Name: Beef and Vegetable Soup Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 Tbsp. Thrive Tomato Powder; 1 tsp. Thrive Chicken Bouillon; 1 cup Thrive Freeze Dried Beef Dices; 1/4 cup Thrive Freeze Dried Chopped Onions; 1/4 cup Thrive Freeze Dried Celery; 1/2 cup Thrive Freeze Dried Sweet Corn; 1/2 cup Thrive Freeze Dried Potato Dices; 1/4 cup Thrive Freeze Dried Green Beans; 1/4 cup Thrive Freeze Dried Green Peas; 1/4 cup Thrive Carrot Dices; 5 cups of water

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When you think of Vegetable Soup, do you think of soup with or without the Beef?

I grew up understanding that Vegetable Soup will contain Beef and Vegetables! As I have traveled different parts of the United States, I have discovered there are many that think Vegetable Soup will not contain beef, only vegetables. Isn’t it funny how much normalcy we find in our childhood? As we discover the world outside of our childhood homes, we see there are many viewpoints in life, even down to our soup recipes.

I had served this recipe once at a party and a patron was very confused as to why there was beef in his soup when the sign clearly stated, ‘Vegetable Soup’. I now refer to my soup recipe as “Beef and Vegetable Soup,” so there is no confusion!

I usually get a craving for Beef and Vegetable Soup when the weather is cold or rainy, or both! The fresh tasting vegetables, the tender bites of meat, all marinated in a tomato broth can really warm you up from the inside out. And what can be more comforting that that?

We can divide the soup differences even further with choices of beef to use: ground hamburger meat or diced beef? My father liked to see the beef in his Vegetable Soup, so it was usually cooked with Beef Dices. I have married into a family that uses beef in their Vegetable Soup, but it is ground hamburger meat. Oddly enough, our families grew up on opposite sides of the Appalachian Mountain.

Maybe where the choice of meat comes to play for most, is if you make Vegetable Soup from scratch or with leftovers from the week? A very versatile soup indeed! But that doesn’t mean every left over container needs to go into the soup!

I find it interesting to see what are the important ingredients to some and not to others. Potatoes? Corn? Green Beans? For me, one must have the green beans in the soup. My husband hunts for the potatoes!

Something else I have noticed is what people expect served with their Vegetable Soup. I had always been served a Peanut Butter and Honey sandwich with my Vegetable Soup. As I have lived, I have taken note that some like cornbread, crackers, grilled cheese, or as my husband likes it, peanut butter and maple syrup sandwich.

This picture is styled with a peanut butter maple syrup sandwich, in honor of bringing together family traditions! The soup contains large pieces of beef, and the sandwich has maple syrup mixed with the peanut butter. A little piece of comfort for both of us!!

Beef and Vegetable Soup is a perfect culmination of a variety of vegetables, not only in taste, but color. You have this red tomato broth that covers over everything, and each spoonful is a different taste and color combination. Sometimes you get the sweet taste of yellow corn and tender brown beef, sometimes a mouth-bursting green pea and soft orange carrot, or sometimes a rustic green bean and juicy white potato.

No matter how you like your Vegetable Soup; with or without beef, made from scratch or based on leftovers, I am sure it conjures up some cozy memories.

This recipe is not your typical ‘cook all day’ soup. I am using Freeze Dried Food, which makes this a quick, ready in 20 minutes soup. First I measure out my ingredients into a large stockpot. Here is a picture of everything on platter. Notice the green beans and potatoes!

Once it’s in the pot, add 5 cups of water. Give it a stir and put over medium heat. Cover and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally, and serve with your desired accompaniment, but I encourage you to try peanut butter mixed with maple syrup on white bread!

Feel free to add spices of your choice or mix and match your favorite vegetables. If eliminating the chicken bouillon, you might want to add salt. My husband likes to put a dash of his favorite hot sauce in the soup. A soup you can alter to make it your own! Enjoy!!