Paula Deen Hearty Beef and Noodle Soup

Paula Deen hearty beef and noodle soup is an easy Southern soup made with beef short ribs, roasted parsnips and extra-wide egg noodles, ready in 4 hours 15 minutes. This cozy Southern comfort food soup fits Sunday dinner, church supper and a cold weeknight dinner.

Brown the short ribs until no red shows anywhere, because that crust is where the deep beef flavor in the broth comes from. Skip it and you end up with a thin, pale soup that tastes more like boiled meat.

Paula roasts the parsnips and onions in the oven instead of dropping them raw into the pot, so they turn sweet and slightly caramelized. She also deglazes the pan with red wine and thickens the broth with a butter and flour roux, which gives the soup a rich, stew-like body.

Paula Deen Hearty Beef and Noodle Soup

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Course: SoupCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Medium

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

3

hours 

35

minutes

Calories

520

kcal

Slow-simmered short ribs fall off the bone into a rich, wine-kissed broth full of roasted parsnips and wide egg noodles. Then the soup finishes on low heat so the noodles soak up all that flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs beef short ribs
  

• 26 oz chicken stock
  

• 1 cup red table wine
  

• 1 cup water
  

• 1 14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes
  

• 1 bag (about 6) course chopped parsnips
  

• 1 large sliced onion
  

• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  

• 4 tablespoons Butter
  

• 3 tablespoons Flour
  

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  

• 1 12 ounce bag extra-wide egg noodles
  

Directions

• Season the short ribs: Season the short ribs liberally with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Then heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large soup pot.
• Brown the meat: Brown the ribs on all sides for about 15 minutes, until no red is showing. Once they are browned, remove them and wrap them in foil.
• Deglaze the pot: Turn the heat to high and pour in 1 cup red wine, scraping up the browned bits. While the liquid is still boiling, add 4 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons flour, stirring constantly.
• Add the broth: Slowly stir in 26 ounces chicken stock, 1 cup water and the can of stewed tomatoes. Then return the short ribs to the pot.
• Simmer until tender: Cover the pot and cook for about 3 hours. The meat is ready when it pulls away from the bone easily, so remove the bones and save them for beef stock later.
• Roast the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the parsnips and sliced onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 9 x 13 baking pan and roast for 30 minutes, stirring two to three times.
• Cook the noodles: While the vegetables roast, cook the egg noodles as directed on the package. Then drain them and set them aside.
• Finish the soup: Add the roasted vegetables and noodles to the soup and simmer on low for another 15 minutes. For a thinner soup, stir in extra water or chicken stock as you like.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, Nordic Ware half sheet pan, OXO 12-inch locking tongs, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use a different cut of beef instead of short ribs?

Chuck roast cut into big chunks works well, since it also turns tender after a long simmer. Short ribs give a richer broth because of the bones, so use a little extra stock if you swap.

How long does leftover beef and noodle soup keep?

It keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. The noodles keep soaking up broth, so add a splash of stock or water when you reheat it.

Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Yes, the broth and short ribs can simmer a day ahead and sit in the fridge. Roast the vegetables and cook the noodles fresh just before serving, so they don't turn mushy.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

You can brown the ribs and make the roux on the stovetop, then move everything to a slow cooker. Cook on low until the meat pulls off the bone, then add the roasted vegetables and noodles at the end.

What is the most common mistake with this soup?

Rushing the browning is the big one, because pale ribs make a flat-tasting broth. Cooking the noodles directly in the soup is another, since they soak up too much liquid and go soft.