Beef Soup (Kharcho) Recipe (2024)

Beef Soup (Kharcho) Recipe (1)

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Beef Soup Kharcho (pronounced harcho), is a hearty beef soup in tomato broth with a wonderful blend of spices and plenty of fresh herbs. The beef is fall-apart tender and just melts in your mouth – delicious!All it needs is a thick slice of fresh crusty bread.

This beef stew also reheats really well and I was pleasantly surprised that my 1-year old loved it! This recipe also made a soup Kharcho lover out of my husband.

Kharchois Georgian in origin but has beenadopted and well loved by Ukrainians for many years. This recipe was loosely adapted from The New Ukrainian Cookbook.

Ingredients for Beef and Tomato Soup (Kharcho):

3 lb beef stew meat
3tsp salt (I used fine sea salt)
4 Tbsp light olive oil (or any cooking oil), divided
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
4 cups beef broth +4 cup filtered water
28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 dry bay leaves

1tsp groundcoriander seeds
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 cup uncooked white rice (I used Jasmine)
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (from 1 mediumlemon)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, plus more to serve
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped, plus more to serve

Beef Soup (Kharcho) Recipe (2)

How to Make Beef Soup (Kharcho):

1. Sprinkle meat with 3tsp salt and stir. Heat a dutch oven or soup pot over medium/high heat and add 2 Tbsp oil. Once oil is hot, add beef in 2 batches,sautéing until browned on all sides (don’t worry about cooking it through). Remove from pot and set aside.

Beef Soup (Kharcho) Recipe (3)

2. Add chopped onion and celery with more oil as needed. Saute 5 minutes until softened.

Beef Soup (Kharcho) Recipe (4)

3. Add canned tomatoes with their juice, 4 cups broth, 4 cups water, 2 bay leaves and browned beef. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until beef is tender.

Beef Soup (Kharcho) Recipe (5)

4. Add 1/2 cup white rice, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 pressed garlic cloves, 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp paprika. Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender.

Beef Soup (Kharcho) Recipe (6)

5. Remove from heat and add 1/4 cup parsley and 1/4 cup dillthen cover and let sit off heat another 10 minutes before serving. Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed and serve with more fresh herbs as desired.

Beef Soup (Kharcho) Recipe (7)

Beef Soup (Kharcho) Recipe (8)

Beef Soup (Kharcho)

4.98 from 170 votes

Author: Natasha Kravchuk

Beef Soup (Kharcho) Recipe (10)

Beef Soup Kharcho (pronounced harcho), is a hearty beef soup in tomato broth with a wonderful blend of spices and plenty of fresh herbs.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Ingredients

Servings: 12 cups of soup

  • 3 lb beef stew meat
  • 3 tsp salt
  • 4 Tbsp light olive oil, or any cooking oil, divided
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
  • 4 cups beef broth + 4 cup filtered water
  • 28 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 2 dry bay leaves
  • 1 tsp ground coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 garlic cloves, pressed
  • 1/2 cup uncooked white rice, I used Jasmine
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, from 1 medium lemon
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, plus more to serve
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped, plus more to serve

Instructions

  • Sprinkle meat with 3 tsp salt and stir. Heat dutch oven or soup pot over medium/high heat and add 2 Tbsp oil. Once oil is hot, add beef in 2 batches, sautéing until browned on all sides. Remove from pot and set aside. Don't worry about cooking it through.

  • Add chopped onion and celery with more oil as needed. Saute 5 min until softened.

  • Add canned tomatoes with their juice, 4 cups broth, 4 cups water, 2 bay leaves and browned beef. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until beef is tender.

  • Add 1/2 cup white rice, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 pressed garlic cloves, 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp paprika. Cover and simmer 20 min or until rice is tender.

  • Remove from heat and add 1/4 cup parsley and 1/4 cup dill then cover and let sit off heat another 10 min before serving. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with more fresh herbs as desired.

Nutrition Per Serving

253kcal Calories11g Carbs27g Protein11g Fat3g Saturated Fat70mg Cholesterol1045mg Sodium612mg Potassium1g Fiber2g Sugar370IU Vitamin A11mg Vitamin C60mg Calcium3mg Iron

  • Full Nutrition Label
  • Nutrition Disclosure

Nutrition Facts

Beef Soup (Kharcho)

Amount per Serving

Calories

253

% Daily Value*

Fat

11

g

17

%

Saturated Fat

3

g

19

%

Cholesterol

70

mg

23

%

Sodium

1045

mg

45

%

Carbohydrates

11

g

4

%

Fiber

1

g

4

%

Sugar

2

g

2

%

Protein

27

g

54

%

Vitamin A

370

IU

7

%

Vitamin C

11

mg

13

%

Calcium

60

mg

6

%

Iron

3

mg

17

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Russian

Keyword: beef soup, soup kharcho

Skill Level: Easy/Medium

Cost to Make: $$

Calories: 253

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

Beef Soup (Kharcho) Recipe (11)

Natasha Kravchuk

Beef Soup (Kharcho) Recipe (12)

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Read more posts by Natasha

Beef Soup (Kharcho) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do I make my soup taste more beef? ›

If you are adding meat to a soup, sear or brown it in a sauté pan before you add it to the soup. This adds a deeper savory flavor to the whole soup.

How do you fix tough beef in soup? ›

I've struggled with tough beef in my soups, stews, and curries. So, I'm finally happy to say the trick to tender beef soup is to simmer it long enough, for about two and half to three hours and use beef chuck instead of stew meat. I trimmed the hard fat off the beef chuck and chopped it into mostly even size pieces.

Where is Kharcho from? ›

Kharcho is a catch-all term for spicy Georgian beef stew. Though it hails from the Black Sea region of Mingrelia, today it's a staple across many former Soviet countries.

What is the Premier soup of Georgia? ›

Final answer: The premier soup of Georgia is often considered to be khinkali or kharcho. Khinkali is more of a soup dumpling, while kharcho is a traditional soup made with walnuts, beef, rice, and various spices.

What is the most flavorful beef for soup? ›

The best cut of meat for beef soup is either a chuck roast, chuck shoulder, chuck-eye roast or top chuck – with chuck roast being my personal favorite. These are the most tender cuts.

What can I add to soup to make it taste better? ›

Herbs: Fresh chives, thyme, or cilantro stirred in just before serving. Spices: Your soup is probably salty enough, but what about simmering a bay leaf in there for a while (don't forget to remove it before serving)? Depending on the soup's flavor profile, you could shake in some cumin or red pepper flakes.

How long does it take for beef to get tender in soup? ›

Place a lid on top, turn heat down to low, then simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove lid then gently simmer for another 1-1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender and stew has thickened, stirring occasionally. If the stew begins to reduce too quickly before the meat is tender, place the lid back on top.

What liquid makes beef tender? ›

Tea contains tannins, which are a natural tenderiser. Method: Make 1-2 cups of strong black tea, allow it to cool, and then immerse the beef in the liquid for up to 24 hours. The longer you leave the beef to marinade, the more tender it will be.

How long does it take for beef to soften in soup? ›

My rule of thumb is 3 to 4 hours on a low simmer. You can dissolve a piece of beef tendon in that time which is about as big as your little finger and probably the toughest piece of the cow. This varies a bit depending on the cut and how much tendon/ligament is present in the roast.

What is the history of kharcho soup? ›

Megrelian kharcho is a Georgian dish from the South Caucasus Mountains of Samegrelo Region, the historical homeland of the Mingrelian people. This region long remained isolated from the rest of Georgia, in part because of the distinct Mingrelian language which is still spoken in the community today.

How do you pronounce kharcho? ›

Beef Soup Kharcho (pronounced harcho), is a hearty beef soup in tomato broth with a wonderful blend of spices and plenty of fresh herbs. The beef is fall-apart tender and just melts in your mouth – delicious! All it needs is a thick slice of fresh crusty bread.

How many calories are in kharcho soup? ›

Nutritional value of 100 g of product: proteins - 8.5 g, fats - 8 g, carbohydrates - 42 g, Energy value (caloric content) - 1170 kJ (280 kcal). Store at a temperature not exceeding 20 ° С and a relative humidity of not more than 75%.

What is the No 1 soup in the world? ›

According to the Taste Atlas Awards, the international food database, the Filipino favorite, Sinigang, is hailed as the best soup in the world.

What is Queen Elizabeth's favorite soup? ›

One of her personal chefs declared that the Queen had eaten jam pennies every single day of her life since she was five years old. The Queen had a favorite soup… Callaloo…a Carribean soup with callaloo leaves.

What's the number one soup in America? ›

Chicken Noodle Soup is the most popular soup in America. More than 28% of consumers choose clam chowder as their favorite kind of soup. The global soup market size was valued at USD 16.1 billion in 2018. Vegetable soup is the second most popular soup in the U.S after chicken noodle soup.

How do you fix bland beef soup? ›

The best way to ensure a flavorful soup is to brown the beef and onions in the beginning. If the soup tastes bland at the end of cooking, add more spices and herbs. After adding, allow the soup to cook a little longer so the flavors to meld together.

What enhances the flavor of beef? ›

Beef tastes great when seasoned with oregano, rosemary, sage, garlic or a combination of these seasonings. Poultry gets an added burst of flavor with spices like paprika, lemongrass and saffron. Fish can be made more flavorful with dry mustard powder, thyme and turmeric.

How do you enhance beef broth? ›

Simmer with fresh herbs.

Bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, sage, lemongrass, and lime leaves are simple upgrades to store-bought stock. Also consider saving herb stems for quickly simmering in soup broth instead of using whole herbs.

What gives beef stew the best flavor? ›

Add spices such as turmeric, coriander and cumin at the early stage of cooking, when you are frying onions and garlic, to enhance the taste of the beef stew. Fresh herbs like coriander and bay leaves also contribute a distinct flavour without making the dish too spicy for the younger members of the family.

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