Khmer Vegetables Beef Soup

There’s a certain kind of soup that shows up on Cambodian tables without fanfare — no special occasion, no holiday, just a big pot simmering on the stove while the house slowly fills with its warm, savory smell. This Khmer Vegetables Beef Soup is exactly that kind of meal. It’s built on simple ingredients: tender beef chuck, potatoes, carrots, daikon, and cabbage, all cooked down in a light tomato-based broth that’s seasoned with fish sauce, soy sauce, and a touch of sugar.

The soup sits somewhere between a stew and a brothy bowl — hearty enough to eat on its own with rice, but light enough that it doesn’t weigh you down. If you’re new to Cambodian cooking, this is a good place to start. The ingredients are easy to find, the steps are straightforward, and the result is the kind of quiet, comforting food that makes you want to keep the pot on the stove all afternoon.

What You Need

The backbone of this soup is beef chuck, cut into bite-size chunks. Chuck is a good choice because it becomes tender after a slow simmer and gives the broth a deep, meaty flavor. You’ll also need potatoes, carrots, daikon, and cabbage — a mix of root vegetables and leafy greens that cook at different speeds, so they go into the pot in stages.

The seasoning is simple but layered: garlic, onion, soy sauce, fish sauce, black pepper, and a small amount of sugar to balance everything out. A can of tomato sauce gives the broth its gentle tang and warm color. Celery adds a quiet herbal note. Chili pepper is optional — add it if you want a little heat.

Equipment

Soup pot: To cook the beef, vegetables, and broth together in one pot. A large heavy-bottomed pot works best because it holds heat evenly and gives the beef enough room to simmer without crowding.

Cutting board: To safely prepare the beef, potatoes, carrots, daikon, cabbage, celery, onion, and garlic before cooking.

Chef’s knife: To cut the beef into bite-size chunks and chop the vegetables and aromatics.

Wooden spoon: To stir the ingredients as they cook and keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Measuring spoons: To measure the soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, salt, and black pepper accurately.

How to Make Khmer Vegetables Beef Soup

Step 1: Sear the beef with aromatics

Preheat a large soup pot over medium heat. When the pot is hot, add the vegetable oil, minced garlic, sliced onion, and beef chunks. Stir well and cook until the beef is lightly browned on the outside and the garlic and onion are fragrant.

Step 2: Season the beef

Add the soy sauce, salt, chili pepper (if using), and black pepper. Stir everything together so the beef is evenly coated with the seasonings.

Step 3: Build the broth

Pour in the water and tomato sauce, then add the chopped celery. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. Let the soup cook until the beef becomes tender, stirring occasionally.

Step 4: Add the root vegetables

Once the beef is tender, add the potatoes, carrots, and daikon. Continue cooking until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.

Step 5: Add the cabbage

Add the chopped cabbage and cook until it becomes tender but still holds its shape.

Step 6: Finish the seasoning

Season with fish sauce and sugar. Stir well, taste the broth, and adjust if needed. Serve hot.

Cooking Tips

Beef chuck needs time to become tender. Let it simmer gently rather than boiling hard — a gentle simmer keeps the meat soft and the broth clear.

Cut the potatoes, carrots, and daikon into similar-sized chunks so they cook at the same rate. The cabbage goes in last because it cooks much faster than the root vegetables.

Taste the broth before serving. The fish sauce and sugar amounts can be adjusted to your liking — some people prefer a saltier broth, others a slightly sweeter one.

How to Serve

This soup is traditionally served with steamed jasmine rice on the side. Spoon the soup over the rice, or serve it in a bowl alongside a plate of rice. A few extra slices of fresh chili or a squeeze of lime can be added at the table for brightness.

Recipe Notes

The chili pepper is optional. If you’re serving this to children or prefer a milder soup, leave it out or add it at the table.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

This Khmer Vegetables Beef Soup is the kind of recipe that fits easily into a weeknight rotation. It doesn’t ask for much attention — just a pot, a spoon, and a little patience while the beef becomes tender and the vegetables soften into the broth. The tomato sauce gives it a gentle tang, the fish sauce adds depth, and the cabbage brings a quiet sweetness that ties everything together. Serve it with rice, and you have a meal that feels both simple and complete.

Vegetables Beef Soup

5.0 from 1 vote

Course: SoupCuisine: CambodianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

6

servings

Calories

15

minutes

1

hour 

295

1

hour 

15

minutes

This Khmer Vegetables Beef Soup combines tender beef chuck with root vegetables and cabbage in a savory broth seasoned with fish sauce, soy sauce, and a touch of sugar. It’s a comforting one-pot meal that’s easy to make and even better the next day.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 Cloves garlic, minced

• 1 yellow onion, sliced

• 1 lb (450 gram) of Beef chuck, cut chunks bite sizes

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3 Chopped chili pepper or to your taste(option)

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 3 cups water (750 ml)

• 1 can (8 oz or 230 gram) of Hunt’s tomato sauce

• 1 Stalk celery, chopped

• 2 white or red potato, peeled and cut chunks

• 1 cup baby carrot or 1 carrot, peeled and cut chunks

• 1 cup already peeled and cubes daikon

• 4 cups chopped cabbage

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

• 1/2 tablespoon Sugar

Directions

• Pre-heat a large soup pot.
• When soup pot is hot, add oil, garlic, onion and beef, stirs well.
• Put soy sauce, salt, chili pepper and black pepper.
• Add water, tomato sauce and celery, cook till beef tender.
• Put potato, carrot and daikon, cook till potato tender.
• Add cabbage, cook till cabbage tender.
• Seasoning with fish sauce and sugar. Stirs well.

Equipment

• 
  Large Soup PotCheck product details
• 
  Wooden SpoonCheck product details
• 
  Chef’s KnifeCheck product details
• 
  Measuring Spoons & CupsCheck product details
• 
  Cutting boardCheck product details

Recipe Video

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 250 g
• Total number of serves: 6
• Calories: 295kcal
• Fat: 13.8g
• Saturated Fat: 4.6g
• Cholesterol: 52mg
• Sodium: 1240mg
• Potassium: 1152mg
• Carbohydrates: 27g
• Net Carbs: 21.2g
• Fiber: 5.8g
• Sugar: 10.7g
• Protein: 19g
• Vitamin A: 217.8mcg
• Vitamin C: 75.9mg
• Calcium: 84mg
• Iron: 4mg
• Vitamin E: 2.5mg
• Vitamin K: 57.4mcg
• Thiamin: 0.2mg
• Riboflavin: 0.3mg
• Niacin: 5.8mg
• Vitamin B6: 0.8mg
• Vitamin B12: 2.1mcg
• Folate: 64.2mcg
• Pantothenic Acid: 1.3mg
• Phosphorus: 251mg
• Magnesium: 71mg
• Zinc: 6mg
• Selenium: 17.3mcg
• Copper: 0.4mg
• Manganese: 0.5mg

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