Green Bean Soup with Beef and Potatoes

A deep bowl of green bean soup is a good reason to gather around the table. Tender beef, bacon and soft potatoes turn the beans into a hearty meal. Savory and tarragon bring the aroma, and a splash of vinegar gives the broth a lively finish.

Beans, beef and plenty of vegetables

Green beans share the pot with beef from a roasting cut, bacon and floury potatoes. Onion, carrot, leek and celeriac build the broth as they cook with the meat and water. Use sunflower oil for the bacon and onion. Savory, tarragon and flat-leaf parsley add herb flavor, with vinegar, sugar, salt and black pepper for seasoning. The potatoes soften at the edges, giving the broth a little body.

Cook the meat first and boil the beans separately

Wash your hands and rinse the vegetables and parsley under running water. Trim the beans and cut them into spoon-size pieces. Peel and dice the onion, potatoes, carrot and celeriac. Split the leek, rinse between its layers and slice. Chop the parsley. Keep prepared vegetables and herbs refrigerated until needed.

Cut the beef into evenly sized cubes and the bacon into smaller pieces. Keep raw meat refrigerated until preparation and away from bread and washed herbs. Wash hands, boards and utensils after raw-meat contact.

Warm the sunflower oil in a soup pot and cook the bacon until it starts to release its fat. Add the onion and soften without scorching. Add the beef, stir, then pour in enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until the beef is nearly tender. Top up with water if needed so the pot does not cook dry.

Meanwhile, boil the fresh green beans in a separate pot of water for at least 30 minutes, counting from when the water returns to the boil. Drain and discard that cooking water. Raw beans contain the harmful lectin phasin; a quick blanch or gentle steaming is not enough. Do not taste them raw.

Add potatoes, carrot, leek, celeriac, savory and tarragon to the beef pot, with more water as needed to keep the ingredients covered. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and the beef yields easily to a fork. For safe cooking, the meat must also reach at least 158°F (70°C) at its center for 2 minutes. Check with a food thermometer.

Fold in the fully cooked beans and bring the soup back to a boil. Add vinegar, sugar and pepper, then taste before adding the salt: bacon already contributes some. Stir gently to keep the vegetables intact and scatter parsley over the bowls.

Toast for dipping into the broth

Serve our crisp whole-grain Toast alongside. Break off a piece to dip into the broth between spoonfuls, leaving the rest dry until you want it. Stir gently before ladling so each bowl gets beans, potatoes and meat.

Frequently asked questions

Why cook the beans in a separate pot?
It gives them the full boiling time they need without forcing the potatoes to cook for just as long. Add the drained, thoroughly cooked beans once the beef and vegetables are ready.

Why add the vinegar near the end?
By then the potatoes are tender and you can taste the finished broth. Stir in the vinegar gradually so you can judge it alongside the bacon, vegetables and herbs.

How should I cool and reheat leftovers?
Refrigerate promptly in shallow containers, within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Reheat the soup to a rolling boil and check with a food thermometer that the meat pieces reach 165°F (74°C). Do not leave the whole pot on the counter to cool overnight.