Nothing beats a cozy bowl of this delicious beef barley soup on a chilly day!
A hearty mix of tender beef, veggies, and chewy pearl barley swim in a savory broth. It’s pure comfort food in a bowl.
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I love serving it with some crusty bread for dunking.
Either way, you've got a satisfying meal that warms you from the inside out!
Why You'll Love This Beef Barley Soup
One-Pot Wonder: Made in one pot, this soup recipe minimizes cleanup. It's just what you need for busy weeknights or lazy weekends.
Winter Warmer: Between the tender beef and savory broth, this comforting soup is the ideal winter warmer. And it’s healthy, too!
Versatile Cooking: Stovetop, Crockpot, or Instant Pot, this recipe works with your preferred method of cooking.
Meal Prep Must: Beef barley soup is a classic that's perfect for meal prepping or freezing.
Ingredients
- Beef Chuck or Stew Meat: The ideal cut for stews that becomes melt-in-your-mouth soft as it simmers.
- Salt and Black Pepper: A must for properly seasoning any soup!
- Onion and Garlic: For aromatics and depth.
- Carrots, Celery Stalks, Mushrooms, Potatoes: The perfect accompaniments to the savory beef and chewy barley. They add more flavor, texture, and substance.
- Dried Thyme, Dried Oregano, Bay Leaves: To infuse the soup with aromatic flavors.
- Beef Broth or Stock: To create a rich, savory broth.
- Pearl Barley: It adds a delightfully chewy texture and nutty flavor.
- Tomato Paste: It adds a touch of sweetness and acidity.
- Worcestershire and Soy Sauce: For umami and depth of flavor.
- Fresh Parsley: The ideal garnish for brightening the soup with fresh flavor.
How to Make Beef Barley Soup
What’s the secret to crafting the perfect beef barley soup? Building all the flavors in the right order.
Don’t worry, it’s super easy. Just follow these steps:
1. Prep. Pat the beef chunks dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Brown. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the beef, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
3. Cook. In the same pot, add the onions, carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, thyme, oregano, and tomato paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
4. Deglaze. Pour in 1/2 cup of beef broth. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits.
5. Add & stir. Add the browned beef to the pot. Stir in the barley, remaining beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, bay leaves, and potatoes.
6. Simmer. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot partially with the lid and simmer for 45-60 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
7. Adjust. Add more salt or pepper to taste. Add more beef broth or water if desired.
8. Serve. Ladle into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve hot.
Tips for the Best Beef Barley Soup
These tips will help you create the ultimate soup!
- Boost the flavor. To deepen the flavor, add red wine like Cabernet. Optional, but delicious!
- Swap out the barley. For a less processed barley option, try hulled barley. You could also use couscous or rice, but the cooking times will vary.
- Control the consistency. The soup will naturally thicken as it cooks. If the soup is too thick, add more broth or water to reach your desired consistency.
- Use your trusty slow cooker. After browning the beef and sautéing the vegetables, transfer everything to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours for tender beef and vegetables.
- Fire up the Instant Pot. Use the sauté function to brown the beef and vegetables, then add all ingredients except parsley. Pressure cook on high for 20 minutes, followed by a natural release for 15 minutes before quick-releasing any remaining pressure.
How to Store
This beef barley soup tastes even better the next day! As it sits, the flavors have more time to meld and develop. Enjoy it as lunch or dinner, or freeze for later.
To Store: Place cooled leftovers in an air-tight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
To Freeze: Pour cooled leftovers into a freezer-safe container or bags. Be sure to leave room for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
To Reheat: Warm leftovers in a pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot throughout. Add a splash of broth or water if needed to thin the consistency.
Beef Barley Soup
6
servings25
minutes1
hour10
minutes341
kcalThis old-fashioned beef barley soup is so hearty and delicious! It's full of savory flavor and comes together in a little over an hour.
Ingredients
- For the Beef:
1.5 pounds (680 grams) beef chuck or stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (optional, for browning)
- For the Soup:
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 celery stalks, diced
8 ounces (225 grams) mushrooms, sliced (optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
8 cups (2 liters) beef broth or stock (preferably homemade or low-sodium)
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce (optional for depth of flavor)
2 bay leaves
1 cup diced potatoes (optional)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Pat the beef chunks dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the beef and set it aside. For a richer flavor, you can dredge the beef in flour before browning for a thicker texture in the soup.
- In the same pot, add a little more olive oil if needed. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and mushrooms (if using). Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened. Add the garlic, thyme, oregano, and tomato paste, cooking for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in 1/2 cup of beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits (this adds great flavor to the soup).
- Return the browned beef to the pot. Stir in the barley, remaining beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce (optional), bay leaves, and potatoes (if using).
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot partially with the lid and let simmer for 45-60 minutes, or until the beef is tender and the barley is cooked through. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Check the seasoning of the soup and adjust salt and pepper to taste. If the broth reduces too much, add more beef broth or water to thin it out to your preferred consistency.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread or crackers on the side. Enjoy!
25 Comments
Can’t wait to make this 😊
Looks good
I’d like to make this Beef Barley soup in my Instant Pot. Would you know the cooking times for the Instant Pot?
My family and I enjoyed every mouth full. This is a keeper.
Very yummy will definitely make again
Easy and delicious soup! Got 5stars from entire family. I left out the wine and mushrooms and added 1 cubed potato. This is a perfect hearty soup for this cold weather!
This is very very good. I did have to add more soy and Worcestershire and I use KNORR beef, bouillon in place of salt and as beef bouillon mix and it makes it super good. I added probably a quarter cup of red wine when we were doing the vegetables to deglaze. And I probably used less water probably use 5 cups of water, but I kind of wanted it more of a stew so super super good thank you so much!
Does the barley need to be rinsed
Excellent results. My only suggestion is that you can easily reduce the amount of meat to 1 pound (I used venison) and still have a hearty soup. I’m making a second batch for the freezer today.
Best beef barley soup I’ve ever made! Excellent recipe. I added a little rosemary as well.😋
LOOOOOOOOOOVE!!!! RECIPE!!!
First time making and will make again and again!!!
Only ingredient I didn’t use was the wine!
THANK YOU😋I made my own beef broth by
Roasting beef bones in oven with garlic, onion
Fresh rosemary!!
Okay so I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but I am making it tomorrow and looking forward to it. One question, I had to buy QUICK Pearl Barley. The store I was at didn’t have regular Pearl Barley. When do you suggest I put in the quick barley? It looks like it takes 10-12 minutes to cook.Thank you for your guidance in advance!
I’m a dibetic. I need to know the nutrients of your recipes to be able to make and enjoy them. They look like they would be very taste
I have been cooking for over 50 years and consider myself a pretty decent cook. This soup could be the most delicious thing I have ever made. I used beautiful fresh ingredients and followed the recipe scrupulously and it came out fantastic. You must try it and share it with your friends. You won’t be sorry.
This soup was delicious! Fed it to three really large men and they finished the pot and asked me to make another pot for next week! It’s in my recipe book now! Really savory meal! I paired it with different types of grilled cheese sandwiches and it was a major success! Thank you!
Delicious, hardy, comfort food. We loved it. Next time I will double the broth as the barley soaked it all up, we had to add more broth before serving. Still scrumptious. Plan to use the left overs in pot pies and freeze them for another meal.
Awesome, savory dish!
I certainly will try I love beef barley soup
This soup is so yummy would recommend this very comforting
Very good heavy stick to the ribs. Made it and froze 1/2. Having it again tonight.