Here’s a rich, comforting oxtail soup recipe with deep flavor and tender, fall-off-the-bone meat.
Ingredients (serves 6)
- 2½–3 lbs oxtail, cut into sections
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 8 cups beef broth (or water + bouillon)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 medium potatoes, cubed (optional)
- 1 cup chopped cabbage or green beans (optional)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
1. Brown the oxtail
- Pat oxtail dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat.
- Brown oxtail on all sides (about 8–10 minutes total).
- Remove and set aside.
2. Build the flavor base
- In the same pot, sauté onion, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to deepen flavor.
3. Simmer low and slow
- Return oxtail to the pot.
- Add broth, bay leaf, and thyme.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to low.
- Cover and simmer 2½–3 hours, until meat is very tender.
4. Add vegetables (optional)
- Add potatoes and cabbage/green beans in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
5. Finish
- Skim excess fat from the top if desired.
- Adjust salt and pepper.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.
Tips for the Best Oxtail Soup
- Low and slow cooking is key for tender meat.
- For deeper flavor, deglaze the pot with ½ cup red wine before adding broth.
- Soup tastes even better the next day after flavors meld.
If you’d like, I can also share a Caribbean-style oxtail soup version or a Chinese herbal oxtail soup variation.
