bowl of soup

Venus de Milo Soup

Favorite, Soups/Chowder/Stews

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 can (6 ounce) tomato paste
  • 1 can (28 ounce) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 envelope onion soup mix
  • 2 beef bouillon cubes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 package (16 ounce) frozen mixed vegetables
  • 2 beef stock (or water)
  • 2/3 cup orzo pasta
  • 1 teaspoon EACH: dried basil, oregano, parsley, mustard powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon EACH: ground sage, pepper
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Cook the ground beef in a large pot over medium heat until completely browned, 7 to 10 minutes.
  2. Drain as much fat from the beef as possible, add the onion to the beef; cook and stir until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes; add the garlic and stir until aromatic, about 1 minute.
  3. Add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, onion soup mix, beef bouillon cubes, bay leaf, mixed vegetables, and stock/water to the ground beef mixture.
  4. Raise heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a boil.
  5. Stir the orzo pasta into the boiling liquid; cook until the orzo is tender, about 10 minutes.
  6. Season with salt and black pepper to serve.

Notes

  • I use 7 cups home made stock + 1 cup water as the base of this soup.
  • I also use diced tomatoes in lieu of crushed.