Old-Fashioned Oxtail Soup Recipe

This old-fashioned Oxtail Soup recipe results in a delicious, broth-y dish that is packed with tender meat and veggies. The long-simmering base of red wine, beef broth, and herbs gives the soup an intense depth of flavor. Serve up a hot bowl of this soup on a cold winter day, and I guarantee this hearty meal will warm the tummy, heart, and soul.

Email this recipe!

Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Email *

Save Recipe

Whenever I make this hearty oxtail soup, it takes me back to memories of my dad. As a teenager, I remember thinking the idea of eating “oxtails” was strange. But when Dad served it, I cleaned my bowl without a second thought. Every spoonful still feels like a taste of home.

If this is your first time making homemade oxtail soup, know that the deep flavor comes from two things: time and the oxtails themselves. This is not a quick soup. It’s the kind of recipe that simmers slowly, transforming a tough, inexpensive cut of meat into a rich, comforting broth.

Dad always started his soup early in the morning, a big pot quietly bubbling on the back burner all day.

Our old-fashioned oxtail soup stays true to his recipe, with just a few small tweaks for extra flavor. Simmer it low and slow, then ladle it up with your favorite sides. A slice of sourdough bread, cheddar cornbread or rustic barley biscuits. It also pairs well with a simple side salad or even a meatloaf sandwich.

Why This Oxtail Soup Recipe Works

Deep, rich flavor: Slow simmering pulls every bit of flavor from the bones and meat, giving you a broth that’s rich, beefy, and full-bodied, no fancy ingredients needed.

Simple ingredients, big payoff: The oxtails, vegetables, and time do all the work here. No wine, no stock, just honest cooking that builds flavor the old-fashioned way.

Tender, fall-off-the-bone meat: After hours of slow cooking, the oxtails turn melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the broth develops a silky texture from the natural collagen.

Old-fashioned comfort: This is the kind of soup that fills the house with the smell of home. It’s hearty, satisfying, and has that nostalgic touch that only slow-cooked meals bring.

A meal in itself: With plenty of vegetables and rich broth, it’s a complete meal in one bowl.

 If you like this soup, you will also like our lamb soup, Dutch oven beef stew and our lamb stew with garlic polenta. 

Oxtail Soup Ingredients

Here is a list of the ingredients you will need for this recipe:

• Meaty oxtails. If you don’t see oxtails in the grocery store, ask the butcher if it is available. Sometimes the oxtail is still in the back, and they just haven’t packaged it up. You might also have luck visiting your local butcher. 
• Salt and black pepper. Seasoning for the soup and the oxtails. 
• Vegetable oil. You could also use leftover bacon grease to sear the oxtail. 
• Beef broth. Store-bought is fine but our homemade bone broth is also a good option. You can also use beef stock. 
• Dry red wine. The wine adds a rich flavor, but if you don’t cook with wine, just increase the beef broth. 
• Tomato paste. This adds to the rich, umami flavor of the soup. 
• Fresh garlic. You can also use dried garlic for convenience but we think fresh garlic adds a punchier flavor. 
• Fresh herbs. We used rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. If you tie the rosemary and thyme in a bundle with butchers twine, you can pull them out after the soup finishes simmering. You can also substitute the fresh herbs with dried herbs. 

• Aromatics. Onion, celery and carrots are the classic mix that lend that delicious, savory flavor to the soup.
• Leeks. Look for leeks that are thinner since the thicker leeks tend to be more fibrous. You only need to use the white and light green parts of the leek.
• Parsnips. Parsnips look a bit like white carrots but they are sweeter. If you can’t find parsnips, sweet potatoes would be a nice substitute. 
• Waxy potatoes. Waxy potatoes like New potatoes, red bliss, and creamer potatoes hold their shape in soup better than starchy potatoes like Russets.
• Parsley. The parsley is for garnishing. 

What to Serve with Oxtail Soup

This old-fashioned oxtail soup recipe is a delicious main dish that works with a variety of sides. Any kind of carb-y bread, dinner roll or biscuit works well. Sandwiches like a Reuben or a grinder sandwich make a hearty and filling meal, while salads like a classic wedge or a bistro salad can keep things a bit on the light side.  

Ladle the soup into serving bowls, garnish each serving with chopped parsley and enjoy with some warm crusty spelt sourdough bread or sour cream biscuits.

If you enjoy hearty, slow-simmered soups like this one, try our Beef and Lentil Soup next. It’s just as comforting but with an earthy, savory twist.

More Recipes You Will Love:

Lentil Soup with sausage:  Italian Lentil Soup with Sausage is thick and hearty with lentils, Italian sausage, vegetables and spices in a rich broth.

Split Pea and Ham Soup:  Homemade Split Pea and Ham Soup is a classic, comforting soup, perfect for the cold winter weather. Thick with split peas, chunks of smoky ham and lots of vegetables.

 Chicken Noodle Soup:  Chicken noodle soup is so comforting not only when you are down with the flu but anytime.  

Oxtail Vegetable Soup

This oxtail soup is the kind of meal that proves patience pays off. A slow simmer transforms a humble cut of meat into something rich, comforting, and full of flavor. It’s the same kind of soup my dad made to feed a large family on a tight budget. This is one of those recipes that tastes like home.

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 4 hours hrs

Additional Time: 45 minutes mins

Total Time: 5 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

4.94 from 63 votes

Oxtail Soup

By Pat Nyswonger

Oxtail soup is the perfect comfort food. Rich and savory, this dish packs a wealth of flavor. The long and slow cooking process makes the meat meltingly tender and gives it a hearty, robust flavor.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.

Servings: 10 Servings

SaveSaved Pin Comment Print

Email me this recipe!

Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Email *

Save

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 pounds meaty oxtails, about eight 3-inch segments
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 6 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• ▢ 12 cups beef broth, divided
• ▢ 1 cup red wine
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• ▢ 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, tied in a bundle with thyme
• ▢ 1 sprig Fresh thyme, tied in a bundle with rosemary
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 1 onion, chopped
• ▢ 2 leek, white and pale green parts only, sliced
• ▢ 2 stalks celery , cut in ¼-inch pieces
• ▢ 2 carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• ▢ 2 parsnips, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• ▢ 1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• ▢ ⅓ cup fresh chopped parsley

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

show photoshide photos

• Pat the oxtail pieces dry with paper towels then season with salt and pepper.  Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven or a large soup pot set over medium-high heat.  

  Working in batches, add half of the oxtails and brown on all sides, searing to a rich brown then transfer to a plate.  Add an additional 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot and repeat with the remaining oxtail pieces.
  
• Add half of the beef broth, wine, tomato paste, garlic, herb bundle, and bay leaves to the pot and bring to a boil.  Return the browned oxtail to the pot, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 3 hours.  
  
• Using tongs, transfer the cooked oxtails to a plate and reserve. Remove and discard the bay leaves and the rosemary/thyme bundle. Transfer the cooking liquid into a smaller container and place in the freezer until the fat comes to the top and solidifies (about 1 hour). 
  
• Remove the container of liquid from the freezer and scrape off the solidified fat. Reserve the liquid which, will have formed into a jell. Transfer the oxtails to a cutting board and remove the meat. Discard the bones and any grizzle.  Reserve the oxtail meat on a plate.
  
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the empty Dutch oven or soup pot and heat over medium-high.  Add onions, leeks, and celery.  Sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.  
  
• Add the carrots, parsnips, potatoes, oxtail meat, remaining beef broth and the cooking liquid.  Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
  
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, garnish with parsley, and serve.  This oxtail soup will be even tastier the next day after all those flavors mingle together overnight.

Notes

Make ahead: You can brown and simmer the oxtails a day in advance. Refrigerate the cooking liquid overnight. The fat will rise to the top and solidify, making it easy to remove before reheating.

Jelled broth: Don’t worry if the liquid turns jiggly when chilled. That’s the collagen from the oxtails doing its thing. It will melt back into a rich broth once heated.

Soup or stew: For a thicker, stew-like recipe, simmer the cooking liquid until it’s reduced by about two-thirds (or less, depending on how hearty you want it).

Add more veggies: Feel free to swap or add vegetables based on what you have. This recipe is flexible.

Even better the next day: Like most slow-simmered soups, the flavor deepens after a night in the fridge. It’s even better when reheated.

Storage: Leftover oxtail soup keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze it in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 584kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 46g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 139mg, Sodium: 798mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!