Pantry Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why does my vegetable beef soup taste bland? ›

What do I do if my vegetable beef soup tastes bland? The best way to ensure a flavorful soup is to brown the beef and onions in the beginning. If the soup tastes bland at the end of cooking, add more spices and herbs. After adding, allow the soup to cook a little longer so the flavors to meld together.

Add chopped fresh herbs just before serving. Parsley, chives, cilantro, rosemary and thyme are all packed with flavor, but don't use them all at once. Add a bit of spice by adding just a tiny sprinkling of cayenne pepper or pickled jalapenos.

If the soup is already made and you just want to deepen the flavour, try a shake of a pre-made sauce such as Worcestershire, brown sauce, barbecue sauce, soy or even kecap manis etc. For next time, more or better beef stock.

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says.

Herbs de Provence is a spice blend that will help you get a mellow, herbaceous flavor in your broth. Beef broth is extremely flavorful as is, but you can certainly dress it up with some spices. Try adding cinnamon sticks, cloves, whole coriander and star anise, which recreate the flavor of pho.

If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl.

Cornstarch, potato starch, and chickpea flour are a couple of pantry-friendly ways to thicken soups, stews, and sauces in the slow cooker. Just a tablespoon or two of any — added towards the end of cooking — will thicken sauces especially well.

Fresh ginger and garlic. Soy sauce or hoisin (common in Vietnamese soups) The juice of half a fresh lemon or full lime. Fresh, sliced hot peppers, fresh sliced green onion, bean sprouts.

Let the Broth Evaporate and Cook Longer

If your broth tastes thin and bland, you may want to cook and let it evaporate for longer. That helps concentrate its flavors and gives you a better-tasting soup broth. Be sure to remove the lid to let the steam escape.

Why do you put vinegar in vegetable soup? ›

It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.

Most soups would be simmered covered to capture the moisture, however, if the soup needs to be reduced because you added too much liquid then uncovered is the way to go. If you are simmering uncovered it's best to check on the soup often to make sure it hasn't reduced down too much.

Boosting Flavor

For more flavor add in more dried herbs (or even triple the amount of dried thyme). Other good herbs to add include basil, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, or Italian seasoning. Another option to add more flavor is to use a homemade chicken stock or vegetable broth.

Acid, lemon or lime juice is my go to. Msg, a bit of Vegeta or similar product goes a very long way in pushing these types of soups over the top. Add some heat if you're into it. Sriracha or fresh cut hot peppers added as a garnish to taste.

Add plenty of pepper and some salt and it should taste better. Using beef stock or red wine is better than water for the liquid. Use just enough to cover the meat and vegetables. It's better to use less liquid if possible so you don't end up having to thicken the stew later with corn starch or similar.

It's not the fault of the vegetables, however. Vegetables are quite flavorful, you just have to know how to coax that flavor out of them. A few things make our Homemade Vegetable Broth better than the rest. The addition of cremini mushrooms, tomato paste, and potatoes solve the problem of watery blandness.