Beef Vegetable Soup From Cans

Fresh vegetables are nice.  Fresh vegetables are good.  BUT, you can't always fine good fresh vegetables when you want to make soup.  So here is my fallback recipe.   

With all the can vegetables that go in this soup you shouldn't need any additional salt.

Miss Anna calls this "Stone Soup" because it can use whatever ingredients you may have on hand.

Beef Vegetable Soup From Cans

1-1/2 pounds chuck roast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Olive oil

1 large white onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

3 14.5-ounce cans beef stock

2 beef bullion cubes

2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 14.5-ounce can green beans, drained

1 14.5-ounce can whole corn, drained

1 14.5-ounce can white beans, un-drained (optional)

1/2 pound white mushrooms, cut into chunks

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

2 cups water

3 medium potatoes, 1/2-inch dice

15 baby carrots, cut into thirds

2 small turnips, 1/2-inch dice (optional)

1 small rutabaga, 1/2-inch dice (optional)

2-3 bay leaves

Dried thyme

Dried basil

Black pepper

2 zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick (optional)

1/2 cup frozen green peas (optional)

Garnish: Parmesan cheese.

In a large soup pot, over medium high heat warm two tablespoons olive oil. In two batches, sauté the beef until no longer pink; remove and reserve. Add another tablespoon olive oil to the pot and sauté the onion and garlic for five minutes.

Add the beef, beef stock, bouillon cubes, tomatoes, green beans, corn, white beans, mushrooms, tomato sauce, water, potatoes, carrots and optional vegetables you are using.  Season to taste with basil, thyme, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and cook about 20 minutes or until beef, potatoes, carrots and optional vegetables are just tender; add zucchini and green peas and cook an additional 10 minutes.

Serve in warm bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if you like.

Note:  To make plain old vegetable Vegetable Soup From Cans omit the beef and change the beef broth and beef bouillon cubes to chicken or vegetable broth and chicken or vegetable bouillon cubes.  Everything else stays the same.