Dinner · Lunch · Beef

Beef and Barley Soup

Tender beef, pearl barley, mushrooms and vegetables in a rich broth. A cold-weather classic that feeds a crowd.

⏱ 2 hr 5 min (20 min prep, 1 hr 45 min cooking) 🍽 Serves 8 · about 1 1/2 cups make aheadfreezer friendlyleftovers dairy free
📅 Add to my plan

ContainsWheat. Check the labels on what you buy; brands differ.

Ingredients

Make 8 servings

  • Soup

  • 1½ lb Beef stew meat, cut in 3/4-inch pieces
  • 1 tsp Table salt
  • ½ tsp Ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp Vegetable oil (soybean)
  • 1 Yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 Carrots, diced
  • 2 stalk Celery, diced
  • 8 oz White mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 clove Garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp Tomato paste
  • 8 cup Beef broth, low-sodium
  • 10 sprig Fresh thyme, tied together
  • 2 leaf Bay leaves
  • ¾ cup Pearl barley
  • ¼ cup Fresh parsley, chopped

Make it yourself

Make the beef stock yourself →

In the planner, Make it on the shopping list swaps the store item for these ingredients and puts the work on your prep day.

Nutrition

Nutrition coming: the USDA numbers for these ingredients are being added.

Steps

You’ll need: large heavy pot or Dutch oven, kitchen string (optional).

  1. Pat the beef dry and season with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and brown the beef in 2 batches, 5 minutes per batch. Move to a plate.
  2. Lower the heat to medium. Cook the onion, carrots, celery and mushrooms 8 minutes, until the mushrooms brown. Add the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute.
  3. Return the beef. Add the broth, thyme and bay leaves, scraping up the browned bits. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 1 hour.
  4. Stir in the barley and simmer partly covered 35 to 45 minutes, until the beef and barley are tender. Remove the herb stems and bay leaves and stir in the parsley.

🌡 Safe temperaturesLeftovers, reheated 165°F. Check the thickest part with a food thermometer (USDA). More on food safety.

Make aheadKeeps 4 days in the fridge. The barley soaks up broth; add water as you reheat to 165°F.
❄️ FreezerFreeze for up to 3 months.
↺ LeftoversPack hot in an insulated food jar for lunch.
🧒 With kidsCut the beef small and serve with a roll for dunking.
Gluten-free swapUse brown rice instead of barley (add it for the last 40 minutes) and check the broth.

Goes well with

🥖 Garlic Bread🥬 Simple Green Salad

Good to know

Table salt vs. kosher salt vs. sea salt Cooking Fats Compared Stock vs. broth Fresh vs. dried herbs Food Safety Basics

An original Teddy Rook Book recipe. Nutrition is estimated from USDA FoodData Central and changes with brands and portions.

@teddyrookbook GitHub Sources and credits