Hearty Vegetable Beef Soup

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lbs beef stew meat
• 2 ½ Tbsp olive oil, divided
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 ¾ cups)
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped (about 1 ¼ cups)
• 3 celery stalks, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 ½ Tbsp)
• 8 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth
• 2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 ½ tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 1 lb red or yellow potatoes, cut into ¾-inch cubes
• 1 ½ cups chopped green beans (trimmed ends)
• 1 ½ cups frozen corn
• 1 cup frozen peas
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Brown the Beef:
   Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Pat the beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Add half of the beef and brown for about 4 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove to a plate. Repeat with remaining beef, adding ½ Tbsp oil if needed.
2. Sauté the Veggies:
   Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to the now-empty pot. Sauté onions, carrots, and celery for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
3. Simmer the Soup:
   Pour in the broth, diced tomatoes, browned beef, basil, oregano, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add Potatoes:
   Stir in the potatoes and continue simmering, covered, for 20 minutes. (Optional: add green beans now if you like them very soft.)
5. Finish the Vegetables:
   Add the green beans and simmer 15 more minutes, or until all vegetables and beef are tender.
6. Add Corn, Peas, and Parsley:
   Stir in the corn and peas and simmer for about 5 minutes until heated through. Remove from heat, stir in fresh parsley, and serve warm.