Soups & Stews Free recipe

Beef Barley Soup

This Beef Barley Soup is a hearty soup of beef, barley, and vegetables. A gentle simmer -- not a hard boil -- is what keeps everything tender instead of tough.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 70 min Total: 90 min

90Minutes

6Servings

4.9Rating

EasyLevel

Why you'll love this recipe

A short, straightforward ingredient list with no special equipment needed.
The components can be made ahead and reheated without losing quality.
Scales up easily for a crowd -- just multiply the ingredients.

Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

1.5 lbs beef stew meat
3 tbsp oil
1 onion diced
3 carrots diced
2 celery stalks diced
3 cloves garlic minced
3 tbsp tomato paste
8 cups beef broth
1 cup pearl barley
1 tsp thyme
salt and pepper

Estimated Nutrition (per serving)

345Calories

21gFat

8gCarbs

31gProtein

Estimated from the ingredients above; actual values vary by brand and exact measurements.

Method

Step 1
Pat the beef dry, season with salt and pepper, and brown in the oil in a large pot, then remove.
Step 2
Cook the onion, carrots, and celery 6 minutes, then add the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute.
Step 3
Return the beef, pour in the broth, add the thyme, and bring to a simmer.
Step 4
Simmer 45 minutes, then add the barley.
Step 5
Cook 40 more minutes until the barley is plump and the beef is tender.
Step 6
Season and serve hot.

Cook's tips

This tastes even better the next day, once the flavors have had time to sit together in the fridge.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Taste and adjust the seasoning right before serving -- salt levels vary a lot between brands of broth, sauce, and canned goods.

Keep cooking