Campbell’s Vegetable Beef Soup (Easy Copycat Recipe)

There’s nothing quite like a steaming bowl of vegetable beef soup to warm you from the inside out on a chilly day. This homemade Campbell’s vegetable beef soup captures all the comforting flavors of the beloved canned classic but with fresh ingredients and no artificial additives. Loaded with tender chunks of beef, hearty vegetables, and filling barley in a rich beef broth, this soul-warming soup transforms simple ingredients into a satisfying meal that will become a family favorite.

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What Makes Campbell’s Beef Vegetable Soup Recipe the Perfect Hearty Soup? 

In many American homes, soup gets short shrift. Most of the time, it’s reserved for kids or for times when you’re not feeling well. That is a shame because a good soup is delicious and hearty enough to be a fantastic lunch or a light supper.

This copycat of Campbell’s Vegetable Beef Soup recipe contains tender beef chunks, creamy potatoes, sweet carrots, and filling barley in a flavorful beef broth. It might be the perfect way to warm up on those chilly autumn and winter evenings.

Soul-warming vegetable beef soup is a great meal, good comfort food, and a real crowd-pleaser. 

Why This Recipe Works

The secret to authentic Campbell’s-style vegetable beef soup is properly browning the beef to develop deep, rich flavors through the Maillard reaction. By searing the meat in batches and deglazing the pot, you capture all those caramelized bits (fond) that create the soup’s signature savory depth. The long, slow cooking process ensures the beef becomes fall-apart tender while allowing all the flavors to meld into a perfectly balanced, hearty soup.

Ingredients

For the Soup Base:

• Butter – Creates the cooking fat for browning and adds richness
• Beef stew meat – Provides protein and hearty texture when slow-cooked
• Water – Forms the liquid base and helps deglaze the pan
• Ground black pepper – Adds warm spice and enhances beef flavor
• Salt – Enhances all flavors and seasons the broth properly

For the Vegetables:

• Carrots, sliced – Adds natural sweetness and vibrant color
• Potatoes, peeled and cubed – Provides heartiness and helps thicken the broth
• Celery, chopped – Contributes aromatic base flavor and texture
• Dried onions – Delivers savory depth without fresh onion prep
• Barley – Creates filling grain component and authentic Campbell’s texture
• Beef bouillon – Intensifies the beef flavor throughout the soup

How To Make This Campbell’s Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe

1. Melt the half butter in the Dutch oven and cook the meat over medium-high heat. Add half the stew meat to the pot and cook until it develops a rich dark brown color. Remove the browned meat to a bowl.
2. Add the remaining butter to the same pot and brown the rest of the meat. 
3. Return the first batch of beef and any collected juices to the pot. 
4. Deglaze the pot with water. Use a wooden spatula to scrape all the fond off the bottom of the pot. If you are using beef stock instead of beef bouillon in the recipe, use all the stock to deglaze. 
5. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and stir well. 
6. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook for two to three hours until the meat is fall-apart tender. 

To prepare in a slow cooker:

1. Cook the meat on the stovetop as above. 
2. Deglaze the pot and transfer the beef and all the liquid to the slow cooker. 
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on the LOW setting for four to six hours. 

To prepare in a pressure cooker:

1. Brown the meat in the pressure cooker. Using an Instant Pot, use the SAUTE setting on HIGH. 
2. Deglaze the pot and add the remaining ingredients. 
3. Cook for 20 minutes and manually release the pressure. 

What To Serve With Vegetable Beef Soup Campbell’s Style

A thick slab of country-style bread or crunchy garlic bread are tasty side dishes. Try packing a few crackers if you take the soup with you in a Thermos. If you have the time, you may want to try this homemade crackers recipe.

A simple green salad or grilled cheese sandwich would also be great to serve with this soup.

You can also top the soup with fresh avocado, shredded cheese, or sour cream.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

• Freezing: Freeze in portion-sized containers or freezer bags for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• Refrigerator Storage: Store in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Cool soup quickly before refrigerating for food safety.
• Reheating Method: Heat gently over medium-low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally. Microwave in a covered bowl, stirring every minute until heated through.

Favorite Hearty Soup and Stew Recipes

• Chicken Gnocchi Soup
• Cowboy Hamburger Soup
• Crock Pot Carne Guisada
• Dutch Oven Beef Stew
• Homemade Clam Chowder
• Instant Pot Beef Stew
• Lamb Stew
• Sausage Stew
• Southwest Chicken Soup
• Steak Soup

Popular DIY Recipes

• Homemade White Gravy
• Pepperoni Hot Pockets
• Shake and Bake Pork Chops

Check out my easy soup recipes and the best DIY recipes on CopyKat!

Ron Shiflet graciously created this copycat recipe.