This rich, slow-simmered oxtail soup is true comfort food. Deeply flavorful, hearty, and perfect for winter days. It’s the kind of soup you make for the holidays, but honestly, it’s just as good any time of year. A classic, old-fashioned bowl of soup that’s absolutely worth the wait.
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Why this Recipe Works
This oxtail soup is the way grandma used to make it. Not complicated, but packed with flavor. A proper, traditional soup made by slowly simmering oxtail, vegetables, and herbs for hours.
After sharing my classic Dutch pea soup, it’s now the time for another classic recipe. Simple, honest, and incredibly satisfying.
Oxtail Soup Recipe
The base of this soup is a rich homemade broth made from oxtail and vegetables. By letting everything simmer gently for several hours, the flavors fully develop and the meat becomes fall-off-the-bone tender.
You’ll find oxtail at a butcher shop and sometimes at the supermarket, especially during winter or around the holidays. While you can buy ready-made oxtail soup, nothing compares to making it from scratch, the depth of flavor is on a completely different level.
Old Fashioned Oxtail Soup Recipe
Oxtail soup is a true winter classic. It’s warming, filling, and full of flavor, perfect on a cold day. Serve it with crusty bread and herb butter for a comforting dinner, or as a festive starter during the holidays. Either way, this soup always delivers.
Looking for more winter soups? Think of classics like bean soup or any of my other soup recipes, perfect for cozy evenings.
The Secret Behind Great Oxtail Soup
Don’t be intimidated by the cooking time, this is one of those easy soup recipes where patience does most of the work. You brown the meat, sauté the vegetables, add herbs, wine, and stock, and then let everything gently simmer until the soup is rich and the meat is perfectly tender.
Everything is made in one pot, there’s no blending involved, and your kitchen will smell amazing while it cooks. This is slow cooking at its best.
Ingredients for Oxtail Soup
- Oxtail: cut into pieces; this is where all the flavor comes from
- Onion: roughly chopped, forms the aromatic base
- Carrots: add sweetness and body
- Celery: classic soup vegetable for depth
- Garlic: finely minced for extra flavor
- Tomato paste: adds richness and color
- Bay leaf: essential for classic broth flavor
- Dried thyme and rosemary: strong and aromatic, a little goes a long way
- Red wine: adds depth and richness; optional but highly recommended
- Beef stock: use good-quality stock for best results
How to Make This Recipe
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot and brown the oxtail pieces on all sides. Remove and set aside.
In the same pot, sauté the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and cook briefly, then deglaze with red wine and let it reduce slightly.
Add the beef stock, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, and browned oxtail back to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for about 3 hours, until the meat is tender. Remove the oxtail, pull the meat from the bones, return it to the soup, and season with salt and pepper. Serve with fresh parsley if desired.
FAQ
Can I make oxtail soup ahead of time?
Yes, it actually tastes even better the next day. Store it in the fridge and reheat gently.
Can I freeze oxtail soup?
Absolutely. Let it cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Can I skip the red wine?
Yes. You can replace it with extra beef stock, but the wine does add depth and richness.
How do I know when the oxtail is done?
When the meat easily pulls away from the bone and is melt-in-your-mouth tender, it’s ready.
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Ingredients
- 1 kg oxtail (cut into pieces)
- 1 onion (roughly chopped)
- 2 carrots (diced)
- 2 stalks celery (sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- 25 gram tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 200 ml red wine
- 1.5 liter beef stock
- Olive oil, salt and pepper (to taste)
- Fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
Equipment
- Soup pot
INSTRUCTIONS (how to make this recipe):
- Heat a little olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown the oxtail pieces on all sides, then remove them from the pot and set aside.
- In the same pot, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 5–7 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Stir in the tomato paste and cook briefly.
- Pour in the red wine and let it reduce for a few minutes. Add the beef stock, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, and the browned oxtail. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let the soup gently simmer for about 3 hours.
- Remove the oxtail from the soup, pull the meat off the bones, and return the meat to the pot. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot, optionally garnished with fresh parsley. Delicious with crusty bread on the side. Enjoy!
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