Beef Barley Soup

5 from 2 votes

Enjoy the tantalizing aroma of beef barley soup as it simmers in your kitchen. Brimming with hearty beef, savory vegetables, and barley, it's satisfying and delicious.

Prep Time15

Cook Time2

Total Time2 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Rachel Gurk

Ingredients

2 pounds beef chuck roast (or beef stew meat)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium onion)
1 ½ cups chopped carrot (about 4 carrots)
¾ cup chopped celery (about 2 stalks)
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups low-sodium or unsalted beef broth (more if needed)
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained (low sodium or no-salt-added)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
¾ cup pearl barley, uncooked
¼ cup fresh parsley

Instructions

Trim excess fat from beef; cut into bite-sized cubes. Toss cubed beef with flour, salt, and pepper.
2 pounds beef chuck roast, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Add beef in a single layer, not overcrowding the pan. You may have to do it in batches. Cook without stirring for 2 to 3 minutes, and then stir to brown the other sides of the beef cubes, cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes. The beef doesn’t have to be cooked through at this point. Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining beef, adding more oil if necessary.
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
When you've finished searing the beef, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same pot. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes or until onion is translucent.
1 cup chopped onion , 1 ½ cups chopped carrot , ¾ cup chopped celery
Add garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
3 cloves garlic, minced
Add ½ cup to 1 cup of beef broth and scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan (deglaze).
Add remaining beef broth, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, thyme, bay leaf, and seared beef.
4 cups low-sodium or unsalted beef broth, 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, 1 bay leaf
Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to medium-low or low. Cover and simmer for 60 minutes.
Rinse barley, if desired (we recommend it). Add barley to the soup, stir, and cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for an additional 35 to 40 minutes or until barley is tender and beef is very tender. If desired, add more beef broth to thin the soup.
¾ cup pearl barley, uncooked
Remove bay leaf, stir in fresh parsley and serve hot.
¼ cup fresh parsley

Video

Notes

Pro tip: When you're chopping the vegetables, try not to dice them too small because tiny pieces tend to disintegrate with the long cooking time. I aim for roughly ¼-inch thick slices. It's your preference though.
Head start: The carrots, onions, and celery can be prepped ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. That will save you about 10 minutes when it's time to cook the soup.
Variations: You can add more veggies, like cabbage, kale, green beans, parsnips, or turnips. Frozen green peas or spinach can be added to the soup just before serving. You can also use a different grain, like farro, millet, lentils, or brown rice. Adjust cooking times according to package directions.
Storage: Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to four days or frozen for up to 4 months (the soup freezes well because it's made without potatoes). If the soup seems too thick when reheating, thin as desired with beef broth or water.

Nutrition

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