Beef Pearl Barley Soup (Printable)
Savory mix of beef, pearl barley, and vegetables slow-cooked for rich flavor and hearty texture.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.1 lbs beef stewing meat, cut into 0.8 inch cubes
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 large potato, peeled and diced
08 - 1 cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)
→ Grains
09 - 1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed
→ Liquids
10 - 6 cups beef stock
11 - 14 oz canned diced tomatoes with juice
12 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
→ Herbs & Spices
13 - 2 bay leaves
14 - 1 tsp dried thyme
15 - 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
17 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
# How-to Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large 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 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
03 - Return beef to the pot. Stir in potato, mushrooms if using, pearl barley, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary.
04 - Pour in beef stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Remove lid and simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until beef and barley are tender. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
06 - Discard bay leaves. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- It gets better the next day, so you can make it once and eat well for days without thinking.
- The barley becomes impossibly tender while keeping the broth from tasting thin or boring.
- You can throw it together on a busy evening and let the pot do the work while you do something else.
02 -
- Don't skip the browning step even when you're tired—it's the difference between soup and a pot of boiled vegetables.
- The barley keeps absorbing liquid even after cooking, so if you're storing leftovers, add extra stock when you reheat.
03 -
- Don't let the soup boil hard once the barley is in—a gentle simmer keeps everything tender instead of tough.
- Taste it before serving and be generous with salt—it's what makes the difference between forgettable and crave-worthy.