V8 Veggie Beef Soup
This easy Veggie Beef Soup is hearty, flavorful, and made with a simple secret ingredient: a big bottle of V8 tomato juice. Ground beef, cabbage, tender vegetables, and tiny shell pasta simmer together for an old-fashioned soup that tastes like it cooked all day.
Equipment
- 1 large dutch oven or cast iron pot
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (I use 93/7)
- 1 large bottle V8 vegetable juice
- 1 head cabbage, shredded
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
- 1-2 cups beef broth, as needed
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- 1-2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup tiny shell pasta (elbow macaroni works great, too!)
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2–3 minutes, until softened and fragrant.
- Add in your chopped or shredded cabbage and cook until it starts to wilt.
- Add the V8, frozen vegetables, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Add enough beef broth to reach your desired soup consistency.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have come together.Stir in the tiny shell pasta and continue simmering until the pasta is tender, about 8–10 minutes. Add additional broth if needed as the pasta cooks.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings before serving.
Notes
- The V8 is the secret! It gives this veggie beef soup tons of tomato and vegetable flavor without a complicated broth.
- Tiny shell pasta is my favorite, but elbow macaroni works great, too. I usually find the little shells in the Mexican foods aisle at the grocery store.
- The pasta will continue absorbing liquid as the soup sits, so add a little extra broth when reheating if needed.
- Add the pasta as the last step before you're ready to serve, so it doesn't have time to absorb and get too mushy.
- Cabbage adds a little sweetness and makes the soup extra hearty.
- Use whatever vegetables your family loves. Frozen mixed vegetables make this especially easy.
- This soup is even better the next day after the flavors have had time to develop.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze without the pasta for the best texture, or freeze leftovers knowing the pasta will soften a bit when reheated.