)
For what it’s worth, we all typically eat the same foods Sean, I just add a handful of Fritos on my salads, wrap my eggs in a tortilla, and heaven forbid I ever fully give up chocolate.
I’ve been sifting through all of our recipes, finding the ones that will fit into the Whole30 plan, and tweaking some others to make them work. I’ve also put together a huge collection of 100+ Paleo Recipes that either fit into the Whole30 category or can be easily adapted to work.
This Hearty Italian Vegetable Beef Soup was an obvious one to add to the list. Ground beef makes the soup a good source of protein served up with a generous amount of chunky vegetables, herbs, and spices in a tomato-y base.
I use cabbage, celery, onion, and carrots as the main vegetables in this soup and I’ve never been disappointed by how economical this healthy soup recipe is.
This soup is plenty filling served on its own for lunch or dinner. If you aren’t avoiding grains or gluten, it also pairs very nicely with a loaf of homemade bread (gluten-free bread too) or a side of oyster crackers. A nice simple salad also makes a tasty and fresh accompaniment.
I serve my family a wide variety of meals and I think, overall, we eat a pretty balanced diet. Still, sometimes I feel like the so-called “healthy” recipes leave me wanting more.
That is not at all the case with this beef and vegetable soup. This recipe is so satisfying and full of flavor that you won’t feel deprived. I love soups with pasta, potatoes, and cream as much as the next girl (and maybe more) but this hearty veggie soup holds up to all of those comfort foods.
Whether you’re trying a Paleo, Whole30, or similar diet, or just looking for a truly remarkable soup recipe, you need to give this one a try.
Vegetable Beef Soup
Vegetable Beef Soup proves that cooking healthful meals doesn’t need to be expensive or time-consuming. It takes little more than tossing everything in one pot and letting it simmer for a while to make a hearty soup that everyone in your family loves.
Ground beef is sauteed in a soup pot with garlic and onion until brown and fragrant. Water, tomato puree, diced tomatoes, celery, and carrots are added to the pot along with oregano, basil, and thyme.
Cabbage goes in right at the end of the cooking time to keep it from getting overcooked. The result is perfectly tender cabbage that adds a wonderful flavor and texture to the finished soup.
This recipe makes a good amount of soup but you’ll be happy to have the leftovers. Vegetable Beef Soup keeps well in the fridge for a few days and freezes like a dream.
I freeze my vegetable beef soup in two-cup-sized containers to reheat for easy lunches. You can reheat it from frozen in the microwave or let the frozen soup thaw first. The leftover soup is delicious both ways.
I hope you enjoy this Hearty Italian Vegetable Beef Soup every bit as much as we do!
Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe
Kitchen Tip: I used this pot or this dutch oven to make this recipe.
- In the bottom of a large pot, over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef along with the garlic and onion.
- When the beef has browned, about 8 minutes, add the carrots, celery, and water to the pot. Increase heat to high and add the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover with a lid.
- When the soup begins boiling, stir, and reduce heat to medium; simmer uncovered for about 15-20 minutes until the carrots are tender.
- Taste the soup and adjust the salt as desired. Stir in the cabbage. Simmer a few more minutes, just until the cabbage has wilted. Top with cheese, if desired, just before serving.
FREEZER TIP: This soup freezes well and can be reheated in the microwave straight from the freezer or allowed to thaw in the refrigerator and then reheated on the stove or in the microwave. I store it in two-cup containers for easy lunches.
Hearty Soup Recipes
Looking for more easy and nutritious soup recipes? I tried a version of this Italian Soup with Sausage and it was just as delicious. This Green Chile Bean and Vegetable Soup and Mexican White Bean and Cabbage Soup are must tries too.
Check out these recipes for Sriracha Beef Lettuce Wraps, Crock-Pot Mediterranean Chicken, Butternut Squash Prosciutto Breakfast Hash, Whole30 Stuffed Cabbage, and Bacon Avocado Chicken Salad for more Whole30 dinner inspiration.
Hearty Italian Vegetable Beef Soup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small yellow onion diced small, about 1 cup
- 10 medium carrots sliced thin, about 4 cups
- 6 stalks celery sliced thin, about 3 cups
- 6 cups water
- 16 ounce diced tomatoes
- 28 ounce crushed tomatoes
- 14 ounce tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 head of green cabbage roughly chopped, about 4 cups
Instructions
- In the bottom of a large pot, over medium high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef along with the garlic and onion. When the beef has browned, about 8 minutes, add the carrots, celery, and water to the pot.
- Increase heat to high and add the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover with a lid.
- Once the soup is boiling, stir, and reduce heat to medium; simmer uncovered for about 15-20 minutes, until the carrots are tender.
- Taste the soup and adjust the salt as desired. Stir in the cabbage. Simmer a few more minutes, just until the cabbage has wilted. Top with cheese, if desired, just before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 1/4/2016 – recipe notes and photos updated 11/10/21}
Summer says
This soup looks so vibrant and tempting ♥
summerdaisy.net
Big Dude says
Looks delicious and I like the use of Italian spices. Now that colder weather has finally arrived, I'm surprised Bev hasn't been insisting we whip up a batch.
Patti Lewis says
meeee too! i would have to add a lil oregano to this 😀 and some locatelli pecorino romano on top of my soup…its divine!
Anonymous says
Beef Base not listed in ingredients. How much? Wish you would post nutritional facts with recipes.
Mary says
Beef base should not have been listed in the directions for this recipe. Thanks for catching that! If you are interested in the nutritional information for any recipe on the site, you can copy and paste the ingredient list into the form on this website:
http://www.caloriecount.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php
This way, you can adjust it for the exact ingredients and brands that you are using. I hope that helps!
Christu says
I’m confused. Is there beef broth in this or not?
Mary says
There is no beef broth in this recipe. You can swap the water for beef broth if you’d like, but you’ll need to reduce the salt and adjust to taste. Enjoy!
Deb Kaiser says
This soup looks delicious! Perfect for a snowy winter day.
Gabriel Spencer Davenport. says
Lots of cold rain in San Diego tonight so I made this soup and we loved it!! I had no beef base so I subbed 2 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of beef broth (all I had). I cut the water to 2 cups. Soup is excellent!!
Lauren Gaskill says
I want to leave work and go home so I can make this RIGHT NOW. So good! Pinning!
Charlotte says
Just made it this week (I am on your email list). My husband loved it! I live in Portugal. Not sure I got the right canned tomatoes in it…we don't have the selection here that you do in the states, but it turned out great. And some is in the freezer!
Renee says
I made this Friday and it was amazing! I think next time I am going to use sausage instead of hamburger..
Anonymous says
I used Andouille Sausage and Italian sausage. Added some Italian seasoning and garlic. Used these cause that's what I had, turned out very good.
Faustina says
Love this soup. Easy to throw together plus very filling and healthy.
Unknown says
Made this soup last night. Definitely a keeper! I cut up a pot roast I had in the freezer I needed to do something with. Soup turned out really good.
Anonymous says
I make mine with medium spiced Italian sausage removed from the casing. Add fresh parmigiana when serving …..Delish
Anonymous says
Try substituting beef with corned beef oh so flavorful and less expensive.
Nancy Cerutti says
I LOVE this soup and have made it several times! Have a pot in the fridge right now. I did find that a teaspoon of pepper is too peppery for me and have cut that in half – to 1/2 teaspoon. Everything else is by the recipe! Yum!
Kayla Carrie says
Just made it for my meal swap group… DELICIOUS! Cant wait to share with my friends! yum yum
Ernesto says
preparing this recipe can be very easy the hard part would be making it look so good as your did my compliments I will prepare it against my recipe for 100 Seniors they love soup. I am confident you will score very well thanks
Chef Ernie
Lori Tylicki says
I have made this soup and we love it! I was wondering if anyone has ever tried this with
Chicken? I'm not sure if I'm daring enough to do that.
Latisha says
I just made it! It is very delicious. I used ground turkey for the meat and turkey broth instead of water.
Vanessa says
do you drain the beef after cooked?
Mary says
If the beef is extra greasy, yes, I’ll drain it. Typically though, it isn’t and I do not.
Maria Rueda says
Second time making this soup and it is delicious! I usually halve the recipe and still get a very generous 7 servings. I like adding a cup of uncooked macaroni or rotini pasta and letting it cook for an additional 15 minutes. Gives it a bit more substance! I have also made this soup successfully in my slow-cooker by browning the meat before and then cooking it on high for 3 hours. Thanks for a great recipe!
Donna says
I’m making this now! Started out in the crockpot but was afraid it wouldn’t be ready for dinner so moved over to big pot,I’m adding tiny potatoes 🥔 to it also thinks of adding fresh geenbeens but not sure 🤔. It’s smelling delicious 😋.
cheryl says
This is the best ever vegetable soup!! This is the second time I made it and I hope my husband gets home soon before I start with out him!!! This soup and a loaf of bread…yummo!
Mary says
I’m happy to hear that you’re enjoying it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and tell us.
Chocolate Lady says
I encountered this recipe while perusing FoodiewithFamily, and it looks delicious! Thanks so much for sharing!
Ellen says
Has anyone tried kale or spinach in this instead of cabbage?
Mary says
Spinach and kale both work well in this soup.
NMChey says
Wow! This truly looks amazing and delicious. I now know what’s cooking for dinner tomorrow. …..yum…
Topacio says
I added sriracha and red pepper flakes for an extra kick. It was great!
Denise says
Need to substitute beef with ground turkey or chicken.
KalynsKitchen says
Looks wonderful, and thanks for the shout-out!
Levi says
Made it, and loved it!
Donna M Macheska says
This is just like the delicious soup my Mom use to make..i cant wait to make this..thank you!
Kristen says
If anyone does 21 Day Fix, what would you say a serving of this equates to?
Tracy says
Do you drain the hamburger grease?
Katherine says
I drained mine. I didn’t think it would be low in calories with all that grease.
Mary says
I used cubed chuck roast instead of burger. Really cut down on the grease.
Mary says
I bet that was delicious, Mary.
Aaron Milligan says
If the soup makes 10 to 12 servings. How large are the serving sizes ? 1 cup or 2 cups?
Mary says
I typically consider this a main dish meal and a serving would be about 2 cups. The recipe makes a large batch and I always plan on freezing it for lunches.
Lisa says
How many calories per serving? What is the size of each serving?
Leah C says
I would like to know the same thing.
DA says
Why not calculate it yourself? She has provided everything you need to do it. Do you need someone to spoon feed you the soup too?
Michelle M says
I make this at least once a month now. My family likes it – it’s healthy and surprisingly filling – and it makes enough to give us leftovers for later in the week. I use ground turkey instead of ground beef and chicken broth (Better Than Broth) instead of vegetable (because it’s what I always have on hand). Using a food processor to chop the onions and slice the carrots and celery is definitely the way to go.
Caitlyn says
I tweaked the recipe a little! I cooked the garlic and onions with the hamburger. And on the side boiled the carrots and celery to make them soft. One those were done, I drained most of the water (leaving about 1-1 1/2 cups) and drained the hamburger. I then mixed in all the tomatoes with the veggies and added the hamburger. I opted out of cabbage personally and added some pepper!
Tracy says
You are missing out on flavor because you cooked your vegetables separate
Lisa says
Do to know the carb, protein and fat grams? Wondering for Keto
Sue says
This is one of the families favorites. I use ground antelope instead of beef. I’m thrilled with the large quantity that it makes,
Lisa says
Do you have the macros for this?
Jessie says
Any suggestions on how to convert this to a crockpot recipe?
Bridget says
My whole family loved this soup! I left out diced tomatoes and tomatoe sauce and added another can of crushed tomatoes. Topped with fresh shaved Parmesan! Delish!
Lacey says
My family loves this recipe! Even my kids (9,3,1) love it!
Mary says
I’m so happy that everyone loves it, Lacey!
Patty says
Happened upon this recipe in a random “beef vegetable soup” search and we loved it! Changed it slightly just by using a chuck roast instead of ground beef, but all other things remained the same. Making it again this week. Stellar!
Mary says
I’m thrilled that you like the soup, Patty! It’s still one of our favorites.
Kim says
This is one of my favorite winter soups. It is hearty and delicious. I have made it with ground turkey and the beef. I always add cut fresh green beans. We all love it. And it makes so much there is always left overs to freeze.
Rae says
I like to use Herbs de province instead of Italian seasoning
Mary Younkin says
That’s delicious too, if you have them on hand, Rae.
Nicole says
This is better than any other vegetable soup! I add fresh green beans and substitute beef broth for the water and am a little generous on the spices. This is one yummy soup!!! Also, it gets better by the day!!!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy that you love the soup as much as we do, Nicole!
Ashlee says
i agree. this soup is fantastic. made it on September 2, 2019. i used the 6 cups water but wish i had used vegetable broth. i am vegan so i added plant based beef towards the end of the simmer time. overall this is a truly hardy soup with servings that will last a single person for at least 4 days. yummy!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you’re enjoying the soup, Ashlee! I think you’re right that the vegetable broth would help bring in a little more flavor for a vegan alternative.
Tracy Stanley says
Can this be cooked in the crock pot?
Mary Younkin says
I’ve never done that myself, but if you add the beef pre-cooked, it should work fine.
Pamela Orange says
We don’t love celery so I omit it and just add a bit more of the other veggies to make up the volume. I add some tomato paste for body. And I add more broth as some people in this house like a “looser” soup. Not me, the picky ones! It is a good base recipe that you can add to or detract from without ruining it. Very tasty and easy. We also like cheesy garlic bread with it.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you love this soup, Pamela!
Lianne Hand says
I made this soup last night and my husband and I thought it was delicious and very filling. Could you please tell me exactly what size serving you measured for the 315 calorie portion? Thank you.
Mary Younkin says
That is measured by the recipe calculator, Lianne. If you measure out the number of servings listed in the recipe, that is how it is determined. I have no way of knowing what the exact serving size was. I simply know how many servings it is for my family.
Jennifer M Forester says
Can I put a bag of fresh spinach in as well?
Mary Younkin says
I don’t know why now, Jennifer. That sounds good to me.
Evelyn Finney says
This is a BEAUTIFUL soup!
Mary Younkin says
I hope that you love it, Evelyn!
Gena says
This is the best soup I have ever made! The only change I made is, I used chicken broth (I always save/freeze) instead of water and used spicy oregano used for menudo). Absolutely delicious,
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that you like the soup, Gena.
Lori says
This is really a great recipe. I altered only by adding a can of Italian cut green beans since I have done that with nearly every veggie beef soup I have every made. My husband loved it, too. Thanks!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you like the soup, Lori!
Mary says
Can this soup be frozen.?
Mary Younkin says
Yes! It freezes beautifully, Mary. We love having containers stashed for lunches.
Mark Vaiano says
I have everything except the cabbage. With the Pandemic that we are in I will not be going out to later next week to do my shopping. I do have Ditalni pasta. Do you think that it would be good in the soup?
Mary Younkin says
Absolutely, Mark! The soup will be fine without cabbage. (And pasta is a terrific addition. I like to cook the pasta separately and just add a scoop to each bowl when I am ready to eat the soup.)
Jill says
Excellent! I also emptied my leftovers from fridge into this pot of gold!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so very happy to hear that you love the soup, Jill!
Rel says
Can you use beef stew meat in this recipe?
Mary Younkin says
I’m guessing it will work, if it is cut small enough, Rel.
Yvonne says
I usually make soup starting with meat bones and cooking them for 5 hours, removing the bones, then adding the veg etc. But I was looking for something quick and this was sensational. I did add way more broth and substituted the cabbage with cooked pasta though. This soup will now be a staple for winter, which is coming up in June. Thanks for the recipe.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you like the soup, Yvonne!
Jaclyn says
I really enjoyed this soup! The only thing I did different was I used 4 cups beef broth & 2 cups water for the liquid. I’ll definitely be making this again. Thanks for sharing!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you like the soup, Jaclyn!
Hannah says
My kids and I love this soup! I love that it’s full of healthy ingredients and I also love that it’s easy to make and there’s enough for lunch the next day! We like to add a big spoonful of cottage cheese which helps cool it down and tastes delicious. I printed out the recipe over a year ago but it’s gotten worn out so I had to come back and find it again. Thank you!!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy that you’re enjoying it!
Gary p says
Cabbage takes a lot longer to cook. This ruined the soup.
Mary Younkin says
Roughly chopped into small bite-size pieces, as directed in the recipe, the cabbage should’ve wilted almost as soon as it was added to the soup, Gary. It never takes longer than a few minutes at most. I’m not sure what went wrong for you.