Savory Beef And Bean Soup (Printable)
A flavorful soup with tender beef cubes, kidney beans, and vegetables simmered in seasoned broth.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
→ Beans
08 - 2 cans (15 oz each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
→ Broth & Liquids
09 - 6 cups beef broth
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
11 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
→ Spices & Herbs
12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
15 - 1 bay leaf
16 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Other
17 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
# How To Cook:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef cubes and brown on all sides, approximately 5 minutes. Remove the beef and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until fragrant and softened.
03 - Stir in the diced bell pepper and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes, allowing the paste to deepen in color.
04 - Return the browned beef to the pot. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, oregano, cumin, and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
05 - Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes to develop flavor and tenderize the beef.
06 - Stir in the drained kidney beans and continue simmering uncovered for an additional 15 minutes until the beef is fork-tender and the soup has thickened.
07 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove and discard the bay leaf before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The broth develops this deep, almost velvety richness that makes people think you spent all day tending the stove when you really just let it simmer.
- It reheats even better the next day, which means lunch the following afternoon feels like a small act of self care.
02 -
- Do not skip browning the beef because those caramelized bits on the bottom of the pot are where half the flavor lives.
- Adding the beans too early will turn them mushy, so wait until the final fifteen minutes.
03 -
- Pat the beef cubes completely dry with paper towels before browning because moisture is the enemy of a good sear.
- A Parmesan rind dropped into the broth during simmering adds a savory complexity that people will notice but never guess the source of.