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.

Whenever I make this hearty oxtail soup recipe, it brings to mind happy memories of my dad. As a young teenager, I remember how the thought of eating ‘oxtails’ was offensive to me but when dad served it, I ate it with gusto! Every bowl of oxtail soup is a serving of coziness and nostalgia. 

If it’s your first time preparing homemade oxtail soup, you should know that the reason it produces a lot of flavor comes down to the long cooking time and the oxtails, of course.

Great oxtail soup simmers for a while and this traditional method is key to turning a very cheap cut of meat into a hearty beef soup. 

Dad would start his soup early in the day with the oxtails simmering in a big pot on the back burner. He used plain old water, no wine, and no fresh herbs but lots of vegetables.

Our old-fashioned oxtail soup is an adaptation of his original recipe. We’ve added in a few other ingredients for flavor, but the gist of it is all the same.

Simmer this beefy soup for hours and serve it along with your favorite sides for a complete meal. We suggest a slice of sourdough bread, cheddar cornbread or rustic barley biscuits to go with it. A side salad or a meatloaf sandwich are also tasty options.

Why This Oxtail Soup Recipe Works

Oxtail soup, made with simple ingredients and a long slow simmer, is one of those good old-time comfort soups that are extra special in the cold winter months. Additional portions of vegetables can change this oxtail soup into a thick and hearty stew. 

Our beef oxtail soup is:

• Rich, hearty, and satisfying
• a cozy, flavor-packed soup
• delicious and so simple to make

 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. 

How to Make Oxtail Soup

Oxtails are fatty and gelatinous and each oxtail piece has a lot of connective tissue. It needs a long, slow simmer to break down all the tough tissues and release the flavor and juices. 

Here is a brief overview so you can get an idea of what to expect with this oxtail veggie soup. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or large stock pot and sear the oxtail sections over medium-high heat until browned.

Add the liquids, tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bay leaf to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil and return the oxtail to the soup pot. Cover and simmer.

Set aside the oxtails. Pour the cooking liquid into a smaller container and place it in the freezer until the fat rises to the top. Once it’s solid, you can take the pot out of the freezer and scrape off all of that fat.

Remove the meat from the bones. Use your hands to separate the meat from the globs of fat, gristle, and bones.  

In the empty soup pot, heat the reserved oil and cook the onions, leeks and celery.

Add the carrots, parsnips, potatoes, oxtail meat and cooking liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the veggies are tender.

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

Tips for the Best Oxtail Soup

• Searing the oxtail adds flavor. It adds a rich brown crust and caramelizes the meat. Make sure you work in batches. If you crowd the pot, they will steam instead of brown. 
• You can brown and simmer the oxtail up to one day in advance. Refrigerate the cooking liquid overnight to allow the fat to rise and solidify. 
• Give the broth a long, slow simmer. The connective tissues will break down, and the meat becomes super tender. 
• Transform this old-fashioned oxtail soup recipe into a meaty oxtail stew with one simple change! Simply reduce the cooking liquid by two-thirds or less. It’s tasty served with make ahead mashed potatoes. 

Substitutions and Variations

Additional vegetables of your choice can be added or substituted. Sweet potatoes, cabbage, or root vegetables like rutabaga, and turnips are some suggestions. 

You can also add farro or pinto beans to the soup for a heartier meal.

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.  

Storage and Reheating

Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. When cold, the liquid will turn gelatinous but when reheated, it will liquify again.

The soup is even better the next day. The flavors in this oxtail soup will intensify after refrigerating and reheating the next day. 

Freezer: You can freeze this soup for six months if stored in a freezer-proof container. Let the soup cool completely before freezing it, and leave some space at the top of the container.

⭐️ Helpful Tools

Some of the following are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission if you click on these links and purchase something. You don’t pay any extra, but it will help us keep the lights on. 

• Dutch oven
• Soup ladle

More Recipes You Will Love:

Italian 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.  

Check out our soup cookbook. It is filled with wholesome and hearty soups. Each soup recipe is from scratch with real ingredients and filling enough to be enjoyed as a main-course meal. 

Oxtail Soup

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.

4.94 from 61 votes

Print Pin Save Saved!

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours hours

Additional Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 -12 Servings

Calories: 584kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

• 4 pounds meaty oxtails about eight 3-inch segments
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
• 12 cups beef broth divided
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 garlic cloves chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary and 1 sprig fresh thyme tied in a bundle
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 large leeks white and pale green parts only, sliced
• 1 cup celery cut in ¼-inch pieces
• 2 cups carrots peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup parsnips peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1-½ pounds waxy potatoes peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• ⅓ cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• 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

• Browning and simmering the oxtail can be made 1 day in advance.  Refrigerate the cooking liquid overnight to allow the fat to rise and solidify.
• There is a large amount of collagen in the oxtails which causes the liquid to jell when it is cold.  It will return to a liquid form when reheated. 
• To turn this soup into a stew, reduce the cooking liquid by two-thirds or less.
• Additional vegetables of your choice can be added or substituted. 
• This oxtail soup will taste even better after refrigerating and reheating the next day. 

Recommended Products

Dutch oven with grill lid

Simply Organic Bay Leaf Certified Organic, 0.14-Ounce Container

Swanson 50% Less Sodium Beef Broth, 32 oz.

Nutrition

Serving: 1-1/2 cups | Calories: 584kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 798mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g

Click here to follow us on Pinterest!

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest