Vegetable Beef Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium carrot, diced

1 small zucchini, diced

1 small bell pepper, diced

1 small potato, peeled and diced

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

4 cups beef broth

1 cup water

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup frozen green beans

Instructions:

In a large pot, cook the ground beef over medium heat until it is browned and crumbled. Drain off any excess fat.

Add the onion, garlic, carrot, zucchini, bell pepper, and potato to the pot. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are starting to soften.

Add the diced tomatoes, beef broth, water, bay leaf, thyme, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper to the pot. Stir to combine.

Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the frozen green beans to the soup and continue to simmer for an additional 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Remove the bay leaf and serve the soup hot.

Explanation:

This recipe calls for ground beef, which is browned and crumbled in a large pot. Then, a variety of vegetables, including onion, garlic, carrot, zucchini, bell pepper, and potato, are added to the pot and cooked until they start to soften.

Next, diced tomatoes, beef broth, water, and a selection of herbs and spices are added to the pot. The soup is then brought to a boil, after which the heat is reduced and the soup is allowed to simmer for 30 minutes.

Finally, frozen green beans are added to the soup and simmered for an additional 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Once the bay leaf is removed, the soup is ready to serve hot.