Easy Spanish Beef Soup Recipe

In this recipe, you will learn more about the delicious Sopa de carne española or Spanish beef soup as it is known in English.

Not only will you know the recipe and different tips that will make your job much easier, but you will also get to know more information about the history and the cultural background of this popular Spanish soup recipe.

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Background of the dish

Spanish beef soup is a variant of the classic Asian recipe known as beef and noodle soup.

Thanks to the trade between Asia and Andalusia near the 15th century, it was possible to create this soup recipe that contains the distinctive flavors of Spanish cuisine.

In the case of the Spanish recipe, the use of soy sauce and honey is changed to tomato and white wine, in addition to using ossobuco, which is a popular cut of meat in the Andalusian region.

Nowadays it is quite popular in the south of Spain since it not only warms up your body but also leaves you satisfied and with enough energy to carry out your daily tasks.

Things You’ll Need for Spanish Beef Soup Recipe

To make the best beef soup recipe you’ll need just some ordinary ingredients and basic kitchen equipment. This means that you can get this soup done fast and easily!

For the equipment, you’ll only need a large pot and saucepan to cook the soup in.

When it comes to the ingredients, they can be found at any local store, and chances are you already have some of them at your home.

Besides that, you can make multiple substitutions to adapt this recipe to your personal taste or diet.

For example, beef shank or ossobuco as it is known in Spanish is the best beef for soup but still, you can use any type of beef that you want.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 small onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ½  teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 ½ pounds beef for soup (any of your choice)
• 4 cups (960ml) beef broth or beef bones
• 2 cups (480ml) water
• 2 potatoes
• 2 carrots
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• ½ cup (120ml) white wine

How to make Spanish Beef Soup Recipe – Step by Step Guide

1. The first step on this Spanish beef soup recipe is very important, since this way the soup will get the characteristic flavor of this type of soup. What you have to do is to mix the spices with the flour and season the meat with them, also massage the meat so the seasoning is distributed evenly and it absorbs all the flavors. Then set the seasoned beef aside and let it rest.
2. In a large saucepan or pot pour the olive oil and heat it at medium heat. Add onions and cook for 3 minutes, then add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Make sure they get a golden color, but don’t let them brown since they might burn.
3. Place the beef in the pot and seal each side for 3 minutes until it reaches a brown color. Only focus on reaching a brown color, since it will finish cooking later with the broth and the remaining liquids of the soup.
4. Then pour white wine and cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Instead of white wine you can use more beef broth, but the wine gives a really nice flavor to the soup. Don’t worry! you won’t taste the alcohol since it’ll evaporate while cooking the soup.
5. After that add tomato sauce, beef broth and water, continue stirring and cook at a high until it boils. Then reduce the heat to a low, cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. In the meantime chop potatoes and carrots into small cubes, the potato cubes should be from 1 to 2 inches, and the carrot cubes should be ½ inch.
6. For the final step add carrot and potato cubes into the pot and raise the temperature to high heat until it boils. Cook for another 30 minutes covered, although you can cook it uncovered for the last 10 minutes if you want a thicker soup. And now your Spanish beef soup is ready! serve warm and enjoy.

Substitution of ingredients

Thankfully there are many substitutions that you can make in the ingredients of this soup, and customize it according to your personal preferences.

The easiest change is to inspire yourself from other beef soup ideas and make changes to the spices of this recipe, such as adding paprika, five spices, curry, etc.

You can also change using any beef of your choice, in this case, it is the beef shank, but you can also use beef tenderloin, pork steak, chicken breast, etc.

I personally recommend you use the beef shank, since its consistency is the ideal one for this recipe, and it goes really well with the white wine.

Besides that, you can take ideas from other Spanish soups and add some ingredients from those recipes, such as using garbanzo or white beans from the Spanish white bean soup and the Spanish garbanzo bean soup.

When it comes to broth, beef broth is the best one for this recipe, but you can also use vegetable or chicken broth.

You can even use water instead of broth, but in this case, you should add more salt to the recipe, and ideally a bouillon cube.

If you liked this soup recipe, I recommend you try others such as the Albondigas soup from Spain, the Spanish lentil soup recipe, and the Spanish garlic soup.

I can assure you that you’ll love them, and they will be your new favorite winter recipes.

Or try the Spanish beef osso buco recipe or Spanish rice with ground beef if you don’t want soup but prefer beef recipes.

Tips on Serving Spanish Beef Soup

This Andalusian food can be served either as a main course or as an entrance, all of you have to do is to change the amount of soup that you serve in each case.

Besides that you can also serve it for lunch or dinner, the advantage of eating it at lunch is that you’ll be filled up for the rest of the day.

If you are looking for what to eat in Seville you’ll notice that this Spanish beef soup is commonly served alongside some toasted bread with olive oil, so you can do the same thing at your home.

Just grab your favorite bread, cut it into small cubes and toast it with some olive oil and garlic, the result will be delicious!

How to store Spanish Beef Soup

You can store this steak soup in a number of ways, which will help you save time in the future. If you want to eat the soup in a couple of days after making it, or if you have a little leftover, you can simply store it in the fridge.

There it will last up to 4 days and you simply have to store it in a container with a lid, or cover it with a clean plastic bag.

Just make sure that it gets cold outside the refrigerator, or that it is at least between room temperature to warm since this way its consistency or taste will not be affected.

Now if you want to consume it in the future, the best thing you can do is freeze it. There is no problem with freezing the soup broth and cooked meat together, the texture will remain intact.

Again you just have to make sure that before freezing it reaches room temperature. In the freezer it can be up to 20 days, then when you want to eat it you have to unfreeze it during the night before.

If you want to you can freeze the Spanish beef soup in small containers with just a single serving. This is ideal if you want to make meal prep, so you only have to defreeze this Spanish-style beef soup and your food is ready!

Make sure to check our other Spanish soup recipes:

• Hot Spanish Garlic Soup
• Spanish Lentil Soup
• Spanish Shrimp Soup
• Spanish Chicken Soup Recipe
• Spanish Seafood Soup
• Creamy Spanish Tomato Soup
• Spanish Chicken Soup With Rice
• Spanish White Bean Soup

Recipe Card: Spanish Beef Soup Recipe

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