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    Home » Blog » Whole Food Recipes » Homemade Soups

    February 12, 2020 | By Jami

    Slow Cooker Italian Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe (+ Instant Pot Option)

    Jump to Recipe

    A perfect dump-and-go recipe, this slow cooker Italian vegetable beef soup is perfect for those busy winter weeknights when you need dinner to be ready when you get home. It's a one dish meal packed with healthy ingredients that works just as well for potlucks and entertaining a crowd.

    Italian Vegetable Beef Soup in bowl

    This easy crock pot soup is the perfect solution to a fridge loaded with a lot of odds and ends of vegetables that you'd like to use up. It's flavored with beef, broth, red wine, garlic, and Italian seasonings so I call it Italian vegetable beef soup.

    Served with a crusty bread and topped with parmesan, it's just a perfect cold weather meal that's waiting for you when you get home.

    Crockpot Italian Vegetable Beef Soup above

    What makes this recipe so great for menu planning is that it's a very flexible soup so you can use whatever you have on hand. If you're trying to combat food waste, this is a good recipe to have in your arsenal.

    Plus, it's my favorite kind of slow cooker recipe: dump everything in a pot and leave it to cook. I'm so thankful for my slow cooker!

    Update: I've now added Instant Pot instructions in the recipe card, so you've got choices.

    Italian Vegetable Beef Soup Ingredients

    Crockpot Italian Vegetable Beef Soup ingredients

    The list of ingredients may seem long, but they are essentially beef, vegetables, seasonings, and liquid. As mentioned, its very flexible so if you don't have one of the vegetables, leave it out or replace it with something else.

    For example, I didn't have sweet red peppers when I made this recipe so I just left them out. There are so many vegetables in this soup that leaving out one or two isn't going to matter.

    While some of the vegetables are flexible, there are some ingredients I'd say you have to have:

    • beef (maybe obvious, ha!)
    • broth
    • onions
    • garlic
    • tomatoes
    • seasonings

    To this you can add whatever vegetables you have to be used up and you can include the wine for flavor (or use all broth).

    Slow Cooker Italian Beef Soup Recipe

    Italian Vegetable Beef Soup- crockpot

    You simply add all the ingredients to the bowl of your crockpot (or Instant Pot - see recipe for variation), give it all a good stir and let it cook all day.

    If you are into browning meat before making a stew or soup, go for it! For me, I appreciate a dump-and-go slow cooker recipe on busy days so I don't usually take that step.

    The one thing I wait to add is the frozen green beans - they are added in the last hour of cooking just so they aren't too mushy. If you won't be home in time to do that, you could add them at the beginning - they are still okay, I just prefer them a little firmer.

    Slow Cooker Italian Vegetable Beef Soup close

    Some of the ways I've changed this recipe up include using different beans and vegetables and using venison in place of the beef. I've even used pork and chicken stock, just switching to white wine and keeping the same seasonings.

    Anyway you make it turns out great.

    Even though it makes a lot, it also freezes well, so this is a great meal prep plan: make a big pot, serve it that night, and freeze in single serving containers for lunches and quick dinners.

    What to serve with Italian Vegetable Beef Soup

    • Easy Artisan Bread
    • Easy Sourdough Artisan Bread
    • Simple French Baguettes
    • Homemade Hummus Made With Sesame Seeds (Homemade Tahini)
    • Best Homemade Ranch Dressing and cut up vegetables
    Slow Cooker Italian Vegetable Beef Soup close
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Slow Cooker Italian Vegetable Beef Soup

    Easy vegetable beef soup recipe made in a slow cooker or instant pot is packed with healthy ingredients that works just as well for potlucks and entertaining a crowd.
    Prep Time30 mins
    Cook Time8 hrs
    Total Time8 hrs 30 mins
    Course: Soups and Stews
    Cuisine: Italian
    Yield: 8 servings
    Author: Jami Boys

    Equipment

    • Slow Cooker or Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups cooked beans white, red, garbanzo, etc.; canned or frozen
    • 3 carrots diced (or parsnips)
    • 1 onion chopped
    • 1 sweet red bell pepper chopped, fresh or frozen
    • 2 stalks celery sliced
    • 1/4 head red or green cabbage chopped (about 3 cups)
    • 2 14- ounces cans diced tomatoes
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1½ pounds beef cut in 1/2-in. pieces (or cooked hamburger, pork or chicken)
    • 3 cups beef broth
    • 1/2 cup dry red wine or more broth
    • 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
    • 3 teaspoons salt or to taste (adjust if using a salty broth)
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
    • 2 cups cut green beans frozen or fresh
    • grated parmesan cheese for serving

    Instructions

    • Place the first nine ingredients, beans through beef, into the bowl of a large slow cooker (or Instant Pot pressure cooker).
    • Stir together the broth, red wine if using, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Pour over the ingredients in the cooker. Stir well and push the ingredients down into the liquid - if the everything's not covered with liquid, add enough water or broth to cover (do not go over the MAX line if using an Instant pot, though).

    Slow Cooker:

    • Cook on LOW for 7 hours or HIGH for 3½ hours.
    • Add the green beans and cook for another hour, 8 hours total on LOW, 4½ hours total on HIGH.

    Instant Pot:

    • Lock the lid and set to MANUAL, cooking on high pressure for 20 minutes (Note on timing: it takes about 20 minutes to come up to pressure). Let the steam release naturally, which should take another 10-20 minutes. (Total time will be about an hour.)
      Green Bean Note: it would take too much time to add the green beans in, let it come back to pressure and cook for just 2-3 minutes, so I either leave out the green beans or add them in the beginning. Try it and see what you like.
    • To Serve: Adjust seasonings and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan.

    Notes

    Variations: This is really a basic recipe that you can use with different meats and vegetables. I've made this using chopped pork roast and vegetables, as well as ground beef. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cup | Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 1297mg | Potassium: 878mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 4580IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 5mg
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @anoregoncottage or tag #anoregoncottage!

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    Crockpot Italian Vegetable Beef Soup-bowls above

    More Easy Soups To Try

    • Black Bean and Sausage Soup Recipe (Slow Cook or Instant Pot)
    • Mexican Chicken Corn Soup - 30 Minute Recipe
    • Harvest Vegetable Ham Bone Soup Recipe (Crockpot, Instant Pot, or Stovetop)
    • Amazing Cauliflower Cheese Soup in 30 Minutes

     

    This recipe has been updated - it was originally published in March of 2010.

    About Jami

    Since 2009 Jami Boys has been helping readers live a simple homemade life through whole food recipes, doable gardening, and easy DIY projects on An Oregon Cottage. From baking bread, to creating a floor from paper, to growing and preserving food, Jami shares the easiest ways to get things done. She's been featured in Cottages and Bungalows, Old House Journal, and First for Women magazines as well as numerous sites like Good Housekeeping, Huffington Post, and Apartment Therapy.

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Dawn says

      April 01, 2021 at 6:34 am

      5 stars
      This soup is delicious. I've made it more than once and every time I think about how much better it would be if I had the right beef broth. What kind do you like, Jami? I've tried Pacific organic beef broth and Great Value organic beef broth and both taste like water with nearly undetectable beef flavor. When I get the canned beef broth soups at the store (like Progresso or Campbells), the broth is so much more flavorful. It seems like a homemade soup should be better than a canned soup. Any ideas?

      Reply
      • Jami says

        April 02, 2021 at 5:37 pm

        I usually use the organic Better than Bullion for beef broth, Dawn. What's nice about it (besides the value and longevity) is that you can make it as strong as you'd like!

        Reply
        • Dawn says

          May 04, 2021 at 7:35 am

          I'm going to try that - thanks!

          Reply
    2. the country cook says

      March 17, 2010 at 4:20 am

      Elk meat! Nice!

      Reply
    3. Heather says

      March 16, 2010 at 7:11 pm

      Looks delicious, this is my kind of recipe. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    4. Mrs. P. says

      March 16, 2010 at 4:04 pm

      This looks delicious!

      Blessings!
      Gail

      Reply
    5. Brenda says

      March 16, 2010 at 5:55 pm

      I make lots of soups out of leftovers, they often turn out to be the best kinds 🙂

      Reply
    6. Jane Anne says

      March 16, 2010 at 3:04 pm

      I wish I had leftovers like that. The soup looks delicious.

      I'm visiting from Tasty Tuesday. Here's my post: Monster Cookies. (Oh, I'm in Oregon, too.)

      Reply
    7. Headmistress, zookeeper says

      March 16, 2010 at 5:01 am

      Looks delicious!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Jami and I'm so glad you're here! My desire is to help you live a simple homemade life through delicious whole food recipes, easy organic gardening and preserving your harvest.

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