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 ribs 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}
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.
Kathy White says
I love this soup. I made it with stew beef and it was delicious. Thanks for this recipe.
Mary Younkin says
That sounds really good, Kathy.
Christine says
I needed something that came together quickly and that I could run to a neighbor who was home sick while her husband was out of town. Big hit for all! Thank you for this recipe!!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you like it, Christine!
Pat says
This soup is hearty, tasty, and HEALTHY! It also lends itself to so very many variations… whatever is in season, what is in the fridge and/or spice cupboard. You out did yourself again with this tasty dish!
Mary Younkin says
Thank you so much, Pat. It is a tasty soup.