Enjoy a big bowl of this hearty Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup that’s chock full of wholesome vegetables and the perfect way to end Summer and greet Fall with a full belly. It’s soup season in full swing, and this is the first one on my list to make this Fall. The best thing about a vegetable soup is using up extra produce and maybe a few canned veggies. With beef stew meat pan-fried with a beautifully caramelized crust, there’s so much flavor to enjoy in each bite.

Slow cooker filled with ingredients for soup recipe.

Why You’ll Love Cooking Vegetable Beef Soup in a Slow Cooker

It’s worth the labor AND the wait – Cleary, if this is a fully loaded vegetable soup, there will be veggies to prep. Don’t let that stress you; spend about 20 minutes cutting, chopping, and cooking a few ingredients to get this crock pot veggie soup with beef going. You’re belly and tastebuds will love the finished product.
So flavorful and delicious – Simmering beef vegetable soup over a few hours in the crock pot allows all the flavors to meld together and infuse the broth with mouthwatering tastes. From the cabbage, the sweetness of carrots, hearty chunks of potatoes, and a medley of other fresh and canned veggies, this soup hits the spot!
Perfect for meal prepping – I love making a big batch of soup for dinner one night and then again for lunch a few times a week. I even freeze a portion or two for a craving I’m sure I’ll have later.
Use up produce and clear the pantry – You can’t go wrong with vegetable soup. Have half a bell pepper in the fridge? Throw it in the pot! Is your pantry loaded down with canned goods? Pick a few to include in your soup.
Super garlicky goodness – This garlic vegetable beef soup uses a whole head of garlic. Instead of chopping it, cut off the top and peel back the extra paper from the garlic. Place on top and allow to cook until soft. Then you can squeeze the cloves out and mash them before stirring them into the broth. It’s so delicious!

Ingredients for Vegetable Beef Soup

Beef – I use beef stew meat and cut the chunks into smaller pieces. I use about a pound for this big batch as it is more veggie-forward, but feel free to add more. The trick to the best flavor from using beef is to toss the pieces in flour and pan-sear them. It caramelizes the beef tips and leaves some delicious bits on the bottom of the pan that sauteeing the vegetables will pick up.
Fresh vegetables: onions, celery, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, red pepper, and a whole head of garlic
Canned vegetables: tomatoes, green beans, and corn. Using these was an easy grab from the pantry but use fresh if you prefer!
Seasoning: salt, pepper, adobe, dried thyme
Flavoring: Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, vegetable base, and beef base. You can switch out the base for broth or stock.

How to Make Vegetable Soup with Beef in a Slow Cooker

I take a few extra steps when making this vegetable beef soup recipe for the slow cooker. Sure, you could just throw everything in the crock pot and let it simmer away, but you’ll miss out on building a savory, full-flavored soup. Start by cutting the beef into small pieces and prepping the vegetable for cooking and turning the crock pot on to High. Follow these steps for the best vegetable beef soup!

Step 1: Heat a large skillet with olive oil. While it’s heating up, toss the cubed beef in flour to coat. Add to the hot pan and cook until well browned, then transfer to the slow cooker with a slotted spoon. Leave the oil and juice from the beef in the pan.

Step 2: To the same skillet, add the onions and celery. Scrap the bottom of the pan to pick up the beef tidbits and sautee the veggies for just a few minutes. You’re not cooking them all the way, just releasing flavor! Add to the slow cooker.

Step 3: One more time to the same pan, add a little more oil or butter. Cook down the cabbage for about 8 minutes. This helps kickstart its cooking and gives more room in the crockpot for all the add-ins.

Step 4: While the cabbage is cooking down, add the remaining fresh veggies, seasonings, bases (or broth) with water, garlic, and all the canned veggies minus peas. Then toss in the cabbage when done cooking.

Step 5: Once everything is added to the crock pot it should be packed to the max full. I usually wait before stirring when everything is softer and will make less of a mess.

Step 6: Cover and allow to cook for 5-6 hours until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Within the last 20-30 minutes, add in the peas and turn down to low. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

Prep vegetables ahead of time. You can save a bunch of time by cutting and chopping all the vegetables beforehand, up to a day or two. Save potatoes to cut right before to prevent browning.
Use broth instead of bases. Vegetable broth and beef broth can be used instead. You’ll need about 32 oz of liquid in total. You can always add more if needed.
Switch up the veggies. These are my go-to veggies for a traditional and wholesome vegetable beef soup recipe, but they are pretty simple to swap out. Try sweet potatoes instead of white, different peppers, squashes, and so many more. If using squash or another veggie that cooks up quickly, wait until the end to add them.
Add some leafy greens. Replace the cabbage with collards, kale, or spinach. For the kale and spinach, add it shortly before serving for the best results.
Skip the beef. Make this soup vegetarian by eliminating the beef and replacing the beef base or broth with more vegetable broth. Or, try it with chicken instead and use chicken broth. Seriously, there are so many ways for this to be an amazing soup recipe the whole family will enjoy!

Can I make this soup on the stove?

Yes! Instead of transferring the ingredients to the slow cooker after sauteeing, simply continue building the base in the pot and simmer for about an hour and a half. You’ll need a BIG pot, as this recipe makes about 5 quarts.

Storage

Allow the soup to cool completely before storing it. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container or gallon ziptop bag. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Enjoy making this soup all year long and utilizing seasonal produce throughout. This vegetable soup with beef is wholesome, cozy, and a fantastic family dinner recipe. Plus, each serving is only about 300 calories but fills you up. Just don’t get too upset if you eat an extra bowl!

More Soup Recipes

I hope you enjoy this hearty Vegetable Beef Soup recipe. Let me know in the comments if you tried this recipe. Be sure to tag #ladleandgrain on Facebook and Instagram!