Creamy Beef and Potato Soup

Creamy beef and potato soup transforms leftover roast beef into ultimate comfort food. Simple potato soup recipe using beef broth ready in 90 minutes.

Hi, I’m Linda, and welcome to Tasty at Home—a cozy corner where bold flavors meet everyday kitchens. Last winter in Chicago, I stood in my tiny apartment kitchen with a chunk of frozen roast beef and four lonely potatoes staring back at me.

Man, oh man, did that turn into something magical. After testing this creamy beef and potato soup eleven times—yes, I curdled the milk twice and over-salted it once—I finally nailed the perfect balance of velvety richness and hearty satisfaction.

Whether you’re rescuing leftover beef or starting fresh, this recipe transforms simple ingredients into pure comfort. Let’s dive into a bowl that tastes like Sunday dinner without the fuss.

Why This Creamy Beef and Potato Soup Works Every Time

This isn’t your grandmother’s watery potato soup. Instead, it’s a rich, restaurant-quality bowl that comes together with pantry staples and minimal effort. The secret lies in building layers of flavor through proper sautéing and creating a smooth flour-milk slurry that thickens without clumping.

After years of making soup, I’ve learned that the best versions balance protein, vegetables, and starch perfectly. This simple potato soup recipe using beef broth does exactly that. Moreover, it’s forgiving enough for beginners yet sophisticated enough to impress dinner guests.

What makes this recipe truly special? You know, it uses leftover roast beef—which means you’re turning last night’s dinner into today’s triumph. Additionally, the hour-long simmer allows the potatoes to break down slightly, naturally thickening the broth while the beef becomes impossibly tender.

Ingredients: Quality Meets Simplicity

Selecting the right ingredients elevates this dish from good to unforgettable. Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Butter	1 tbsp	Unsalted preferred for flavor control
Onion	1 medium	Yellow or white, sliced into sticks
Celery stalk	1	Adds aromatic depth
Carrot	1 large	Peeled and sliced into rounds
Beef, cubed	3 cups	Leftover roast beef or chuck roast
Potatoes	4 medium	Yukon Gold or Russet work beautifully
Garlic cloves	3	Fresh, not jarred
Beef stock	8 cups	Low-sodium recommended
Salt	1/2 tsp	Adjust to taste
Black pepper	1/4 tsp	Freshly ground
Milk	1 cup	Whole milk creates richness
All-purpose flour	1/4 cup	For thickening
Gravy browner	Optional	Creates deep color

Shopping Smart at Your Local Grocery Store

When selecting beef stock, look for versions with less than 400mg sodium per serving. This gives you better control over the final seasoning. Similarly, choose firm potatoes without green spots or excessive eyes—these indicate age and bitterness.

For the beef itself, leftover roast beef works wonderfully. However, if you’re starting from scratch, chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes delivers the best flavor. It contains enough marbling to stay moist during the long simmer.

Fresh garlic makes a tremendous difference here. While jarred garlic seems convenient, it lacks the sharp, aromatic punch that fresh cloves provide. As Thomas Keller often emphasizes, quality ingredients require less manipulation to shine.

Bold Add-Ins and Creative Variations

Want to customize this creamy beef and potato soup? Consider these options:

• Herbs: Fresh thyme or rosemary (add during simmering)
• Heat: Red pepper flakes or hot sauce
• Vegetables: Corn kernels, green beans, or peas
• Richness: Heavy cream instead of milk for extra decadence

International Substitutions

For readers outside the US, here are helpful conversions:

• 1 cup = 240ml
• 1 tbsp = 15ml
• 1 tsp = 5ml
• Medium potato = approximately 150g

Essential Equipment and Kitchen Setup

You don’t need fancy equipment for this simple potato soup recipe using beef broth. Actually, a standard soup pot and basic utensils work perfectly. Here’s what I recommend:

Large Soup Pot or Dutch Oven (6-8 quart capacity): This allows proper heat distribution and prevents scorching. If you don’t have a Dutch oven, a heavy-bottomed stockpot works just as well.

Sharp Chef’s Knife: For efficiently cutting vegetables and beef into uniform pieces. Consistent sizing ensures even cooking.

Wooden Spoon: Metal can scratch your pot’s surface, whereas wood is gentle and naturally antimicrobial.

Whisk: Critical for creating a lump-free slurry. A fork simply won’t incorporate the flour thoroughly enough.

Measuring Cups and Spoons: Precision matters, especially with the flour-to-liquid ratio in your slurry.

DIY Alternatives

Don’t have a proper soup pot? Well, a large saucepan works if you’re halving the recipe. Just monitor it more closely to prevent sticking. Similarly, if you lack a whisk, use a fork with patience and elbow grease—though I strongly recommend investing in a basic whisk for future cooking adventures.

Step-by-Step Cooking the Creamy Beef and Potato Soup

Sautéing the Aromatic Base

Start by melting the butter in your soup pot over medium-high heat. Once it foams and the bubbling subsides, add the sliced onion, celery, and carrots. This initial sauté creates the flavor foundation for your entire soup.

Cook these vegetables for exactly 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You’ll know they’re ready when the onions turn translucent and everything smells sweet. Don’t rush this step—proper caramelization develops complexity you can’t achieve later.

Oops! I once cranked the heat too high and burned my onions within 3 minutes. The result? Bitter soup that no amount of seasoning could save. Keep that heat at medium-high, not high, and stir every 90 seconds.

Building the Soup Body

Next, add your cubed beef, potato chunks, and smashed garlic cloves to the pot. Sauté for just 30 seconds—this brief cooking time allows the garlic to release its aromatics without burning. Burned garlic tastes acrid and ruins everything.

Now pour in all 8 cups of beef stock. The liquid should cover everything by about an inch. Season with salt and pepper, but remember you can always add more later. As Julia Child famously advised, “You can’t unsalt a soup.”

Creating the Perfect Slurry

While the soup comes to a boil, prepare your slurry. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and flour until completely smooth. This step is absolutely crucial—lumpy slurry means lumpy soup.

Here’s my pro tip: Add the flour to the milk gradually, whisking constantly. This method prevents clumping far better than dumping everything together at once. The mixture should look like thin pancake batter.

The Simmering Stage

Once the soup reaches a rolling boil, give your slurry one final whisk. Then slowly pour it into the pot while stirring continuously. You’ll immediately notice the soup beginning to thicken.

Let it return to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Now comes the patient part—simmer uncovered for 60 to 90 minutes. This extended cooking time allows the potatoes to partially break down, creating natural thickening beyond what the flour provides.

During this phase, the soup transforms from thin and brothy to rich and velvety. Stir every 15 minutes to prevent sticking. If you’re using gravy browner, add a few drops during the final 10 minutes to achieve that deep, appetizing brown color.

Sensory Indicators of Doneness

How do you know when your creamy beef and potato soup is finished? The potatoes should pierce easily with a fork, and some edges will have dissolved into the broth. Furthermore, the soup should coat the back of your spoon thickly. When you drag your finger through it, the line should hold for a moment before slowly filling in.

The beef will be fork-tender, falling apart at the slightest pressure. Additionally, the aroma filling your kitchen should smell like Sunday pot roast—deeply savory with sweet undertones from the caramelized vegetables.

Expert Tips for Restaurant-Quality Results

Temperature Control Matters

Maintaining consistent medium-low heat during simmering is essential. Too high, and the milk proteins can separate, creating an unpleasant grainy texture. Too low, and the flavors won’t meld properly.

The Flour Debate

Some cooks skip the flour and rely solely on potato starch for thickening. However, I find this approach inconsistent. The flour slurry guarantees a velvety texture every single time. Plus, it prevents the soup from breaking when reheated—a common problem with starch-only thickening.

Leftover Beef Selection

Not all leftover beef works equally well. Roast beef, pot roast, and braised short ribs are excellent choices. On the other hand, grilled steak or lean cuts tend to dry out during the long simmer. Choose beef that was cooked with moisture and has some fat marbling.

Make-Ahead Magic

This soup actually tastes better the next day. Therefore, consider making it a day ahead for dinner parties. The flavors continue developing as it sits, creating even deeper complexity. Just remember to store it properly in the refrigerator.

Creative Variations to Try

Regional American Twists

Midwest Comfort Version: Add 1 cup of sweet corn kernels and 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Top with crispy bacon bits and serve with our easy broccoli bacon salad for a complete Heartland meal.

Southern Style: Replace 2 cups of beef stock with 2 cups of whole milk for extra creaminess. Add 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning and serve with cornbread. The result tastes like a Louisiana grandmother’s secret recipe.

Northeastern Harvest: Include 1 cup of diced butternut squash along with the potatoes. The sweetness balances the savory beef beautifully, especially during fall and winter months.

Dietary Modifications

Gluten-Free: Substitute the flour with an equal amount of cornstarch in your slurry. The texture will be slightly less velvety but still delicious.

Dairy-Free: Use full-fat coconut milk instead of regular milk. Choose the canned variety, not the carton, for proper thickness. The coconut flavor is surprisingly subtle once combined with beef stock.

Low-Carb: Replace potatoes with cauliflower florets and reduce the flour to 2 tablespoons. While this changes the dish fundamentally, it still delivers satisfying comfort.

Holiday Variations

Thanksgiving Leftover Special: Add 1 cup of shredded leftover turkey along with the beef. Use turkey stock in place of beef stock for a post-holiday transformation that rivals the original feast.

Christmas Morning: Prepare the soup the night before, then reheat it for a cozy Christmas breakfast. Serve in bread bowls with honey glazed carrots and green beans on the side.

Storage and Meal Planning

Storage Method	Duration	Best Practices
Refrigerator	3-4 days	Store in airtight container, cool completely first
Freezer	2-3 months	Portion into individual servings, leave 1-inch headspace
Room Temperature	Not recommended	Dairy-based soups spoil quickly at room temp

Reheating Your Creamy Beef and Potato Soup Recipe Without Ruining

Reheat this creamy beef and potato soup gently over medium-low heat. Add a splash of beef stock or milk if it has thickened too much overnight. Avoid microwaving at full power—use 50% power in 2-minute intervals, stirring between each.

Never bring reheated soup to a hard boil. This can cause the milk proteins to separate, creating a curdled appearance. Low and slow wins the race every time.

Freezing Guidelines

While this soup freezes acceptably well, the texture changes slightly upon thawing. The potatoes become softer and the dairy may separate. To minimize this, undercook the potatoes by 10 minutes if you know you’ll be freezing portions. When reheating, whisk vigorously to re-emulsify the dairy.

Perfect Pairings and Serving Suggestions

This simple potato soup recipe using beef broth pairs wonderfully with crusty bread for dipping. Sourdough, ciabatta, or a hearty whole grain loaf all work beautifully. Additionally, consider serving it alongside our tomato soup recipe using juice for a soup-and-soup combo that kids and adults love.

For beverages, a light-bodied red wine like Pinot Noir complements the beef without overwhelming the soup’s delicate potato flavor. Alternatively, a crisp apple cider makes this feel like autumn in a bowl.

Want to turn this into a complete meal? Serve it with gluten-free crumbl sugar cookies or dairy-free sugar cookies for dessert. The sweet contrast after savory soup creates a satisfying finish.

Garnishing Like a Pro

Simple garnishes elevate presentation without extra work. Consider:

• Fresh parsley or chives, chopped finely
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt dollop
• Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Crispy fried onions
• Freshly cracked black pepper

According to the USDA’s guidance on food safety, soups containing meat should cool to 40°F within two hours to prevent bacterial growth. Use shallow containers and ice baths to speed cooling before refrigeration.

Creamy Beef and Potato Soup FAQs

Bringing It All Together

That frozen chunk of roast beef and those four potatoes? They turned into my family’s most-requested winter meal. This creamy beef and potato soup proves that comfort food doesn’t require complicated techniques or expensive ingredients. Instead, it demands patience, quality stock, and a willingness to let flavors develop slowly.

Whether you’re using leftover beef from Sunday dinner or starting fresh with chuck roast, this simple potato soup recipe using beef broth delivers every single time. The velvety texture, tender beef, and perfectly cooked potatoes create a bowl that warms you from the inside out.

So grab your soup pot and transform those leftovers into something remarkable. Your kitchen will smell amazing, your family will ask for seconds, and you’ll have a new weeknight staple that tastes like it took all day.

Let me tell you, there’s nothing quite like watching someone take that first spoonful and immediately reach for their phone to text the recipe request. Share your version with us at Tasty at Home—we’d love to see how you make this recipe your own!