If you’ve only ever known beef consommé from a can, I’m about to rock your broth-loving world. Beef consommé is not just beef stock—it’s beef stock’s fancy, elegant cousin who studied abroad in France and came back with impeccable taste.
It’s deeply flavorful, ultra-clear, and concentrated with the essence of beef and aromatics. The first time I made it, the aroma alone had me hovering over the pot like a cartoon character floating toward the smell of pie. And the flavor? WOW. Out-of-this-world delicious. I couldn’t stop sipping it straight from a mug, and it was equally heavenly ladled over a simple bowl of noodles.
Trust me—this is a game-changer. Once you try homemade beef consommé, you may never go back to the canned stuff again.
Why This Recipe Works
- Gentle simmering keeps the broth clear and concentrated instead of cloudy and muddled
- .Aromatics like onion, garlic, thyme, and carrots layer in incredible flavor without overpowering the beef.
- Multiple straining's give you that crystal-clear, golden broth that looks almost too pretty to eat. Almost.
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What Exactly Is Beef Consommé?
Beef consommé is a clarified, concentrated beef stock made by simmering lean beef with aromatics like carrots, onion, and thyme. Dating back to the Middle Ages (where it was a dish reserved for the wealthy), consommé was seen as the ultimate in refinement.
Today, it’s still often served on its own, because the flavor is just that good. Think of it as the perfect little appetizer or starter to impress guests—or as the ultimate comfort food for yourself.
Make It a Meal
While consommé is stunning on its own, you can totally dress it up:
- Serve it with a few delicate noodles or dumplings.
- Pair it with a crusty loaf of French bread for dunking.
- Add a crisp side salad for balance.
Serving Options
Like we've discussed, this beef consommé is amazing served on it's own, and that is the traditional way to serve it. However, you can also try some of these serving options if you want to get creative:
- Serve it in cups garnished with fresh herbs (thyme, parsley, rosemary, etc.).
- Drizzle it with 1-2 teaspoons of sherry.
- Top it with shaved truffles (if you're a baller).
- Serve it with toasted pieces of baguette topped with Parmesan cheese.
- Serve it with meatballs (you can make these air fryer frozen meatballs and just omit the glaze).
- It's also sometimes served with fried balls of risotto. It would be a great way to use this leftover truffle risotto.
- It's also yummy to use as a dip for this sous vide French dip or this sous vide roast beef.
- Serve it alone with some cooked noodles such as ramen, soba or udon noodles.
- Add a few roasted vegetables in like this roasted frozen broccoli or roasted leeks.
Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Using the leanest ground beef you can find is absolutely necessary to get the clearest results. I do not recommend using anything below 93/7. If you can find leaner, even better.
If you use homemade beef stock, I recommend skimming as much fat off the top as you can. If you use store bought, try to get reduced sodium, or no sodium if you can. This allows you to adjust the salt to your own preference.
Step By Step Instructions
Step1: Whip the egg whites until frothy and set aside.
step2: Combine the beef with all other ingredients (except stock) and mix well to combine.
Step3: Lightly mix in the egg whites and place the beef mixture flat on the bottom of a large stock pot.
Step4: Slowly pour the cool beef stock over the top and bring to a simmer. *As the ground beef mixture rises, make a hole in the middle for the steam to rise while it simmers.
Step5: Cover and simmer on very low (you never want it to boil) for 2 hours.
Step6: Remove the lid and carefully strain the consommé until clear (you may need to do it more than once).
Expert Tips
- As the beef "patty" rises to the top, make sure there is a hole in the middle or at the sides to let the steam escape.
- Make sure the consommé does not boil, only lightly simmers. Boiling will cause to much disruption and will cause a cloudy consommé.
- You will need a large stock pot capable of holding more than 20 cups of stock.
- You will likely need to strain it 2-3 times to get a nice clear, clean looking consommé.
Common Questions
Beef broth has a lighter flavor and color than consommé. It is not as concentrated and does not have the same flavor profile. Beef Consommé is made to have a more concentrated flavor of beef, onion, carrot and other aromatics.
Simply stated, you can substitute beef broth or beef bone broth for consommé, but you will not get the same rich, strong flavor as it is made differently.
Beef consommé is a very deep flavored broth and is actually best served on it's own due to it's string flavor. It is typically served as an appetizer/starter to a meal.
Storing Instructions
Store it in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Freeze it in 1 cup portions or even ice cube trays to make it more convenient to use.
If you love this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below and let us know your favorite thing about it. We'd also love to connect on Instagram! Follow us at @went_here_8_this for awesome recipes and all sorts of fun food stuff 🙂
Recipe
Beef Consommé
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef 93/7 or leaner
- 4 tablespoons egg whites or 4 egg whites
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon peppercorns
- 3 tablespoons minced onion
- 1 carrot minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt more if using unsalted stock
- 20 cups beef stock cooled
Instructions
- Whip the egg whites until frothy and set aside.
- Combine the beef with all other ingredients (except stock) and mix well to combine.
- Lightly mix in the egg whites and place the beef mixture flat on the bottom of a large stock pot.
- Slowly pour the cool beef stock over the top and bring to a simmer. *As the ground beef mixture rises, make a hole in the middle for the steam to rise while it simmers.
- Cover and simmer on very low for 2 hours. You NEVER want it to boil.
- Remove the lid and carefully strain the consommé until clear (you may need to do it more than once).
Expert Tips:
- As the beef "patty" rises to the top, make sure there is a hole in the middle or at the sides to let the steam escape.
- Make sure the consommé does not boil, only lightly simmers. Boiling will cause to much disruption and will cause a cloudy consommé.
- You will need a large stock pot capable of holding more than 20 cups of stock.
- You will likely need to strain it 2-3 times to get a nice clear, clean looking consommé.
Nutrition
Sue Bates says
Never used beef consomme, always used beef broth. What a game changer. Thank you
S
Danielle says
So glad you liked it!
sara says
I was a little skeptical of the process as I've never made this before but it sure came out amazing! It was perfect to have with this cold weather!
Danielle says
I'm so glad you liked it!