Hearty Beef Barley Soup (Printable)

Savory soup blending tender beef, pearl barley, and garden vegetables in a rich broth for satisfying warmth.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 ½ lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
08 - 1 cup frozen peas
09 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juices

→ Grains

10 - ¾ cup pearl barley, rinsed

→ Liquids

11 - 8 cups beef broth
12 - 1 cup water

→ Spices & Seasonings

13 - 2 bay leaves
14 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
17 - 1 ½ teaspoons salt, or to taste
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add beef cubes and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove beef and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Return beef to the pot. Stir in potatoes, diced tomatoes with juices, barley, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper.
05 - Pour in beef broth and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.
06 - Add frozen peas during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Remove bay leaves. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley if desired, and serve hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It gets better as it sits, so day two tastes even richer than day one.
  • Everything cooks in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time to relax.
  • The barley soaks up all the beef flavor and turns wonderfully chewy.
  • Its the kind of soup that sticks to your ribs and actually keeps you full.
02 -
  • Do not skip browning the beef, that caramelization is where half the flavor comes from.
  • If the barley soaks up too much liquid as it sits, add a splash of broth or water when you reheat.
  • Taste before serving, canned broth varies so much in saltiness that you cannot rely on the recipe alone.
03 -
  • Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, thin pots scorch the barley on the bottom.
  • Let the soup rest for ten minutes before serving, it helps the flavors settle and the broth thickens slightly.
  • If you are making it ahead, undercook the barley by ten minutes so it does not turn mushy when reheated.
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