Meet Kansas City Steak Soup: The Local Favorite You'll Want To Add To Your Menu

It's no secret that Kansas City is a meat lover's dream. The city sits right on the western border of Missouri, and it's home to America's first and only barbecue museum, as well as many steakhouses, which are likely a product of the city's history as a central point in the American meatpacking industry. Even the Kansas City strip steak sets itself apart from the New York strip, so it just makes sense that this Midwestern, cozy-in-the-heartland city would have a soup to match its beefy history. That soup is the one and only Kansas City steak soup.

Now, steak in soup isn't exactly groundbreaking, but this unique dish puts its own spin on the concept. Kansas City steak soup is a roux-based dish made with beef broth, tomatoes, a mix of veggies, lots of butter, and, of course, steak. You can use various cuts of beef, though you'll probably want the best cuts for tender steak bites. The resulting soup is rich, beefy, and oh-so-comforting.

So what makes this soup special to Kansas City? Well, it was born there, of course! Also known as Plaza III steak soup, the dish originates from the now-defunct Kansas City steakhouse, Plaza III, which was once an institution in the city. Plaza III was first opened in 1963 by Paul Robinson, Jo Gilbert, and Bill Gilbert. The "III" in the title is in honor of the restaurant's three founders. The restaurant featured high-quality steaks and seafood, offering diners a classic steakhouse experience. The Plaza III closed its doors in 2018, but the soup remains a midwestern classic comfort dish.

Now, if you had your heart set on tasting the original version, you might just be in luck. Although the original restaurant is now closed, there is a Plaza III website where you can order steaks, salmon, seafood, and, of course, its famous soup. If Kansas City happens to be too far a drive, you can recreate the magic of this soup at home.

Kansas City steak soup is iconic, but there are just a few key features you'll want to keep in mind when making it. Perhaps the most important aspect is the roux base. This will make your soup velvety and rich in texture. To make your roux, combine butter with flour in a pan on a low heat setting and toast for about five minutes, or until it is a rich, slightly brown color. This will give the base of your soup a complex, almost nutty flavor that will pair perfectly with your steak. Butter is also essential to this soup. Beyond the butter used for the roux, you'll want to add another stick (around half a cup) on top of it for more flavor. 

As for the steak, you can cook any common cuts of steak you please, from round to sirloin. Just make sure to dice and sear your steak cuts before adding them to your soup. You can also use ground beef if you prefer. Any of these choices will give your dish the beefy flavor it needs. Seasonings vary based on recipe, but common additions include Worcestershire sauce, Kitchen Bouquet browning sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, and oregano, among others. Of course, none of this is gospel,  so feel free to put your own spin on the Kansas City steak soup.