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Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup. A hearty soup and the perfect comfort meal,with a fantastic broth made from scratch in the pressure cooker. (Or you can short-cut and use store-bought broth.) The broth takes about 3 hours,primarily unattended - 45 minutes of oven roasting the beef bones and 75 minutes of pressure cooking the broth. Once the broth is done,this soup can come together on a weeknight with a quick sauté,browning of some beef,and 15 minutes of pressure cooking.
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Soup makes me sit back and reflect. Everyone has favorite comfort foods,but there's just something about a bowl of soup. Soup comforts at a deeper,more fundamental level. It's the culinary equivalent of being tucked under a blanket on a bitterly cold morning. So,when my friends at [Certified Angus Beef] asked me to do a comfort food recipe,vegetable beef soup was the first thing I thought of.
Now,I'll admit up front:this recipe is an odd mix of "do it from scratch" and "convenience." Who says I have to be consistent?
The key to this recipe is making beef broth from scratch. Yes,Instant Pot browned beef broth takes a couple of hours,but you can make it ahead of time. (You will understand "frozen assets" when you have a freezer full of homemade broth.) The pressure cooker is my key to the broth - a few hours of (mostly) unattended work,and I have quarts of broth ready for whatever may come.
My hidden shame is on the opposite end of the "from scratch" spectrum. I…I…I use frozen mixed vegetables in my soup. (Phew. I admitted it. It's such a relief.) Homemade broth makes a huge difference in flavor,but I'm unsure about home-chopped vegetables. Especially since I only want about a pound of mixed vegetables. There's no convenient way to get the variety of a bag of frozen mixed vegetables - peas and carrots,corn and beans - without having a lot of each left over. There's nothing wrong with fresh vegetables - if you have them,please use them in this soup! (See the Notes section for details). But I wouldn't go out and buy them just for this recipe.
Ingredients
Beef Broth
- 3 pounds beef bones (or beef soup bones)
- 1 ½ pounds meaty beef shanks (or oxtail,or short ribs – you want cheap beef,on the bone)
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
- 2 medium onions,peeled and halved
- 1 head garlic,top ⅓rd trimmed off
- 2 carrots,peeled
- 2 stalks celery,trimmed
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 10 peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Water to cover (8 to 12 cups)
Vegetable Beef Soup
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 ½ pounds beef stew meat,cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 large onion,chopped
- 3 cloves garlic,minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 8 cups beef broth
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 pound (3 to 4) Yukon gold potatoes,cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 (16-ounce) bag of frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
How to make Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
Make the Beef Broth
Heat the oven to 425°F. In a large roasting pan,rub the tomato paste over the beef bones and shanks. Add the onions,garlic,carrots,and celery to the pan. Put the pan in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Turn the beef and aromatics and roast for another 15 to 30 minutes until the beef and aromatics are browned. Scrape everything from the roasting pan into an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker. Add the thyme,peppercorn,bay leaf,and 1 teaspoon of salt to the pot and add water to cover the bones – 8 to 12 cups of water,or whatever reaches your pot's max fill line. Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and pressure cook on high for 75 minutes in an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker or for 1 hour in a stovetop PC. Let the pressure come down naturally,about 30 more minutes. (The water holds a lot of heat,so it takes a while for the pressure to drop. If you get impatient,you can quick release the heat after 15 minutes.) Scoop the solids out of the pot with a slotted spoon and discard,then pour the broth through a fine mesh strainer. Skim the fat from the top of the broth as best you can. (This is easy if you refrigerate the broth overnight;the fat rises to the top and solidifies so that you can scrape it off in big chunks). Use 2 quarts of the broth in this recipe,and freeze the rest in 2-cup containers for later use.
Brown the beef (for the soup)
Wipe out the Instant Pot liner,then put it back over sauté mode set to medium (medium heat in a stovetop PC). Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until it shimmers,about 3 minutes. Brown the beef cubes on one side in two batches so we don't crowd the pot. Brown the first batch for about 4 minutes,then transfer to a bowl. Add the second batch,brown it on one side (about 4 minutes),then move it to the bowl with the rest of the beef.
Sauté the aromatics
Add the onion and garlic to the pot,and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt and the dried thyme. Sauté until the onion turns translucent,about 5 minutes,occasionally scraping the bottom of the pot with a flat-edged wooden spoon to work loose any browned bits of beef or onion.
Pressure Cook on high for 15 minutes with a quick pressure release
Add the browned beef and any juices,the beef broth,the crushed tomatoes,and the potatoes to the bowl. Stir to mix everything up in the pot. Lock the pressure cooker lid. Pressure cook on high pressure (manual mode) for 15 minutes in an electric PC or 12 minutes in a stovetop PC,and then quick release the pressure. (If you have the time,pressure cook for 12 minutes in an electric PC,10 minutes in a stovetop PC,and let the pressure come down naturally,about 20 more minutes.)
Simmer the frozen vegetables
Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode - high (medium-high heat in a stovetop PC). Pour in the frozen mixed vegetables and let them heat through for about 5 minutes.
Season and serve
This homemade broth has very little salt,so you will need to season the soup heavily. Add salt until the taste picks up – from flat and dull to sweet and delicious. (I add 1 ½ teaspoons of fine sea salt to get the broth tasting the way I want it to.) Also,stir in fresh ground black pepper;I like about ½ teaspoon for 8 cups of broth. Serve and enjoy!
Do I have to brown the beef for the broth?
Yes. Trust me. The extra browning time is worth it.
Sure,it is faster to throw raw beef bones and uncooked vegetables in the pressure cooker when making broth. I do this all the time with my https://www.dadcooksdinner.com/instant-pot-chicken-back-broth/">Instant Pot chicken broth. But beef broth is different. Browning brings out the flavors in the meat. It is worth the extra effort to get the extra depth of flavor.
I brown the beef in the oven because there are too many beef bones to brown in the pressure cooker in a reasonable amount of time.
Equipment
Tips and Tricks
- What kind of beef bones?: For beef broth,I need cheap,meaty bones. At my local grocery store,I get two different cuts of beef. The first cut of beef is soup bones,which give me mostly bones with a bit of meat on them. The second beef cut is beef shanks,which give me mostly meat with some bone. The mix gives me the right balance of flavorful meat and gelatin-filled bones to make a rich and flavorful broth. (Oxtail and beef short ribs are two other good choices instead of the beef shanks,but both are expensive at my local stores.)
- Fresh vegetables: Don't feel like using frozen vegetables? Stir in a pound of fresh vegetables when you add the potatoes. Go with one or more of:diced carrots,corn,bell peppers,or green beans,cut into ½-inch pieces. Or,use whatever other vegetable you need in your vegetable soup.
- Other frozen vegetables: I like a medley of vegetables in my beef soup,so I use a frozen bag of mixed vegetables. If you like lima beans,go with a frozen succotash blend. Or,to simplify it,use frozen peas and carrots. Or just frozen peas,for the simplest version. (I could get my young kids to eat the frozen peas and carrots version,but the "other stuff" was too much for them back then.)
- Cuts of beef in the soup: My favorite stew meat is beef chuck roast,and bottom round roast is a good substitute. That said,I will take whatever my grocery store butcher is cutting up and putting in the "stew meat" packages - it usually looks like chuck roast to me.
- Ground beef: I like little beef cubes in my soup,so I don't use ground beef. But,if you want to,use leaner ground beef (85/15 or leaner) and add it instead of the beef stew meat.
- Don't re-use the meat from the broth in the soup: I used to be frugal,and re-use the beef from the broth. That was a mistake. The beef in the broth gave all its flavor to the broth. I discard all the broth ingredients and add fresh beef to the soup.
- Store-bought beef broth: If you're desperate,you can use store-bought beef broth. I won't judge. Skip the Beef Broth section,go straight to the Vegetable Beef Soup instructions,and add 8 cups (2 quarts) of store-bought broth. Usually,this is where I recommend you look for low-sodium broth,but I have a hard time finding low-sodium beef broth. Use what you can find and skip the salt in the seasoning step at the end of the recipe.
Make Ahead
Make Ahead: Beef broth freezes beautifully. Finish the "make the beef broth step" and then store the broth in the refrigerator overnight. The next day,scrape the fat cap off the top of the broth and freeze the broth in 2-cup containers. (I use pint canning jars with storage caps.) When making the soup,I thaw the canning jars in the microwave (lids removed!) while making the recipe. I add the thawed broth at the "add the broth" step. It's OK if the broth is still a bit frozen - the pressure cooker will finish thawing it out.
Leftovers: Soup makes excellent leftovers. I store the soup in 2-cup airtight containers,where it keeps in the freezer for up to 6 months. Whenever I need a warm soup lunch,I pull a container out of the freezer and have delicious soup from the microwave in under ten minutes.
Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe
Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Yield: 2 quarts of soup 1x
Description
Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup. A hearty soup and the perfect comfort meal,with a fantastic broth made from scratch in the pressure cooker.
Beef Broth
- 3 pounds beef bones (or beef soup bones)
- 1 ½ pounds meaty beef shanks (or oxtail,or short ribs – you want cheap beef,on the bone)
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
- 2 medium onions,peeled and halved
- 1 head garlic,top ⅓rd trimmed off
- 2 carrots,peeled
- 2 stalks celery,trimmed
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 10 peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 bay leaves
- Water to cover (8 to 12 cups)
Vegetable Beef Soup
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 ½ pounds beef stew meat,cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 large onion,chopped
- 3 cloves garlic,minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 8 cups beef broth
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 pound (3 to 4) Yukon gold potatoes,cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen mixed vegetables
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the Beef Broth: Heat the oven to 425°F. In a large roasting pan,rub the tomato paste over the beef bones and beef shanks. Add the onions,garlic,carrots and celery to the pan. Put the pan in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Turn the beef and aromatics and roast for another 15 to 30 minutes,until the beef and aromatics are browned. Scrape everything from the roasting pan into the pressure cooker pot. Add the thyme and peppercorns to the pot and cover the bones with water – 8 to 12 cups of water,or whatever reaches your pot’s max fill line. Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and pressure cook on high for 75 minutes in an electric PC,1 hour in a stovetop PC. Let the pressure come down naturally,about 30 more minutes. (The water holds a lot of heat,so it takes a while for the pressure to drop. If you get impatient,you can quick release the heat after 15 minutes.) Scoop the solids out of the pot with a slotted spoon,then pour the broth through a fine mesh strainer. Skim the fat from the top of the broth as best you can. (This is easy if you refrigerate the broth overnight;the fat rises to the top and solidifies,so you can scrape it off in big chunks). Use 2 quarts of the broth in this recipe,and freeze the rest of the broth in 2 cup containers for later use.
- Brown the beef (for the soup): Wipe out the pressure cooker pot,then put it back over medium heat (sauté mode) and heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until it shimmers,about 3 minutes. Brown the beef cubes on one side,working in in two batches so we don’t crowd the pot. Brown the first batch of beef cubes on one side,about 4 minutes,then transfer to a bowl. Add the second batch,brown it on one side (again,about 4 minutes),then move it to the bowl with the rest of the beef.
- Sauté the aromatics: Add the onion and garlic to the pot,and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt and the dried thyme. Sauté until the onion turns translucent,about 5 minutes,occasionally scraping the bottom of the pot with a flat-edged wooden spoon to work loose the browned bits of beef.
- Pressure Cook on high for 15 minutes with a quick pressure release: Add browned beef and any juices in the bowl,the beef broth,the crushed tomatoes,and the potatoes. Stir to mix everything up in the pot. Lock the pressure cooker lid. Pressure cook on high pressure (manual mode) for 15 minutes in an electric PC or 12 minutes in a stovetop PC,and then quick release the pressure. (Or,if you have the time,pressure cook for 12 minutes in an electric PC,10 minutes in a stovetop PC,and let the pressure come down naturally,about 20 more minutes.)
- Simmer the frozen vegetables: Set the pressure cooker to sauté mode adjusted to high (or turn on medium-high heat) and pour in the frozen mixed vegetables. Let the frozen vegetables heat through,about 5 minutes.
- Season and serve: There is very little salt in this homemade broth,so you will need to season the soup heavily. Add salt until the taste picks up – it goes from flat and boring to sweet and delicious. (I added 1 ½ teaspoons of fine sea salt to get the broth tasting the way I wanted it to.) Also stir in fresh ground black pepper;I like about ½ teaspoon for 8 cups of broth. Serve and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Sunday Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup,Pressure Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup
What do you think?
Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
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