Description
A hearty and comforting beef barley soup with tender beef, vegetables, and pearl barley simmered to perfection in a rich broth.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into pieces
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups beef broth
- 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Brown the beef: Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add beef pieces and brown on all sides for about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté vegetables: In same pot, sauté onions, carrots, celery, and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Don’t clean the pot first.
- Deglaze: Pour half cup of beef broth into pot, scraping up any browned bits from bottom. Return beef to pot.
- Add remaining ingredients: Stir in remaining broth, pearl barley, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil.
- Simmer: Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for about 1 hour until beef and barley are tender.
- Finish and serve: Remove bay leaves before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Notes
- Don’t skip browning the beef – this step creates the foundational flavor for your entire soup
- Cut beef into uniform pieces so they cook evenly and look professional in the finished soup
- Rinse pearl barley before adding to remove excess starch and prevent cloudiness
- Add more broth if soup becomes too thick during cooking, as barley absorbs liquid
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 285 calories
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: beef barley soup, hearty soup, comfort food, winter soup, beef recipe, barley recipe