I love making hearty soups. When I see my kids eagerly slurping up bowls of cozy deliciousness, it warms my heart!

One recent cold winter Sunday, I wanted something warm and hearty — a one-bowl kind of supper — so I made this soup.

I have this weird weakness for soup. At a wedding, I most look forward to the soup course. When I go to a deli or a bagel shop, I always have to try the soup! But, the thing is, I am almost always disappointed. For some reason, soups that are not homemade are often very watery. (Although there’s a place here that makes an incredible three-bean soup that I love.) That’s why I like my homemade soups. They come out so thick and hearty, almost like a “stoup” — a soup and stew combo. We like it that way, but you can easily add more water to make it thinner, if your family prefers.

In my household, there’s a debate between chunky and creamy soups. So when I make soups, I make a big pot and then divide it into two smaller pots. I’ll blend half with my immersion blender and the other half I’ll leave chunky. Both versions freeze beautifully, though I love my soups fresh, so unless I’m cooking in advance for Yom Tov, any leftover soup I have I’ll give to a neighbor or my sister-in-law who lives close by.

When making this soup, the vegetables I use are really only suggestions. The beauty of soups is that there is no right or wrong — I like to post soup recipes more for the inspiration than anything else, because you can really do what you want. I actually made a very similar beef vegetable soup for Sukkos that was also absolutely licked clean! You can skip or swap any of the vegetables here or you can double something that you love. I don’t peel the zucchini, because I like the texture and fiber that the peel adds, but you certainly can if your family likes it without the peel. And if you want to keep it lower carb, you can skip the potato.

The soup packet base is the best-kept secret of this soup! I remember my grandmother using these in her soups. You can use any flavor and any company — I usually buy what’s cheapest or on sale. I use everything from the packet, including the little spice pack, which adds a lot of flavor.

Hearty Beef and Vegetable Soup

I love making hearty soups like this one. When I see my kids eagerly slurping up bowls of cozy deliciousness, it warms my heart!

Print Recipe

Ingredients

2 tsp oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 potato, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
1 small parsnip sliced
2 small carrots, sliced
¾ lb. (approx.) beef stew cubes
1 package soup mix, any flavor
6-8 cups water

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot. Add all diced vegetables and sauté for about 7-10 minutes, until translucent.
Add meat, soup packet and 6 cups water.
Bring to a boil, cover and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 1½ to 2 hours.