A Vegetable Beef Soup Without Tomatoes (Slow Cooker-Friendly)
Sneak Preview: This vegetable beef soup without tomatoes is a cozy, slow cooker-friendly meal made with leftover pot roast or pre-cooked beef, frozen vegetables, and pantry staples. Simple, nourishing, and tomato-free.
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I know most people toss in a can of tomatoes without thinking twice when making vegetable soup. But around here, we like ours without. No acidity, no red broth—just a clear, savory broth full of tender beef, soft potatoes, and colorful vegetables.
It’s the kind of soup that makes you feel better after too many Halloween treats or helps reset in January without feeling like a diet. It’s also a smart way to use leftover pot roast and whatever’s hanging out in the freezer.
Loved & Shared
“I made a roast Sunday so I could make this soup. It was so delicious. Yum. Thanks for great ideas and great recipes.“–CONNIE
Ingredients and Substitutions
- LEFTOVER BEEF: Use cubed or shredded roast, steak, or ground beef. Skip for a vegetarian version.
- GRAVY OR BROTH: Leftover gravy adds richness. Otherwise, use canned, homemade, or bouillon-based beef broth.
- POTATOES: Russets or Yukon golds, peeled or unpeeled. Small red potatoes work, too.
- CARROTS: Whole or baby carrots, sliced.
- WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE: Adds umami depth.
- BAY LEAF: Enhances flavor—remove before serving.
- FROZEN VEGETABLES: Use what you have—peas, green beans, corn, okra, etc.
- BEANS: Frozen lima beans are my go-to. Canned kidney, white, or chickpeas also work.
- SALT-FREE SEASONING: Try McCormick Perfect Pinch Garlic & Herb or similar.
- PEPPER: Freshly ground preferred.
- KITCHEN BOUQUET (optional): Adds color and a beefy look to the broth.
How To Put Together Vegetable Beef Soup Without Tomatoes
1. Add Base Ingredients
2. Add Frozen or Canned Vegetables.
3: Finish and Serve
A Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe Without Tomatoes
Video
Ingredients
- ½-1 cup (100-220 g) leftover pot-roast or pre-cooked beef cubed or shredded
- 1 quart (908 g) leftover gravy and/or beef broth If using broth, use homemade, canned, or bouillon cubes or paste with water.
- 2-3 medium potatoes, diced, peeled, or unpeeled
- 2-3 sliced whole carrots or sliced baby carrots
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup (165 g) frozen peas
- 1 cup (150 g) green beans I prefer canned or frozen.
- 1 cup (165 g) frozen corn
- 1 cup (100 g) frozen okra
- 1 cup (188 g) lima beans or other beans of your choice
- 1 tablespoon salt-free seasoning for example, McCormick Perfect Pinch Garlic & Herb
- ⅓ tablespoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet (optional)
Instructions
- Add Base Ingredients: Add the ½-1 cup (100-220 g) leftover pot-roast or pre-cooked beef, 1 quart (908 g) leftover gravy and/or beef broth, 2-3 medium potatoes, diced, peeled, or unpeeled, 2-3 sliced whole carrots or sliced baby carrots, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1 bay leaf to a slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- Add Veggies and Seasoning: Approximately 30-45 minutes before serving, add the 1 cup (165 g) frozen peas, 1 cup (150 g) green beans, 1 cup (165 g) frozen corn, 1 cup (100 g) frozen okra, 1 cup (188 g) lima beans, 1 tablespoon salt-free seasoning, ⅓ tablespoon freshly ground pepper, and 1 tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet (optional) . Add more broth or water if necessary to cover the veggies. Turn the heat to HIGH on the slow cooker to finish cooking.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the bay leaf and season to taste with freshly ground pepper and Kitchen Bouquet (if using) before serving. Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
FAQs About Vegetable Soup
Use a large Dutch oven or a small stock pot on the stovetop. Heat the assembled soup over medium heat, then simmer until all the vegetables are tender.
The only gluten in this recipe could come from the leftover gravy. Use beef or chicken stock instead. Check the labels for gluten if you use bouillon.
Add Kitchen Bouquet for a dark caramelized color and extra flavor. One to two capfuls should do it. Epicurious recommends, “Whisking a small amount of butter into a sauce or broth adds a bit of richness, but it also rounds out the flavors that are already there, softening anything that’s too harsh.“
Add garlic, chili powder, or herbs like fresh parsley, thyme, oregano, or basil.
Final Thoughts
This is another recipe I got from a friend. Although we rarely see each other anymore, I always think of her when I make it. Actually, I don’t know that she ever shared a written recipe. She just told me how she did it. Sometimes, those are the best kind.
If you need some homemade bread to sop up the delicious broth in this soup, you can’t go wrong with these Soft Bread Machine Breadsticks or this Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread. For vegetable soup lovers, don’t miss my Spicy 7-Can Soup with Ground Beef. It’s a snap to put together.
Need help troubleshooting? Email me: Paula at saladinajar.com—photos welcome!
Love the photo and the idea for using leftover pot roast! Funny, I don’t really like Halloween either. Tradition at our house is always chili (and red wine for me).
I made a roast Sunday so I could make this soup. It was so delicious. Yum. Thanks for great ideals and great recipes.
This looks delicious! We love having soup for a bit of a lighter dinner too. After all of the candy corns I’ve consumed, this would be a good option for tonight! I didn’t have a go-to vegetable soup recipe; I think this might be it!
Hi Paula,
Your Vegetable Beef Soup looks really good. I totally agree about leaving the tomatoes out of this soup so the flavors can become their own. I think celery would be a good addition to the soup if you like the flavor and of course one of your homemade rolls you have pictured with it. Yum Yum!!!
I almost always use turnips instead of white potatoes because they don’t get as mushy….
Your soup looks far from a fridge raid, I feel the same way about cabbage in my soup I went on that diet and it was yucky after a day. The only thing I would add is a big onion chopped up, but I know you are not a onion fan, me on the other hand can’t live with out them :).
I adore easy soups using leftovers and frozen stuff, but leftover pot roast is a misnomer in my house, it magically gets gobbled up! I’ll try the okra… if you say so! = )
I’m with you on the cabbage. I love raw cabbage but I don’t like it in soups…honestly I don’t like cooked cabbage at all. Your beef soup looks good and hearty and would be perfect for Halloween dinner around here…it’s going to be a chilly one.
Love the photo and the idea for using leftover pot roast! Funny, I don’t really like Halloween either. Tradition at our house is always chili (and red wine for me).
Paula – this looks wonderful – I think I would make a pot roast just to have this soup!
We have soup on Halloween night, too! It’s easy, and the kids never have much appetite anyways because they’re too anxious to get started with the trick-or-treating. Yours looks great–although I’m skipping the okra 😉
Oh… when I saw ‘too many Snickers’, I thought you made a post about me! I’ve been caught!
I was at the grocery store this morning and picked up ingredients for vegetable soup. My sweet Paula, I am so sad. You got it all wrong. It is no to okra and yes to cabbage. I even found a bag of frozen veggies with NO okra today. Can we still be friends?
Lorraine,
Of course, we will always be friends, my dear. Even if I never meet you in real life, I’m planning a bread-making party with you as soon as we both get to heaven.
And I would eat your cabbage soup too. It’s just not my favorite. 🙂
This looks so good! I love that you put okra in it, yum!