Baked Beef & Vegetable Soup
Submitted by mfairb
Oven-baked beef and vegetable soup with short ribs, leeks, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and small pasta in a rich homemade broth. Slow-baked for tender, fall-off-the-bone beef and layered flavor in every spoonful.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
2 hrsREADY
2 hrsMost beef soups simmer on the stovetop, but this one does its heavy lifting in the oven. Baking short ribs low and slow for two hours creates a broth with a velvety richness that stovetop simmering rarely achieves. The steady, even heat of the oven renders the fat gently and coaxes every bit of flavor from the bones.
Once the beef is fork-tender and shredded, julienned leeks, carrots, and celery go in for a brief simmer. Sliced mushrooms and cooked pasta join at the end, and a generous hit of fresh dill and parsley brightens the whole bowl. The result is a soup that feels rustic and refined at the same time.
Kitchen Tips
- Use an oven-safe Dutch oven or heavy casserole with a tight-fitting lid. The sealed environment traps steam and keeps the broth from reducing too fast.
- Defat the broth properly. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a gravy separator. If you have time, chill it and lift off the solidified fat for the cleanest result.
- Cut your julienne strips uniformly at roughly ¼ by 2 inches. Consistent cuts cook evenly and give the soup an elegant look.
- Cook the pasta separately. Adding raw pasta directly to the broth makes it starchy and cloudy. Cook it just until al dente, then add it in.
Variations
- Swap the pasta for egg noodles or small dumplings for a Central European twist.
- Add a parmesan rind to the broth during the oven bake for an extra layer of savory, umami depth.
Ingredients
Directions
- Leeks roots trimmed and 1 inch of green left on cut into ¼ x 2 inch julienne strips well washed ** Carrots cut into ¼ x 2 inch julienne strips *** Celery stalks cut into ¼ x 2 inch julienne strips Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃). Place beef, onion, garlic, peppercorns and broth in an oven-proof casserole. Add water to cover by 1½ inches. Bring to a boil. Cover and bake in the oven about 2 hours, until beef is very tender. Remove meat and cool. Shred from bones, discarding any fat and the bones. Cover. Pour broth through a fine mesh strainer into a gravy separator or bowl. Allow to cool. Pour or skim off fat and return defatted broth to the casserole. Add leeks, carrots and celery to casserole. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, 3 minutes. Add shredded beef to broth with mushrooms, pasta, salt and pepper. Bake, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in dill and parsley. Serve immediately in deep soup bowls.
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