Easy Beef and Mushroom Soup made in a Slow Cooker
Sneak Preview: Easy Beef and Mushroom Soup made in a Slow Cooker combines round beef steak with mushrooms and a creamy broth. This recipe creates a quick-to-assemble soup you can put in a slow cooker and forget about until dinner.
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Is your freezer a black hole like mine? I recently found a package of round steak at the bottom of my freezer. It was still safe to eat, but it had a little freezer burn – slightly past its prime. Evidently, it fell down the black hole in my freezer.
Consequently, I started thinking about making soup with the steak using a crockpot or slow cooker. The result is this tasty recipe for Easy Beef and Mushroom Soup made in a Slow Cooker.
Recipe Inspiration
The original idea originated with the prime rib soup at Harrigan’s restaurant (sadly, long gone in our area). It was one of my favorites on their menu, along with New Orleans potatoes and Cheesy Yeast Rolls.
I don’t use prime rib in this recipe because I normally don’t have such elegant leftovers. But round steak is delicious, especially when cooked in a slow cooker.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- BACON: You could use thick or thin-slice bacon, but I prefer the latter. Other substitutes include pre-cooked bacon crumbles (like the ones sold at Costco) and turkey bacon.
- ROUND STEAK: Any cut of round steak is good. Chuck steak, cube steaks, or sirloin can substitute for the round steak since they are fine when cooked for a long period with moist heat. Even leftover roast beef can be used.
- ONIONS: Even though I usually use frozen onions to save time, fresh onions are equally delicious.
- MUSHROOMS: Use the most common white button mushrooms sold in all (American) grocery stores. In a pinch, substitute canned sliced mushrooms.
- BEEF BOUILLON CONCENTRATE: I like the paste form shown above the best. Bouillon cubes or canned broth are also options.
- KITCHEN BOUQUET: The kitchen Bouquet adds umami and color. Worcestershire sauce will give you flavor but not the dark caramel color.
- SOY SAUCE: Soy sauce adds salt and more umami flavor that complements the meat.
- BAY LEAF: I love to use bay leaves in my cooking. Don’t forget to remove them before serving. They add flavor, but you can leave them out.
- SOUR CREAM or unflavored GREEK YOGURT: Either ingredient adds a creamy texture and a stroganoff flavor. Add immediately before serving. Don’t let the soup boil after you add the sour cream or yogurt. Boiling can cause either of them to separate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Round steak is not particularly good for a walk-in-the-door-and-eat-10-minutes-later kind of menu. It’s more tender when cooked with moisture for a long time.
Yes. Let the meat simmer in the liquid for 1-2 hours until tender.
Yes, Make it earlier in the day if you look. It will store for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
Freezing will cause the sour cream or yogurt to separate. Although you can usually fix this by adding more cream, I don’t recommend freezing.
Parting Thoughts: We are a soup-eating family, so I have lots of soup recipes. See this similar recipe for Easy Leftover Steak Soup with a Stroganoff Twist. If you have a leftover roast, check out this family favorite for Beef and Vegetable Soup Without Tomatoes.
Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.
Slow Cooker Beef and Mushroom Soup Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 slices thin-sliced bacon
- 1 pound (454 g) round steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup (150 g) chopped onions
- 8 ounces (227 g) fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 5 cups (1183 g) water
- 1 tablespoon beef bouillon concentrate
- 1 tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup (280 g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour optional if you want a thicker broth
Instructions
- Fry 2 slices thin-sliced bacon. Remove from pan, crumble, and place in crockpot.
- Saute 1 pound (454 g) round steak, cut into 1-inch cubes, in remaining bacon grease over high heat until browned. Do this in small batches so the skillet doesn’t cool down. Place browned steak in a slow cooker.
- Saute 1 cup (150 g) chopped onions and 8 ounces (227 g) fresh mushrooms, sliced in a medium skillet. Add to the slow cooker.
- Add 5 cups (1183 g) water, 1 tablespoon beef bouillon concentrate, 1 tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 bay leaf, and Freshly ground black pepper to the slow cooker and stir.
- Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours. Ensure the soup is no longer boiling before moving to the next step.
- Remove about 1 cup broth from the soup and whisk 1 cup (280 g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream into it until smooth. (If you like your broth thicker, add 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour to the cream and stir until there are no more lumps.) Add to the slow cooker and stir until slightly thickened if you added flour. Do not let the soup boil after you put the yogurt or sour cream into the soup.
- Remove bay leaf before serving.
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
Paula Rhodes, owner
As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.