The pinnacle of seasonal achievements, the sensation of savory flavors, the warmth to match the cruel cold of winter, here it is: The Perfect Winter Soup. Perfection, it turns out, begins with a simmered beef broth sure to beef up your defenses against the chill, then adds crumbles of juicy ground beef and potatoes to make it extra tasty and extra hearty. Throw in a few aromatic herbs, a few tomatoes for brightness, and presto! Turns out achieving perfection isn’t hard at all with Perfect Winter Soup on the menu.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 3 medium onions, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 (10.5-ounce) cans condensed beef broth, undiluted
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cut green beans
- 1 cup potatoes, cubed and peeled
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced or 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –In a large skillet, cook the beef and the onions over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink, while crumbling, about 5-17 minutes. Drain the excess grease.
Step 2 –Transfer the cooked meat mixture to a 5-quart slow cooker.
Step 3 –Stir the garlic, the beef broth, the tomatoes, the water, the carrots, the celery, the green beans, the potatoes, the parsley, the basil, the thyme, the salt, and the pepper into the meat mixture.
Step 4 –Cover and cook on low heat until the veggies are tender, about 6-8 hours.
Step 5 –Serve.