Vegetable Beef Soup

By RuthLouise

Ingredients

• Seasonings:
• 1 1/2 lb cubed stew beef, bite size cubes
• olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 2 ribs celery, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 10-12 oz frozen mixed vegetables, unthawed
• 2 [14.5] oz can Italian seasoned diced tomatoes
• 1 [14.5] oz can pinto/lima/great northern beans [your preference]
• 1 container Knorr homestyle beef stock
• 4-5 cups water
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 5 medium russet potatoes, 1" cubes
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp seasoned salt [more or less to your taste]
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dry Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• End of cooking:
• 2 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
• 4 Tbsp tomato paste to thicken

Preparation

Step 1

In a skillet on the stove top, brown the stew beef in a couple of drizzles of olive oil. Season with seasoned salt and black pepper to your taste. Add the diced onion, bell pepper and celery. Saute until softened and beginning to brown. Add the garlic. Remove from the stove top and arrange in the slow cooker.

Directions for cooking on the high setting:

Arrange the browned stew beef and sauteed vegetables on the bottom of the slow cooker. Dissolve the concentrated beef stock in hot water, then pour into the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and seasonings to the slow cooker.

Reserve the diced potatoes, tomato paste and parsley to add later. Stir well. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. After 4 hours, add the diced potatoes and continue to cook for another 1 1/2 hours or until the potatoes and stew beef are fork tender.

Thicken the broth with tomato paste, then stir the parsley into the soup just before serving. Yield: 8 servings


Directions for cooking on the low setting:

Arrange the browned stew beef and sauteed vegetables on the bottom of the slow cooker. Dissolve the concentrated beef stock in hot water, then pour into the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and seasonings to the slow cooker reserving the chopped parsley and tomato paste to add at the end of cooking. Stir well. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Thicken the broth with tomato paste then stir the parsley into the soup just before serving. Yield: 8 servings


Cook's notes:
a) Russet potatoes are recommended due to the fact they are better suited for prolonged cooking.
b) 32 oz of beef broth can be substituted for the concentrated homestyle beef stock and water.
c) If you prefer the tomatoes to have a finer texture, mash with a fork or rough chop in a food processor prior to adding to the slow cooker.
d) Knorr Homestyle Beef Stock here.