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A pot full of beef barley soup made with beef stew meat, barley and vegetables all simmered together.
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Beef Barley Soup

This beef barley soup is a hearty combination of beef, vegetables, barley and mushrooms, all simmered together until tender and flavorful. A hearty dinner option that's easy to make and freezer friendly.
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 6
Calories 371kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 pounds beef stew meat
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 3 large carrots cut into 3/4 inch pieces
  • 3 stalks celery sliced
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 8 cups beef broth
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 3/4 cup pearl barley
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Season the beef stew meat with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Place half of the meat in the pot in a single layer. Cook for 3-5 minutes per side, or until browned. Repeat with remaining meat. 
  • Remove the meat from the pot and cover to keep warm. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic to the pot. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until softened.
  • At this point you can either leave the veggies in the pot to simmer with the beef, or remove the vegetables and add them back in later. It depends on whether you prefer softer or firmer vegetables in your soup.
  • Add the beef, beef broth, bay leaf and thyme to the pot. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 60 minutes or until beef is tender.
  • If you've reserved your vegetables, add them back in now. Add the barley and mushrooms to the pot. Cook for an additional 20-30 minutes until barley is tender.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Notes

  1. I use beef stew meat because it's inexpensive and convenient. You can also buy chuck roast and cut it into cubes if you prefer.
  2. Depending on the size of your stew meat chunks, you may want to cut your beef into similar sized pieces that fit well on a spoon.
  3. I cut my vegetables on the larger side so that they don't disintegrate into the soup while the meat is simmering.

Nutrition

Calories: 371kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 819mg | Potassium: 1003mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 6120IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 4.6mg