A Deliciously Tasty Amish Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe
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The Amish refer to a Christian sect that keeps to traditional values and avoids the conveniences of the modern world. The Amish value simple living, plain attire, family time, humility, and self-sufficiency. The initial migration of Amish began in the early 1700s. Their goal was to find a new home to escape religious persecution.
They often live in rural areas because the community is an essential part of Amish life. The largest population in the United States of Amish can be found in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan, among other states.
Part of the Amish culture is to tend to their own farms and gardens. Their cuisine is traditional and plays an important and integral role in the Amish culture – as the basis for weddings, events, farewells, and even fundraising events. Many of the traditional Amish cuisine staples are sold at local markets.
The Amish Vegetable Beef Soup recipe that follows makes a tasty and delicious vegetable beef soup, and offers a comforting and warm meal.
The Steps to Make the Amish Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe at Home
Ready for a comforting and warm bowl of homemade, old-fashioned vegetable beef soup that is the perfect one-pot meal on a cold or rainy day?
This Amish Vegetable Beef soup recipe is made of tender beef chunks and a plethora of vegetables – all simmered in a delicious tomato-based broth. In many ways, this wholesome and nutritious vegetable beef soup transports you back to a time when fast food was not a family norm and not found on every corner in town.
- Preparation Time – 20 minutes.
- Cooking Time – 1 hour – 15 minutes.
- Total Prep and Cook Time – 1 hour – 35 minutes
- Serves – 6
Recipe Ingredients For this Amish Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe
The great thing about this delicious and satisfying Amish Vegetable Beef soup recipe is it will taste like it was simmering on grandma’s stove all day. The reality is you simply need a stovetop and a large, heavy-weight saucepan to make this vegetable beef soup.
- 2 Tablespoons of Vegetable Oil.
- 1 Pound of Beef Stew Meat – Cut the Meat Into Bite-Size, 1/2-inch Chunks.
- 1 Onion – 1/3 Cup -Chopped.
- 8 Ounces of Sliced Fresh Mushrooms.
- 3 Carrots – Peeled and Coarsely Diced.
- 1 (14.5-ounce) Can of Diced Tomatoes – Do Not Drain the Diced Tomatoes.
- 8 Cups of Beef Broth.
- ½ of a Teaspoon of Salt.
- ½ of a Teaspoon of Fresh Black Pepper.
- 3/4 Cup of Quick-Cooking Pearl Barley.
Optional Ingredients for Amish Vegetable Beef Soup
This vegetable beef soup is the perfect base to add any number of vegetables you or your family love. Many of these optional ingredients can be fresh or frozen; the only limitation is your imagination and taste preference. Pro-tip – if you grab any of the noted fresh veggies, add a few more minutes to the cooking time.
- ½ Cup of Green Beans
- ½ Cup of Corn
- ½ Cup of Lima Beans
Cooking Directions For the Amish Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe Made at Home
There is nothing fancy or gourmet about this delicious Amish Vegetable Beef soup recipe – which is why most people love it.
- In a large soup pot (or crock pot), heat the 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil over high heat.
- When hot, add the beef chunks plus the chopped onion, mushrooms, carrots, and any of the optional vegetables.
- Saute the chopped vegetables and beef for about 6 to 8 minutes. The edges of the ingredients should begin to brown.
- Add the can of diced tomatoes, including the liquid the tomatoes are packed in.
- Then add the beef broth, salt, and pepper and stir.
- Bring this mixture to a rolling boil.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Simmer the beef and vegetable. Soup on this low heat setting for at least 30 minutes – until the stew meat is tender.
- Stir occasionally.
- After about one-half hour, add barley to the soup mixture.
- Simmer the beef, vegetable, and barley mixture for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. This amount of time is required for the barley to become tender.
- Salt and pepper to taste before serving.
FAQS
What can you serve with Amish Vegetable Beef soup?
Vegetable beef soup is best with these side dishes –
- Cornbread.
- Crusty French Baguette.
- Garlic Knots.
- Homemade Potato Chips.
- Cheese Toast, to name a few.
Can the Amish Vegetable Beef Soup recipe be Frozen?
Yes, if – and that is a big if – there is leftover soup; this delicious soup can be frozen for several months.
After the vegetable beef soup has cooled to room temperature, freeze the soup in some sort of airtight container. Many people freeze the soup in one-cup portion sizes in freezer bags, glass food storage containers, or even premade silicon molds.
Can you make this vegetable beef soup in a crock pot?
Yes. You can use a crock pot or slow cooker to complete the recipe. On a busy day, you can get a jump start on your dinner plans by preparing the vegetables and beef soup ingredients in the morning. Then add it all to a slow cooker and set it on low. When your errands are done, the slow cooker makes delicious ready-to-eat meal.
Pro-tip – Before you place the meat in the slow cooker, sear it on a stovetop to begin caramelizing the exterior of the beef chunks. Also, if you are planning to buy a crock pot (or want to upgrade your current slow cooker), buy one with a timer that allows you to set it to a ‘keep warm’ setting after it has done cooking. This helps to avoid overcooking the vegetable beef soup.
What is the best cut of meat for this Amish Vegetable Beef Soup?
Most people choose to use beef stew meat for this recipe because it is flavorful, convenient, and also cost-effective. You can substitute the beef with chuck roast or pot roast meat that is cut into similar size chunks.
Pro-tip – To save time, you can use 1.5 pounds of ground beef (rather than stew meat) which will cut down on overall cooking time.
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