I have such fond memories of my Mom and Dad together cooking in the kitchen. For some reason they just loved to cook together. My Mom would usually start and my Dad would jump in and add his touch to things, which didn’t always suit my Mom but they made it work!

One of the soups I had growing up was beef vegetable. I was never a big beef fan back in those days but I did love the beef vegetable soup. It was so flavorful and full of veggies, I loved to dip crusty Italian bread in this and I was a happy, happy girl!

I vary this recipe from time to time using beef neck bones with a lot of meat on them or a combination of beef neck bones and short ribs, but my parents made it exclusively with beef neck bones, they were modest folks and wouldn’t dream of using expensive short ribs for soup, and to be honest this makes for the best soup!

I promise you once you use meaty ass neck bones in your soup you won’t want to make it any other way, since it’s chock full of flavor with just enough beef and an abundance of vegetables, which is my kinda soup and the perfect balance in my opinion.  But if the carnivore in you needs more beef you can use beef short ribs with this as well!

I hope you give this one a try.  It’s perfect for a cold winter day!!

Sinfully,

Susan xoxo

Retro Beef Vegetable Soup

• Servings: 8
• Time: Ready in 2 1/2 hrs.
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

A rich, flavorful, and perfectly hearty soup, that eats like a meal and is perfect for a cold winter day!

Credit: CrazySexySavor.com

 

 

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. of meat beef neck bones
• 3 carrots diced
• 2 potatoes peeled and diced
• 3 stalks of celery diced
• 1 onion finely diced
• 1 32 oz. container of beef stock
• 4 cups of water
• 1 tbsp. of beef base or bouillon
• 1 24 oz. can of whole tomatoes hand crushed, with liquid (I use half the liquid)
• 1 tbsp. of tomato paste
• 1 cup of frozen or fresh green beans (I used french cut)
• 1 cup of corn fresh off the cob or frozen (I used fresh)
• 1/2 cup of macaroni
• 1 tsp. of garlic powder
• 1/2 tbsp. of Italian seasoning
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. of marjoram
• 1 tbsp. of fresh chopped parsley
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste
• EVOO

Directions

1. In large Dutch oven, heat a tbsp. of EVOO, season beck bones with kosher salt and cracked black pepper, add to oil and sear about 4 minutes per side. Remove neck bones from pot and add in onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes, let sauté about two minutes, then add back in the neck bones, add broth, water, bay leaf, beef base, tomatoes, and their juice along with tomato paste.  Add seasonings and herbs, season  soup with salt and pepper.
2. Let simmer for an 1 1/2 hours. Then add in corn and string beans. Simmer for another half hour, then remove neck bones and shred beef from them, add back in to the pot, then add in pasta. Simmer until pasta is done.  Retrive bay leaf from soup if used.
3. Serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping in the luscious broth, if desired.  Devour!