Greek Beef Soup (Kreatosoupa) the perfect meal for a cold winter’s day! Hearty, simple, aromatic Greek beef soup (Kreatosoupa) with vegetables and potatoes for the whole family to enjoy!
I find it very difficult to resist every recipe that includes the word “soup” because of the winter. One of my favourite soups is a Greek lemon chicken soup (kotosoupa avgolemono), which I do not make very often, because it requires a little more time and effort. But it’s still my number one option when I have enough time.
The best alternative for me when I want a quick soup is this classic Greek beef soup recipe, which requires fifteen minutes of preparation and a few ingredients, making it a staple in my household. I make it the way I remember grandma used to make it, rustic style. My grandma also used goat or lamb. My mom used beef shank, known in Italian as Osso Bucco. In this recipe I use a simple cut of beef, but the choice is yours. Bone in with the meat is so much better.
Greek cuisine also includes a wide variety of vegetarian soup recipes, such as Greek bean soup (fasolada), Greek lentil soup (fakes), Greek chickpea soup (revithia). All of them have a very special place in my heart. Fact is that they are delicious. They bring back memories of my childhood.
Greek beef soup recipe variations
As I said before, this beef soup is one of my favorite meals for the whole family. The Greek Beef soup has many variations. It may include rice and egg lemon sauce (avgolemono) or orzo and tomato sauce. In this recipe, however, I am using my grandmother’s method which is without rice or orzo, but with the egg lemon sauce (avgolemono). This nourishing soup is good any day of the week.
Carrots, celery, and onions are used as base ingredients to enhance the flavor and potatoes are added to make it more filling, followed by lemon juice, olive oil. You can add any vegetables and herbs you want, such as fennel, leek, or fresh oregano, or you can add a little spice with chili flakes.
Greek Beef Soup (Kreatosoupa)
Ingredients
- 1100-1300 grams beef neck , shoulder , shank , etc
- 3 medium potatoes
- 3 medium carrots
- 1 small zucchini
- 3 celery stalks
- 3 tbsp celery leaves chopped
- 1 medium dry onion
- 1 small leek white part only
- 100 grams olive oil
- 3 eggs
- 2 lemon juice
- 2 liters broth
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Preparation and cooking the Greek beef soup
- To prepare this Greek beef soup recipe, first cut the beef into 5cm (2 inches) pieces.
- Fill a large pot with 2 1/2 liters of water and bring to a boil.
- Once water is boiling add the beef, cover and boil for 45 minutes,
- During this cooking time, cut all the vegetables.
- Chop the onions, cut the potatoes into large pieces, the carrots into rounds, the leek into rounds, the celery into slices, the zucchini into half moons and chop the celery leaves. Set aside.
- Once meat is done boiling, remove meat from the pot and set aside. Strain the broth and set aside.
- In the large pot add the olive oil. Place on medium heat and saute all the vegetables except for the zucchini for about 5 minutes. The zucchini will be added to the soup in the last 15 minutes of cooking.
- After the 5 minutes add in the beef and saute with the vegetables another 5 minutes. Add in the broth (should be about 1.5 to 2 liters, otherwise add a bit of water). Season with salt and pepper.
- Cover the pot, bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer, medium low heat. Cook for 45 minutes. Remember to put in the zucchini before the time is up!
- Once it is done take the pot off the heat.
Egg-lemon sauce (Avgolemono)
- Squeeze lemons.
- Crack the eggs in a bowl and whisk them
- Pour the lemon juice in the beaten eggs and whisk to incorporate it.
- Continue to whisk and add 1 teaspoon flour or corn starch (if using).
- Set aside when done.
Finish the soup
- Allow the soup to cool before adding to the avgolemono. About 10 – 15 minutes.
- Add the warm soup a ladle at a time into the egg-lemon mixture to help raise its temperature. Whisk well to incorporate.
- Repeat by pouring ladle after ladle of soup into the egg-lemon sauce mixture. Be patient with this process!
- Tip: Failing to bring the temperature of the eggs up will result in them curdling when pouring back in the soup.
- Now pour the Avgolemono sauce into the soup. This sauce will give the soup its creamy consistency and extra lemony flavor!!
- Mix everything by gently stirring the soup.
- Now simmer the soup for a couple more minutes over very low heat.
- Turn off the heat.
- The wonderful beef soup is ready to be served.
