If you have a fussy eater in your family, this is the recipe for you. Nourishing, chock full of vegetables and absolutely delicious! It really hits the spot on a chilly, winter evening and if there are any leftovers, it heats well the next day for lunch.

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Fussy Eater Vegetable Beef Soup

I’ve been making similar versions of this soup for many years. I’ve served it at pot lucks and made huge kettles of it back when we were hosting an annual music festival in our backyard. I’ve not met anyone who didn’t like it.

I recently made a big pot of it and took enough for several servings to my mom just before a winter storm. I wanted to make sure she had easy-t0-prepare food for a few days. She’s not had much of an appetite the past couple of years and has become rather picky. Okay, she’s always been a little picky but it’s gotten much worse. 😉

I am not exaggerating when I tell you that she called me FOUR times over the next couple of days to tell me how much she was loving this soup. In fact, she was the one who told me I needed to share it here on the blog and call it “Fussy Eater Soup”.

I also had sent her a couple of other dishes which she said were a perfect menu for picky eaters. One of which, I’ve shared here before:

Golden Touch Beans ~ From Mom’s Recipe Box

I think that one is just something Mom happens to really like, not necessarily something that would have wide appeal for fussy eaters.

The other dish I sent is something she and I both love but David and Chris don’t care for – candied yams. The next time I make it for Mom and myself I’ll take a photo and share the recipe.

Now, for the soup that made the fussy eater in my family happy…

Fussy Eater Vegetable Beef Soup

Ingredients

1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion diced
1/2 to 1 pound ground beef
1 tbsp minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 29 ounce can of pinto beans (or two 15 ounce cans)
1 15 ounce can of cut green beans
1 15 ounce can of sweet corn
1 15 ounce can of sliced carrots
1 6 ounce can of tomato paste
2-4 cups beef or chicken broth
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp Worchestershire sauce
1 tsp Pickapeppa sauce
2-4 potatoes, peeled and diced (optional)

Instructions

In large, heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high heat then add ground beef.
Cook, stirring to break up beef. Add diced onion and minced garlic. Cook until beef is browned. Drain if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add undrained canned pinto beans, green beans, corn and carrots. Add diced potatoes if using.
Stir in tomato paste and broth, combining until tomato paste is dissolved.
Add Worchestershire and Pickapeppa sauces.
Add brown sugar.
Simmer gently for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Ladle into large bowl and top with grated cheddar cheese if desired.

Recipe Notes

You'll need at least 2 cups of water/broth to dilute the tomato paste. The additional water/broth may be needed as it simmers or if you like more liquid in your soup.

I had intended to freeze some of this huge batch of soup but after running errands and delivering the food to my mom, it was almost 6 p.m. I had something else on the menu for us that night but David suggested we eat the soup instead. Chris and I ate two bowls each and David had three. Needless to say, it hit the spot. I only had one small serving left which was eaten for lunch the next day. Guess I need to make another batch for the freezer!

I had picked up a package of Hawaiian sweet rolls so I could send some to my mom (she loves anything sweet). I heated up some for us and they were a nice accompaniment. Speaking of sweet, I think that’s part of the reason my mom loves this soup. Knowing her sweet tooth, I added brown sugar to it. I’ve also made it with baked beans instead of pinto beans in the past. That little touch of sweetness balances the acidity of the tomato paste.

This is a very flexible recipe. You can use more or less of any of the vegetables. Use diced tomatoes or tomato sauce instead of the paste. Swap out some ground turkey for the beef (may need some extra seasoning). For vegetarians, leave out the meat and add a can of black beans instead. I’ve done that a number of times and it’s still delicious.

You may be wondering about one of the ingredients – Pickapeppa Sauce. I discovered this tasty condiment many years ago and always keep a bottle in my fridge. Here are the ingredients (via Amazon):

Cane vinegar, Onion, Sugar, Tomato Paste, Sea Salt, Peppers, Raisins,
Ginger, Mango Concentrate, Cloves, Thyme,
Garlic, Black Pepper, Orange Peel

It’s great in soups, stews, gumbo, jambalaya, as a steak sauce, a marinade, and while I’ve not tried this (yet!) a lot of people recommend mixing it with cream cheese to serve with crackers.

Is it essential in this soup? No. It just adds a little something extra. But I do recommend giving it a try sometime. My local grocery store carries it and for less than Amazon ($4.99). According to the comments on Amazon, it may not be easy to locate, though. I think it’s worth hunting for or just spend a little extra and buy it from Amazon. A little goes a long way so it’s still bargain.

Here is some interesting information about this delicious Jamaican sauce:

Pickapeppa – About Us

David surprised me with a gorgeous, turquoise Le Creuset Dutch oven for Christmas a few years ago and I adore it! I keep it on my stove because it’s so pretty (and huge). It’s perfect for making a big pot of soup like this one.