Try this Hearty Vegetable Soup recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 to 1 1/2 pound lean ground beef or turkey
- 2 small potatoes or sweet potatoes peeled and diced (can also substitute with cauliflower)
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can rotel
- 1 - 2 teaspoons chili powder more or less to taste
- 3 tomatoes, diced (or substitute with 1-14 ounce can
- Carbohydrate 4.50491153089866 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.666651285223209 g
- Fiber 1.17208939805796 g
- Protein 0.535334911644485 g
- Saturated Fat 0.101320038762829 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (97g)
- Sodium 133.690523692032 mg
- Sugar 3.3328221328407 g
- Trans Fat 0.0379493447375108 g
- Calories 25 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onions and cook for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
- Next stir in the ground beef and cook until browned.
- Drain any remaining fat.
- Stir in potatoes, celery and carrots, rotel, tomato sauce and water.
- Bring to a light simmer and then stir in the balsamic vinegar, chili powder, salt, pepper and tomatoes.
- Reduce the heat to low and let simmer for about 30-45 minutes (or until the potatoes and carrots are fork tender), stirring occasionally.
- Top with fresh basil if desired.
Determining doneness in a mixed-vegetable and meat broth relies entirely on the starch gelatinization point of the root vegetables. Introducing dense root vegetables alongside tender aromatics creates a variable texture challenge where uneven cooking often results in crunchy carrots paired with mushy potatoes. Fixing this requires a precise visual assessment rather than relying blindly on a 30-minute timer.
Assessing doneness demands testing a potato piece with the tine of a fork; zero resistance upon piercing indicates that intracellular starches have fully absorbed liquid and softened. Simmering the pot on low heat prevents the meat proteins from tightening into a tough texture while allowing the root cubes to reach that tender threshold within 35 to 45 minutes. Draining excess fat thoroughly after browning the meat prevents an oily emulsion from forming on the broth surface during this long simmer.
Batch cooking this formulation works well because tomato-based broths freeze for up to three months without significant flavor degradation. Reheating requires bringing the thawed mixture back to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat while stirring frequently to distribute heat evenly through the suspended starches.
