Italian Beef Soup combines tender shreds of beef, chunks of carrots, and tiny pasta in a delicious homemade beef broth. This is the soup to make on cold days to keep you nourished from the inside out!

Spoon holding pasta and shredded beef above bowl of soup.


When it comes to childhood memories, this Italian beef soup packs a punch for me!

This is a soup my mom would make often, and it always tasted extra good when I was sick or just not feeling well.

The beef brodo, or beef broth is warm and nourishing and the tender beef and carrots are tasty and easy to eat.

This is a great one to make ahead and freeze for whenever you need a little extra TLC.

Recipe Ingredients

All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.

Ingredients shown: farfalline pasta, onion, Pecorino Romano block, carrots, celery, beef stock, tomatoes, olive oil, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, and beef chuck roast.
  • Beef. I’m using a chuck roast because it has tremendous flavor and shreds apart easily after cooking. You can use bone-in or boneless. Bone-in will produce even better flavor!
  • Beef stock. I recommend using homemade beef stock if possible. You can also use store-bought no-sodium beef stock.
  • Pasta. For me, beef soup isn’t beef soup without farfalline pasta because that’s the pasta shape my mom would use. You can use any small pasta you’d like though, such as ditalini, small shells, acini di peppe, etc.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to make it

Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.

  1. Cut in half 3 celery ribs, 5 large carrots, and 1 large white onion and set aside. Place a 3 pound chuck roast on a flat surface and pat very dry with paper towels. Season with 1 tablespoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper.
  2. Heat a large pot to medium heat with 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oiil and sear the chuck roast on all sides until well browned, about 10-15 minutes total, then move to a plate and set aside.
Italian beef soup recipe collage group one showing seasoning of chuck roast, searing the roast in large pot, sauteing vegetables, and skimming the soup of scum.
  1. To the same pot, add the onion, celery, and carrots along with a splash of water. Use a wooden spoon to gently scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any brown bits and allow the vegetables to saute for about 10 minutes.
  2. Add 6 cups of water, 4 cups of homemade (or no-sodium) beef stock or broth, and 1 14-ounce can of plum tomatoes along with 1/4 packed cup of flat-leaf parsley, 10 peppercorns, 2 dried bay leaves, and 3 whole cloves, and bring to a boil.
  3. Once boiling, use a large flat spoon to skim any scum from the top, then lower the heat and add the chuck roast back to the pot. Place a lid on the pot leaving it slightly cracked and simmer the brodo gently for 3-4 hours or until the beef is very tender. Every 25-30 minutes skim the scum off the top and discard it. Do not stir the soup as that will make the broth less clear.
  4. Once the beef is tender, remove it to a plate and strain the brodo by gently lading it through a fine mesh sieve placed over another pot or large measuring cup.
Recipe collge two showing soup after 4 hours of cooking, straining the broth, defatting the broth, and shredding the beef.
  1. The fat will rise to the top. You can defat some of it with a ladle, a ladle with ice cubes, fat separator, or paper towels. At this time you can discard the veggies, except for the carrots. You can also keep them if you prefer but that will also make the brodo cloudy.
  2. Place the chuck roast on a cutting board and use a fork to shred it and chop/slice the carrots. Taste test and add salt and pepper if needed. At this point, add 1 pound of farfalline or other small pasta to a pot of boiling water and cook the pasta until al dente. Serve your Italian beef soup with a bit of pasta, some chopped carrots, shredded beef, brodo, and grated Pecorino Romano. Enjoy!

Top tips

  • Clear vs. cloudy broth. I prefer beef soup with a clear broth, or brodo. To keep it clear I don’t add the shredded beef back to the pot, rather I store each component separately. That being said, you can definitely add the beef back and you can also use the onions and celery instead of discarding.
  • Keep your pasta separate. To allow your pasta to remain al dente, keep it in a separate bowl. If you add it to the broth, it may get mushy, especially if not eating the whole pot the same day.
  • Use homemade stock. Not only does using homemade beef stock elevate the flavor of this soup and any dish that calls for beef stock, but it gives you greater control over the sodium level in your beef soup.
White bowl with Italian beef soup and block of Pecorino Romano in the background.

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Italian Beef Soup

5 from 4 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Italian Beef Soup combines shredded beef, chunks of carrots, and tiny pasta in a nourishing beef broth that's easy to make and perfect for cooler weather!

Ingredients 

  • 3 pounds (1.4kg) chuck roast
  • 1 tablespoon (10g) Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 ribs celery with leaves cut in half
  • 5 large carrots cut in half
  • 1 large white onion cut in half
  • 4 cups (1L) no-sodium beef stock can also use no-sodium beef broth
  • 6 cups (1.5L) water
  • 1 14-ounce can plum tomatoes
  • 1/4 packed cup flat-leaf parsley and stems
  • 10 peppercorns
  • 2 large dried bay leaves
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1 pound (454g) farfalline or ditalini, small shells, etc
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • grated Pecorino Romano for serving

Instructions 

  • Heat a large pot to medium heat with the olive oil. Pat the chuck roast very dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Sear the roast in the pot on all sides until well browned (about 10-15 minutes total). Remove the roast to a plate.
  • Add the onion, celery, and carrots along with a splash of water. With a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pot to remove the brown bits. Saute the vegetables for 10 minutes.
  • Add the tomatoes, water, beef stock, peppercorns, cloves, bay leaves, and parsley to the pot and bring to a boil.
  • Once boiling, use a large flat spoon to skim the scum off the top. Lower the heat, add the chuck roast back to the pot, and place a lid on the pot, leaving it slightly cracked. Simmer the brodo for 3-4 hours or until the beef is very tender. Every 25-30 minutes, skim the scum off the top and discard it. Do not stir it, since that will make the brodo less clear.
  • Once the beef is tender, remove it to a plate. Strain the brodo by gently ladling it through a fine mesh sieve placed over another large pot or measuring cups. Ladling the brodo instead of pouring it helps keep it clear. Discard all of the veggies except for the carrots.
  • The fat will rise to the top. You can defat it with a ladle, a ladle with ice cubes, fat separator, or paper towels. If you decide to store it overnight, the fat will all rise to the top and can be easily removed.
  • Shred the beef and chop the carrots. Taste test and season with salt and pepper if required. At this time cook the pasta to al dente.
  • Serve the soup in bowls with a bit of pasta, shredded beef, a few of the chopped carrots, and plenty of grated Pecorino Romano. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Keeping the pasta separate is recommended.  Just add however much you like to each bowl. 
  • You can mix the shredded beef back into the pot after shredding, but be aware, that it will cloud the soup up if that is important to you.
  • Leftovers can be saved in the fridge for up to 5 days.  Reheat on the stovetop or microwave.

Nutrition

Calories: 403kcal | Carbohydrates: 54.7g | Protein: 34.4g | Fat: 27.3g | Saturated Fat: 10.6g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 608mg | Potassium: 785mg | Fiber: 5.5g | Sugar: 9.7g | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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5 from 4 votes

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18 Comments

  1. Wendy says:

    My husbands family are from San Marino and this is the beef broth recipe we make for soup broth and Cappelletti. Also your Grandma pizza is the same recipe. Your recipes bring back a lot of wonderful memories. Thank you!

    1. Tara says:

      So happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipes, Wendy.

  2. TJ says:

    5 stars
    My grandfather from Italy made this soup and itโ€™s been passed down through the generations. We use beef stew meat, but everything else is the same. Simple and delicious!

    1. Tara says:

      We’re so happy you enjoyed the recipe, TJ!

  3. Ralph L Angelo Jr says:

    5 stars
    Another great recipe! Thank you! Looking forward to making this. I make something similar with chicken.

  4. Cynthia Puleo says:

    5 stars
    My mom always made this soup She would remove the beef whole
    and serve it as a diiner meal along with cups of soup. We would shred the meat and add Parmesan cheese to our bowls alongside Italian bread. I have tried to make this recipe several times she used a seven blade chuck roast and of course I cannot find that anywhere not even in a butcher shop. I have tried to make this several times over the years and mine seems to be bland. I donโ€™t know what Iโ€™m doing wrong. Unless the meat of today doesnโ€™t taste like the meat of 70 years ago what do you think Iโ€™m doing wrong could it possibly be l am adding too much water. Love all your recipes make a lot of them remind me so much of my mom thanks. Fyi , my mom never used stock in this soup.

    1. Tara says:

      Hi Cynthia, is it possible your mom added bones as well while she was making it? That could definitely add some intensity to the flavor of the soup. We’re happy you enjoyed the recipe!

  5. Sam says:

    Try adding a can of plum tomatoes that you crush into the beef soup for some added flavor and color.

  6. Maria Frankito says:

    Can I use ground clove if I donโ€™t have whole and how much? Thank you!

    1. Tara says:

      Hi Maria, you can although the ground clove will be more potent. You can start with 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon and see how that works, then go up from there if needed.

  7. Cindy says:

    Is pastina too delicate to use in this recipe?

    1. Tara says:

      You can definitely use pastina here!

  8. MIckey (MIchelina Pellillo) Zalusky says:

    5 stars
    Wow! I always eagerly await your next emailed recipe because so many of them bring back memories of my Italian American childhood!!!

    This Italian Beef Soup is another one that takes me back.

    Not sure if this will resonate with you or your viewers. Growing up in Chicago, Mondays were always laundry days – you know, the washing machines that had the two rollers you ran the clothes through to roll/squeeze out as much water before hanging them on clothes lines? Because those Mondays were so labor intensive, dinner was always soup for dinner from either chicken (from a tough hen) or beef (from a bone-in chuck roast). We didn’t cut up the tender beef and add it to the broth. Instead we used to make it a two coarse meal – soup first with veggies, small pasta topped with a lot of grated Pecorino Romano cheese and afterward we’d share the tender, succulent beef. My grandfather, in the 1950s would sprinkle some red wine vinegar on the tender beef before eating. He used to say the vinegar cut the fattiness of the beef. Having something acidic with a fatty protein is classic (think barbecue and coleslaw, etc…). I still occasionally separate the beef and add some vinegar to it but, alas, I’ve been Americanized and most times I use your method of cutting it up and adding it to the broth.

    Thank you for what you do. Please know for some of us, like me, you are also bringing back many warm and wonderful Italian American memories of family life and the foods we shared around our kitchen tables.

    1. Tara says:

      Hi Mickey, thank you for the comment and for sharing your wonderful story and memories with us! We’re so happy you’re enjoying the recipes and find they resonate with you!

  9. Christine Dahl says:

    This looks delicious. But in my neighborhood a 3lb chuck roast runs around $35. little pricy for soup. Any suggestions for a cheaper cut of meat?

    1. Tara says:

      Hi Christine, chuck roast is the best for this but you can often find beef labled “stew meat” at the grocery store for cheaper.

  10. Joanne klemow says:

    Oh my God I am so excited about this recipe. My mother used to make this soup and it was delicious and of course I donโ€™t have a recipe, but I will tell you one last thing after you take the meat out and shred it. She used to fry the meat with onions, a little garlic, of course olive oil And french fries and then we would eat that on the side of a dish of the plain soup with Pastina in it give it a try Iโ€™m sure you will love it.

    I am really not a cook. My mother always tried to get me to watch and I was never interested. However, Iโ€™ve made quite a few of your recipes and theyโ€™re right on the same way my mother used to make everything so this site is my favorite cooking site

    After the hurricane, I will be making this to see how good it is thank you thank you

    1. Tara says:

      Hi Joanne, we hope you love it and find that it’s close to your mom’s recipe. We’re so happy you’re enjoying the recipes. Stay safe and hope you fare ok with the hurricane.