I created this recipe many years ago because I wanted to see if I could make a really good tasting vegetable soup that even my kids would eat. This is quick

and easy to make and Hubby says it is the best veggie soup he has ever eaten. I think that is due for the most part to my secret ingredient, beef bouillon cubes. Don’t tell, now, but this is my secret to making things taste “beefy”. In this case, it takes some of the “bite” out of the tomato and makes the vegetables go down easier. It also gives it a beefy taste without breaking your meat budget if that is a concern, just put less meat in. I used to use round steak for all things that others would use stew beef for because it was usually leaner and if found on sale, cheaper. Now it is much more difficult to find the round steak in the meat case at our local groceries, so I have had to resort to using stew beef myself. I usually cut the beef into much smaller chunks so you get some meat in almost every bite.

Vegetable Soup

2 (46 oz) Bottles or cans of Tomato Juice
1½ – 2 lb Beef Round Steak (or stew beef) cut into bite-sized pieces (all visible fat removed)
4 (15 oz) cans Mixed Vegetables
1 (12 oz) box Alphabet pasta (optional)
8 Beef Bouillon Cubes

Brown meat over medium or high heat until no longer pink. Drain off any fat. Pour in tomato juice. Add bouillon cubes. Pour in mixed vegetables and any liquid from the cans. Bring to a boil. Pour in pasta. Continue to cook over medium heat for at least 10 minutes, stirring frequently so the pasta doesn’t stick. Can be simmered until you are ready to serve it. Serve with bread and butter.

All ingredients may be generic; the taste will still be great. Makes a big stockpot full, so plan on a big crowd or leftovers. Also just as good without the pasta letters, but the kids love them. Any small pasta is fine, but the letters are just more fun. (A Karen Beidelman Original Recipe)

This is before it starts cooking.

This is what it looks like when it is ready to eat. Didn’t have the pasta so I left it out this time, which also saves calories. The pasta started out as a way to stretch it and make it more filling while getting the kids to eat it, and it became a normal part of the recipe after that.

If you want to stretch it, add more veggies or tomato juice or both. You can make it vegetarian by leaving out the meat, it all depends on what you like and who you are feeding. Refrigerate any leftovers in a tightly closed container.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you.