Italian Beef Soup (Brodo di Carne) with Orzo is filled with tender, slow-cooked chuck roast, vegetables, and herbs simmered in a rich, flavorful broth. Make it even heartier by adding orzo or pastina and topping with finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Cook this soup low and slow for hours, resulting in mouthwatering broth and fall-apart beef.
Add water to a large pot or dutch oven and cook on medium heat.
3½ qt water
Add kosher salt, vegetables, parsley, and beef to the pot.
2 lb Chuck roast, 3 carrots, 3 celery stalks, 2 Roma tomatoes, 1 bunch parsley, 2 tablespoon kosher salt, ½ medium onion
Once the water reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low-medium and allow the soup to simmer for 4 hours with the lid on, giving the soup an occasional stir.
At the 3 hour mark, remove the lid and allow the soup to simmer for one more hour.
Once the soup is done cooking, remove the soup from the heat. Remove the onion, celery, and parsley from the soup.
Carefully take the beef out and place it in a large shallow bowl. Place two forks in a portion of the meat facing away from each other. Gently pull the forks in opposite directions, breaking up the meat into shards with each pull. Place the meat back into the soup.
Add orzo to the soup bowls, then use a ladle to serve soup to each bowl.
Serve immediately with finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Orzo
As the soup finishes cooking, take large saucepan or pot and add 4 - 6 quarts of water. Bring the water to a rolling boil and add a pinch of salt. Add orzo to the pot and stir gently. Allow the water to return to a boil. Cook until al dente, or about 8-9 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the orzo and set aside.
1 lb Orzo
Notes
Store leftover orzo and soup in separate containers, otherwise the orzo will absorb the soup.