Ina Garten’s Nourishing Beef Vegetable Soup Recipe for Cozy Days

Beef vegetable soup represents the ultimate comfort food for cold winter nights.

Warm, nourishing ingredients blend together in a rich, aromatic broth that promises deep satisfaction.

Each spoonful carries memories of slow-cooked family meals and traditional cooking techniques.

Home cooks appreciate how simple techniques can transform basic ingredients into something extraordinary.

The robust combination of tender meat and fresh vegetables creates a deeply satisfying meal that warms you from the inside out.

Rich, hearty flavors develop slowly, allowing each ingredient to contribute its unique character to the final masterpiece: your perfect dinner companion awaits.

Why Beef Vegetable Soup Feels So Wholesome

• Savor Rich, Hearty Flavors: This beef vegetable soup delivers an incredible depth of flavor from slowly browned oxtails and carefully caramelized vegetables, creating a robust taste that warms you from the inside out.
• Master Easy Cooking Technique: The recipe follows a simple one-pot method where ingredients build layers of flavor, making it approachable for home cooks of all skill levels while delivering professional-quality results.
• Enjoy Nourishing Comfort Meal: Packed with tender meat, nutritious vegetables, and satisfying barley, this soup offers a complete and wholesome meal that provides both nutrition and comfort during cold days or when you need a soul-warming dish.
• Create Flexible Weekend Cooking: The recipe allows easy adaptation, lets you control seasoning, and provides a relaxed cooking experience perfect for leisurely weekend meal preparation with minimal active cooking time.

What You’ll Need for the Veggie Mix

• Oxtails: Tender meat that adds rich, deep flavor to the soup; choose well-marbled cuts for maximum richness.

• Carrots, Onion, Celery, Leeks: Classic soup vegetables that provide layers of flavor and nutritional value; fresh, firm produce works best.
• Garlic: Aromatic base that enhances overall soup depth; choose fresh, firm bulbs.

• Thyme Sprigs: Fresh herb that provides earthy, subtle flavor; tied for easy removal.
• Bay Leaves: Adds complex, subtle background note; whole leaves for easy removal.
• Salt and Pepper: Essential seasoning to enhance and balance soup's taste.

• Beef Broth: Rich, foundational liquid that creates soup's core flavor; low-sodium options allow better seasoning control.

• Barley: Hearty grain that adds texture and substance; provides filling, nutritious element to the soup.

• Olive Oil: Provides initial cooking base and helps develop flavor; extra virgin recommended for best taste.

How to Simmer Ina’s Beef Vegetable Soup

Step 1: Prepare The Meat

Brown the oxtails in a large Dutch oven with olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until meat develops a rich golden color, stirring occasionally. Remove meat and set aside on a plate.

Step 2: Sauté Aromatic Vegetables

• Minced garlic
• Chopped carrots
• Diced onions
• Sliced celery
• Chopped leeks

Cook vegetables over medium heat until they turn golden and release their wonderful flavors, about 10 minutes.

Step 3: Create Herbal Base

Tie thyme sprigs with kitchen string. Add thyme and bay leaves to the vegetable mixture. Return oxtails to the pot. Pour beef broth into the pot, covering the ingredients.

Step 4: Slow Simmer Magic

Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer gently. Skim off any excess fat that rises to the surface. Continue simmering for one hour. Remove bay leaves and thyme bundle after cooking.

Step 5: Cook The Barley

In a separate pot, boil water. Add barley and cook uncovered for 30 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.

Step 6: Combine And Finish

Stir the cooked barley into the soup. Continue simmering for an additional 15-20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Step 7: Serve And Enjoy

Optional: Remove oxtails, shred the meat, and return it to the soup. Ladle into warm bowls and serve immediately. Enjoy the rich, comforting flavors of this homemade soup.

Tips for Balanced Texture and Beefiness

• Maximize Meat Flavor: Thoroughly pat oxtails dry before browning to achieve a perfect golden-brown crust that locks in rich, deep flavors.
• Herb Bundle Hack: Tying thyme sprigs with kitchen string prevents leaf scatter and makes removal a breeze, keeping your soup clean and perfectly seasoned.
• Tender Meat Secret: Low and slow cooking breaks down tough connective tissues in oxtails, transforming them into melt-in-your-mouth tender meat with incredible depth.
• Fat Management Trick: Use a large spoon to skim excess fat during simmering, creating a cleaner, more refined soup with concentrated flavor profiles.
• Vegetable Timing Matters: Add root vegetables later in the cooking process to prevent overcooking, maintaining their texture and preserving their nutritional value.

How to Store This Soup Without Sogginess

• Freeze Whole: Preserve the soup's robust flavors by freezing in heavy-duty freezer containers, leaving 1-inch headspace to allow expansion. Label containers with date and contents for easy tracking. Frozen soup maintains peak quality for 3 months, ensuring delicious meals are always within reach.
• Refrigerate Strategically: Transfer soup to glass or ceramic containers with tight-fitting lids to prevent flavor absorption from other foods. Keep soup in the coldest part of the refrigerator, typically the back of the bottom shelf. Consume within 4 days for optimal taste and food safety.
• Portion Control: Divide soup into individual serving sizes before storing. Use silicone freezer bags or small containers for convenient single-serving reheating. This method prevents repeated thawing and refreezing, which can degrade soup quality and potentially compromise food safety.

Flavor Additions for Beef Veggie Soup

• Hearty Beef Barley Stew: Replace oxtails with chuck roast or short ribs for a more traditional beef stew experience. Enhance the flavor by adding red wine during the simmering process to create a richer, deeper taste profile.
• Mediterranean Vegetable Soup: Swap out traditional herbs with oregano and rosemary. Include diced zucchini, bell peppers, and swap barley with small pasta like orzo. Finish with a sprinkle of crumbled feta cheese for a Mediterranean touch.
• Slow Cooker Comfort Version: Transfer all ingredients to a slow cooker after initial sautéing. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, allowing flavors to meld together beautifully. Perfect for busy home cooks who want a hands-off approach to this classic soup.
• Lean Protein Protein Boost: Use lean ground beef or turkey instead of oxtails. Add kidney beans or white beans for extra protein and texture. Include a handful of chopped kale or spinach during the final cooking stage to increase nutritional value.

Soup Recap: Beef and Garden Goodness

Ina Garten’s beef vegetable soup embodies rustic comfort with sophisticated culinary techniques.

Rich oxtail broth mingles with hearty vegetables, creating layers of complex flavors.

Barley adds delightful texture and substance to each spoonful.

Garden-fresh ingredients elevate this classic recipe beyond ordinary soup preparations.

Each carefully crafted bite tells a story of warmth and nourishment.

Passionate cooks will savor this masterpiece – share this recipe, comment below, and spread deliciousness with fellow soup enthusiasts!

Ina Garten Beef Vegetable Soup Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.5 from 13 reviews

• Total Time: 2 hours
• Yield: 6 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Ina Garten’s hearty beef vegetable soup brings comfort straight from her Barefoot Contessa kitchen. Savory beef, tender vegetables, and rich broth blend into a soul-warming meal perfect for chilly evenings, satisfying your deepest hunger with classic American home cooking.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Protein:

• 2 pounds (907 grams) beef oxtails

Vegetables and Aromatics:

• 2 cups (300 grams) chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
• 2 cups (240 grams) diced carrots (4 carrots)
• 1 cup (150 grams) chopped yellow onion
• 1 cup (120 grams) diced celery (2 stalks)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Herbs, Seasonings, and Liquid:

• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) high-quality olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 10 cups (2.4 liters) beef broth (unsalted or low sodium preferred)
• 1 cup (190 grams) pearled barley

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Heat a large Dutch oven with olive oil over medium-high temperature. Season the oxtails with ground black pepper and salt. Brown the meat thoroughly, rotating occasionally to ensure even caramelization, approximately 10 minutes. Transfer the browned oxtails to a separate plate using a slotted spoon.
2. Utilize the same pot to sauté minced garlic, diced carrots, chopped onions, sliced celery, and julienned leeks. Cook the vegetables over medium heat, stirring periodically until they develop a golden, translucent appearance, roughly 8-10 minutes.
3. Create a fragrant herb bundle by tying thyme sprigs together with kitchen twine. Add the herb bundle and bay leaves to the vegetable mixture. Carefully reintroduce the browned oxtails to the pot and pour in beef broth, ensuring the meat is mostly submerged.
4. Elevate the liquid to a robust boil, then immediately reduce heat to low. Cover the pot and allow the stew to simmer gently, skimming any accumulated fat from the surface during cooking. After 60 minutes, discard the bay leaves and herb bundle.
5. Simultaneously prepare the barley in a separate saucepan. Bring of water to a rolling boil. Add the barley and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the grains become tender but not mushy, approximately 30-35 minutes.
6. Drain the cooked barley and fold it into the oxtail stew. Continue simmering for an additional 15-20 minutes to meld the flavors and ensure the barley reaches the desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
7. For enhanced texture, carefully remove the oxtails, extract the meat from the bones, and shred it before returning to the pot. Ladle the steaming stew into deep bowls and serve immediately with crusty bread.

Notes

• Elevate flavor by thoroughly browning oxtails, creating a rich caramelized foundation that deepens the soup’s taste profile.
• Create easy herb removal by securely tying thyme sprigs with kitchen string, preventing loose leaves from floating in the final dish.
• Monitor oxtail tenderness carefully, adjusting cooking time based on meat size and ensuring a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Remove excess fat during simmering to maintain a clean, balanced flavor and lighter soup consistency.
• Select fresh, high-quality oxtails with good marbling for maximum flavor and optimal meat texture.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 300 kcal
• Sugar: 2 g
• Sodium: 500 mg
• Fat: 10 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 38 g
• Fiber: 6 g
• Protein: 20 g
• Cholesterol: 60 mg