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Smoky Beef Potato Soup

Smoky beef potato soup with browned stew meat, tender Yukon gold potatoes, and a deep mahogany broth built from smoked paprika and chipotle. Simmered until the beef is yielding and the potatoes are soft, then finished with fresh parsley and a rich savory bite from Worcestershire.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

beef stew meat or chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1.5 lb beef stew meat or chuck
Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 3 lb Yukon gold potatoes
carrots, diced
  • 2 carrots
celery, diced
  • 2 celery
onion, diced
  • 1 onion
garlic, minced
  • 4 garlic
beef broth
  • 5 cup beef broth
fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) fire-roasted tomatoes
olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
ground cumin
  • 1 tsp cumin
Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
chipotle powder
  • 0.5 tsp chipotle powder
salt and pepper to taste
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper to taste
fresh parsley for garnish
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Season the beef with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, then heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Sear until deeply browned on all sides, using a clear browning cue on every surface, about 6-10 minutes total.
  2. Remove the browned beef to a plate while leaving the browned bits in the pot for flavor.
Build the soup base
  1. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery in the same pot over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring until softened and lightly sizzling.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, with a fragrant aroma cue and no browning.
  3. Stir in the remaining smoked paprika, cumin, and chipotle powder and cook for 1 minute until the spices darken slightly and smell toasty.
Simmer and finish
  1. Add the beef broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and browned beef, then bring the mixture to a boil with active bubbling throughout.
  2. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes until the beef starts to look tender and the broth deepens in color.
  3. Add the cubed potatoes and simmer for 20 more minutes until beef and potatoes are tender when pierced.
  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then garnish with fresh parsley and serve while hot.

Notes

For best flavor, leave the browned bits in the Dutch oven when you sauté the vegetables, and keep the simmer gentle so the potatoes soften without breaking apart. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freezer yes for up to 3 months (reheat until steaming, and adjust seasoning with extra salt and pepper if needed). If you want a lighter option, use reduced-sodium beef broth and swap the beef for a lean stew meat cut to reduce total fat.