Description
This hearty beef barley soup recipe features tender beef stew meat, pearl barley, and classic vegetables simmered together in a rich, flavorful broth. Perfect for cold weather comfort food that the whole family will love.
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (vegetable oil works too)
- 1 big yellow onion, chopped however you like
- 3 carrots, sliced (I never peel mine anymore)
- 3 celery stalks, chopped with leaves if you’ve got them
- 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 8 cups beef broth (I use the cartons, not cubes)
- 2 cups water
- 1 can diced tomatoes, drained (save the juice for something else)
- 1 cup pearl barley (the regular kind, not instant)
- 2 bay leaves (fresh if you grow them)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for the end
Instructions
Pat your beef dry and sprinkle salt and pepper all over it. Chop up your vegetables while you’re at it – might as well get the mess over with all at once.
Heat up the oil in your big pot and toss in the beef. Don’t crowd it or it’ll steam instead of brown. You want those nice crusty bits – they’re where the flavor lives. Set the beef aside when it’s done.
Pro Tip: My mom always said “if it’s not making noise, it’s not hot enough.” The beef should sizzle when it hits the pan.
Dump your onions, carrots, and celery right into that same pot with all those good beef drippings. Let them get soft and sweet, maybe 5 minutes or so. Toss in the garlic last because nobody wants burnt garlic.
Put that beef back in the pot and add your broth, water, tomatoes, barley, bay leaves, thyme, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Bring it all up to a bubble, then turn it way down low.
Cover that pot and let it simmer for about 2 hours. I usually set a timer for every 30 minutes so I remember to give it a stir. The beef should fall apart when you poke it with a fork.
Fish out those bay leaves – nobody wants to bite into one of those. Taste it and add more salt if it needs it. Stir in some chopped parsley right before you serve it.
Notes
- Brown the meat in batches – I know it’s annoying but crowded meat = gray meat = sad soup
- Don’t skip the vegetable step – Those few extra minutes make a huge difference in flavor
- If it gets too thick – Just add more broth, no big deal
- If it’s too thin – Take the lid off and let it bubble away for a bit
- Save time – Use those pre-cut stew vegetables from the grocery store when you’re feeling lazy
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1½ cups
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 65mg