Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup with Fantastic Bread

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces

1 medium onion, chopped

3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, not drained

1 cup beef broth or water

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

black pepper, to taste

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

2 small potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup frozen peas

Fresh parsley sprigs, optional for garnish

Instructions:

To brown beef first:

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high.

Add the beef and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Brown the beef on all sides, allowing it to develop nice coloring on all sides.

Once the beef is lightly browned (it won’t be all the way cooked through), remove it to the slow cooker.

Step 2:

In a 3 1/2 to 6 quart slow cooker, combine beef chuck pieces, sliced carrots, cubed potatoes, chopped onion and minced garlic.

Sprinkle with salt and thyme.

Add bay leaf, tomatoes with juices and water.

Stir until all ingredients are combined.

Step 3:

Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.

Step 4:

Remove and discard bay leaf.

Stir in peas and garnish with parsley, if desired.

NOTES

Storing and reheating:

Store. Once completely cool, store soup in an airtight storage container. It keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 5 days.

Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a large pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a bit more broth or water, as needed. You can also reheat this soup in the microwave until hot.

Freeze. Place leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container or bag, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to label the soup with the date, so you know when it went into the freezer. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Stovetop Instructions:

Brown beef. Heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Place half of the beef in the skillet in a single layer.

Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until browned. Transfer browned beef to a plate, cover to keep warm. Repeat the process with the remaining beef.

Sauté veggies. In the same (now empty) pot, add a bit more oil and the onion and carrots. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Simmer soup. Now, add in the beef, tomatoes, broth and seasonings. Boil and then decrease heat to bring to a low simmer. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes; stir occasionally. or until beef is tender.

Add potatoes. After the initial 30 minutes of simmering, add the potatoes to the soup, cover and continue to simmer for an additional 20 minutes or until tender.

Stir in the peas. Add the peas, stir and cook for about 5 minutes.

Serve. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with rolls or a nice chunk of crusty bread to soak up all of that incredible broth!

Nutrition Informations: