Hearty Italian Vegetable Beef Soup (2024)

Hearty Italian Vegetable Beef Soup is filled with chunks of ground beef, plenty of vegetables, and generous Italian spices.This soup is inspired by the Italian Vegetable Soup that has been a family favorite for over 20 years.

Did you know that Italian Vegetable Soup was the very first recipe I posted on this blog? And as much as we love that recipe, I haven’t touched that post since it was first published in all of its four-sentence glory 10+ years ago. It makes me smile to remember how simple blogging was in the beginning.

My husband carried one version or another of this soup to work with him for lunch at least a couple of times a week for years. The soup freezes beautifully and I almost always have a few servings tucked away for those lunches.

This Vegetable Beef Soupis deliciously filling while remaining full of nutritious veggies and completely grain-free.

As an added benefit to anyone tackling a new way of eating this year, the soup happens to fall under the “approved” category for both Whole30 and Paleo eating plans.

Me? I just like this soup because it’s delicious. It’s so comforting and, as the name suggests, hearty. This Vegetable Beef Soup feeds both body and soul.

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

A few years ago, my husband Sean kicked off the year with a month of fairly strict Whole30 eating. (That might have something to do with all the fudge recipes that tend to fill our house during the holidays.)

For what it’s worth, we all typically eat the same foods Sean, I just add a handful of Fritos on my salads, wrap my eggs in a tortilla, and heaven forbid I ever fully give up chocolate.

I’ve been sifting through all of our recipes, finding the ones that will fit into the Whole30 plan, and tweaking some others to make them work. I’ve also put together a huge collection of 100+ Paleo Recipes that either fit into the Whole30 category or can be easily adapted to work.

This Hearty Italian Vegetable Beef Soup was an obvious one to add to the list. Ground beef makes the soup a good source of protein served up with a generous amount of chunky vegetables, herbs, and spices in a tomato-y base.

I use cabbage, celery, onion, and carrots as the main vegetables in this soup and I’ve never been disappointed by how economical this healthy soup recipe is.

This soup is plenty filling served on its own for lunch or dinner. If you aren’t avoiding grains or gluten, it also pairs very nicely with a loaf of homemade bread (gluten-free bread too) or a side of oyster crackers.A nice simple salad also makes a tasty and fresh accompaniment.

I serve my family a wide variety of meals and I think, overall, we eat a pretty balanced diet. Still, sometimes I feel like the so-called “healthy” recipes leave me wanting more.

That is not at all the case with this beef and vegetable soup. This recipe is so satisfying and full of flavor that you won’t feel deprived.I love soups with pasta, potatoes, and cream as much as the next girl (and maybe more) but this hearty veggie soup holds up to all of those comfort foods.

Whether you’re trying a Paleo, Whole30, or similar diet, or just looking for a truly remarkable soup recipe, you need to give this one a try.

Vegetable Beef Soup

Vegetable Beef Soup proves that cooking healthful meals doesn’t need to be expensive or time-consuming. It takes little more than tossing everything in one pot and letting it simmer for a while to make a hearty soup that everyone in your family loves.

Ground beef is sauteed in a soup pot with garlic and onion until brown and fragrant. Water, tomato puree, diced tomatoes, celery, and carrots are added to the pot along with oregano, basil, and thyme.

Cabbage goes in right at the end of the cooking time to keep it from getting overcooked. The result is perfectly tender cabbage that adds a wonderful flavor and texture to the finished soup.

This recipe makes a good amount of soup but you’ll be happy to have the leftovers. Vegetable Beef Soup keeps well in the fridge for a few days and freezes like a dream.

I freeze my vegetable beef soup in two-cup-sized containers to reheat for easy lunches. You can reheat it from frozen in the microwave or let the frozen soup thaw first. The leftover soup is delicious both ways.

I hope you enjoy this Hearty Italian Vegetable Beef Soup every bit as much as we do!

Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe

Kitchen Tip: I used thispot or this dutch ovento make this recipe.

1. In the bottom of a large pot, over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef along with the garlic and onion.
2. When the beef has browned, about 8 minutes, add the carrots, celery, and water to the pot. Increase heat to high and add the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover with a lid.
3. When the soup begins boiling, stir, and reduce heat to medium; simmer uncovered for about 15-20 minutes until the carrots are tender.
4. Taste the soup and adjust the salt as desired. Stir in the cabbage. Simmer a few more minutes, just until the cabbage has wilted. Top with cheese, if desired, just before serving.

FREEZER TIP: This soup freezes well and can be reheated in the microwave straight from the freezer or allowed to thaw in the refrigerator and then reheated on the stove or in the microwave. I store it in two-cup containers for easy lunches.

Hearty Soup Recipes

Looking for more easy and nutritious soup recipes? I tried a version of this Italian Soup with Sausage and it was just as delicious. This Green Chile Bean and Vegetable Soupand Mexican White Bean and Cabbage Soup are must tries too.

Check out these recipes for Sriracha Beef Lettuce Wraps, Crock-Pot Mediterranean Chicken, Butternut Squash Prosciutto Breakfast Hash, Whole30 Stuffed Cabbage, and Bacon Avocado Chicken Salad for more Whole30 dinner inspiration.

{originally published 1/4/2016 – recipe notes and photos updated 11/10/21}