Italian Beef and Potato Soup – Nonna Pot-Roast

Table of Contents

• How to Make Italian Beef Soup
• More Italian Soups
• Recipe Substitutions and Variations
• Top Tips for Italian Beef Soup
• Italian Beef Soup Recipe

What Is the Best Beef for Nonna’s Pot Roast Soup

The flavor of this soup comes from slowly simmered, collagen-rich cuts such as chuck roast. Collagen breaks down into gelatin during long, low-heat cooking, yielding tender, juicy meat and a rich mouthfeel to the broth. Other suitable cuts include short ribs, oxtail, beef shank, shoulder, round roast, rump roast, brisket or pre-cut stew meat.

If you use a bone-in piece, simmer the bone in the broth for extra depth of flavor, then remove it before serving. Avoid quick-cooking, low-collagen cuts like tenderloin or strip steaks, as they will dry out with the long simmer.

• Collagen-rich cuts (shoulder, chuck) become fork-tender after long, gentle simmering.
• Searing the meat before simmering adds flavor and color to the final broth.
• Bone-in cuts add extra body—just remember to remove bones before serving.

How to Make Italian Beef Soup

• Prep all ingredients: dice onions and celery, chop garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots and herbs. Trim and cut the beef into bite-sized pieces.
• Dredge the beef in seasoned flour, shaking off excess to avoid gummy coating.
• Brown the meat on multiple sides in a large, heated pot or Dutch oven to build flavor; work in batches if needed.

• Sauté onions, celery, garlic and rosemary until softened.
• Move the aromatics to one side, brown the tomato paste to deepen its flavor, then deglaze the pot with white wine, scraping up browned bits.
• Add broth, tomatoes, cheese rind (optional), rosemary sprigs, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, black pepper and the seared beef along with any juices. Stir and bring to a simmer.

• Simmer, partially covered, about 75 minutes or until the beef is almost tender.
• Stir in the carrots and potatoes and cook until all components are tender, about 15–20 minutes.
• Adjust salt to taste, remove bay leaves and any herb stems, then serve piping hot with grated cheese and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil if desired.

More Italian Soups

If you enjoy this hearty Italian vegetable beef soup, try other Italian classics such as minestrone, pasta e fagioli (pasta with beans), pasta e patate (pasta with potatoes), pasta e piselli (pasta with peas), wedding soup, ribollita, white bean and sausage soup, tortellini soup, or zucchini soup with chickpeas.

Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Add More Vegetables or Beans: Mushrooms, green beans or cannellini beans make great additions.
• Gluten-Free: Omit the flour during the initial browning; the soup will still be rich.
• Dairy-Free: Leave out the cheese rind (it adds savoriness; replace it with a splash of Worcestershire, soy sauce, miso or pureed black garlic if needed).
• Noodles: Swap potatoes for noodles to make a beef noodle soup—cook noodles separately and add just before serving so they don’t overcook.
• Bone-In Chuck: Use bone-in chuck for extra flavor; include the bone while simmering and discard it before serving.
• Leftover Pot Roast: Use cooked pot roast or brisket—add chopped cooked meat near the end to heat through, shortening the simmer time.

Top Tips for Italian Beef Soup

• Don’t Rush It: This soup relies on slow cooking to break down tough fibers and extract flavor from the meat. Allow time for the beef to become fork-tender.
• Salt Wisely: Salt to taste at the end. Use low- or no-sodium broth so you can control seasoning; cheese rinds contribute salt too.
• Consistency: Potatoes will thicken the soup as it sits. Add extra broth if you prefer a thinner, more brothy consistency.
• Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3–5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, adding broth or water if needed.

Italian Beef Soup with Potatoes — Nonna’s Pot Roast Soupified

Prep: 30 minutes • Cook: 1 hr 30 mins • Total: 2 hrs • Servings: 7

Equipment

• Large pot or Dutch oven

Ingredients

• 3–4 Tbsp olive oil, or as needed for searing
• About 2 lb boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1″ pieces
• 2 cups small diced yellow onion
• 1½ cups small diced celery
• 3–4 Tbsp chopped or thinly sliced garlic
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 quarts low- or no-sodium beef or chicken broth (8 cups)
• 5–6 chopped plum or Roma tomatoes (or one 15-oz can, hand-crushed)
• 1–2 pieces parmigiano or pecorino cheese rind (optional)
• 1–2 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)
• 2–3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ¼ tsp black pepper, or to taste
• 2 cups diced or sliced carrots
• 1 lb ½” diced russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 cups), peeled or unpeeled
• Salt to taste
• Grated pecorino or parmigiano, optional for serving
• Extra-virgin olive oil, optional for serving

Seasoned Flour

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp fine salt
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp Italian seasoning
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper

Instructions

1. Make the seasoned flour by combining the flour with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Set aside.
2. Trim fat and gristle from the chuck roast and cut into 1″ bite-sized pieces. Pat the meat dry.
3. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
4. Dredge the beef pieces in the seasoned flour, shake off excess, and add to the hot oil in a single layer. Work in batches and brown on multiple sides. Remove browned meat to a plate.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add onions, celery, garlic and chopped rosemary to the pot; cook, covered, for 5–6 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally and scraping brown bits from the bottom.
6. Move the vegetables to one side, add the tomato paste and caramelize it for 2–3 minutes. Add the wine and deglaze, scraping up any fond.
7. Add the broth, tomatoes, cheese rind (if using), rosemary sprigs, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, black pepper and the browned beef with its juices. Stir, cover and bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a light simmer.
8. Simmer partially covered about 75 minutes, until beef is nearly tender. Skim any scum that rises and stir regularly so the cheese rind doesn’t stick.
9. Remove bay leaves, rosemary sprigs and any cheese rind pieces. Stir in the carrots and potatoes (drain potatoes if held in water) and cook 15–20 minutes until vegetables and beef are tender.
10. Adjust salt to taste. Serve piping hot with grated pecorino or parmigiano and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil if desired. Buon appetito!

Notes

This recipe yields a large batch—about 12–13 cups. I estimate about 1½ cups per serving; reduce the recipe by half for a smaller yield.

Beef

Use collagen-rich, tougher cuts for best results. Tender steaks are not recommended for this long-simmering method.

Tomatoes

Fresh, frozen or canned tomatoes work. If using canned, tomatoes packed in juice are preferred over those in sauce.

Salt

Salt is to taste and depends on your broth and whether you use a cheese rind. Add salt at the end to avoid oversalting.

Consistency

Potatoes will thicken the soup over time. Add extra broth for a thinner soup.

Storage

• Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3–5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reheat slowly over medium-low heat, adding broth or water if needed.