Beef and Barley Soup (Printer-Friendly)

Tender beef and pearl barley simmered with vegetables in a savory beef broth for ultimate comfort.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes

→ Grains

02 - 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 1 large onion, chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 cup potatoes, peeled and diced
08 - 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
09 - 1 cup frozen peas
10 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained (optional)

→ Liquids

11 - 8 cups beef broth

→ Herbs & Seasonings

12 - 2 bay leaves
13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1 teaspoon dried parsley
15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add beef cubes and brown on all sides for approximately 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, add onions, carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
04 - Return beef to the pot. Stir in potatoes, barley, diced tomatoes if using, beef broth, bay leaves, thyme, and parsley.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
06 - Add peas, season with salt and pepper, and simmer uncovered for an additional 20 to 30 minutes until barley and beef are tender.
07 - Remove bay leaves. Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's genuinely filling without feeling heavy, so you won't be rummaging through the kitchen an hour later.
  • The barley does something unexpected—it absorbs all those deep beef flavors and becomes tender in a way that feels almost luxurious.
  • You can throw it together on a weeknight and have something restaurant-quality simmering by dinner time.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the beef—I learned this the hard way by rushing once, and the soup tasted thin and forgettable instead of deep and satisfying.
  • Barley absorbs liquid as it cooks, so if your soup seems thick by the end, it's normal; add a splash of broth or water if you prefer it brothier.
  • The peas go in last on purpose—boiling them for an hour turns them into gray mush when they're so much better bright and just-tender.
03 -
  • If you're using store-bought beef broth, taste it before you add salt—some brands are already quite salty, and you can always add more but you can't take it out.
  • Let the soup come to a full rolling boil before you turn it down to simmer; this helps the beef become tender and signals that your ingredients are getting along.
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