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Smoky Beef Potato Soup

Smoky beef potato soup with a deep mahogany broth, tender Yukon gold potatoes, and browned stew beef for big, hearty flavor. Fire-roasted tomatoes and smoked paprika create a smoky finish, finished with a fresh parsley garnish.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 460

Ingredients
  

beef stew meat or chuck
  • 1.5 lb beef stew meat or chuck cut into 1-inch cubes
Yukon gold potatoes
  • 3 lb Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cubed
carrots
  • 2 carrots diced
celery
  • 2 celery diced
onion
  • 1 onion diced
garlic
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
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 divided: 1 tbsp for beef seasoning, remainder for soup
cumin
  • 1 tsp cumin
Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
chipotle powder
  • 0.5 tsp chipotle powder
salt
  • 1 salt to taste
black pepper
  • 1 black pepper to taste
fresh parsley
  • 1 fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Season the beef with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon smoked paprika. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over high heat and sear the beef until deeply browned on all sides, about 8–10 minutes, with a dark mahogany crust; remove the beef.
Build the smoky base
  1. In the same pot, sauté the onion, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes over medium-high heat until they soften and the pan starts to smell fragrant. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring until aromatic and not browned.
  2. Stir in the remaining smoked paprika, cumin, and chipotle powder. Cook for 1 minute, watching for the spices to darken slightly and become fragrant.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add the beef broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and browned beef to the pot. Bring to a boil, then scrape any browned bits from the bottom so the broth looks evenly colored.
  2. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 25–30 minutes. Add the potatoes and simmer for about 20 more minutes, until the beef and potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
Finish and serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve while hot, with a smoky, deep-brown broth and visible potato and beef chunks.

Notes

For the most robust flavor, keep the simmer steady after bringing the pot to a boil—rapid boiling can break down potatoes and make the broth cloudy. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days in a sealed container; freeze up to 2 months (the potatoes may soften further). For a lower-sodium option, choose low-sodium beef broth and use salt gradually at the end.