Beef Barley Soup Recipe

Beef barley vegetable soup in a Dutch oven with a ladle full of soup.

5 from 1 vote

Warm yourself from the inside out with this foolproof, one-pot Beef Barley Soup recipe! Meticulously tested to ensure tender beef and perfectly cooked barley, it's a rich, satisfying comfort meal you can count on. Never mushy or bland.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 50

Total Time2 20

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Diet: Kosher

Servings: servings

Author: Aysegul Sanford

Equipment

1 Dutch Oven

Ingredients

For The Meat:

2 lbs chuck roast
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil such as olive oil or avocado oil

For The Soup:

1 onion 340g/3 cups, roughly chopped
3 carrots 180g/1 ½ cups, peeled and sliced thinly
2 stalks celery about 1 cup, sliced thinly
4 garlic cloves finely minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup red wine
7 cups beef broth plus more as needed
1 14- ounce can diced tomatoes
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme tied with kitchen twine
1 cup pearl barley
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar optional
½ cup fresh parsley roughly chopped plus more for garnish

Instructions

Using a sharp chef's knife, cut 2 lbs of chuck roast into ½-inch cubes. Pat them dry using a sheet of paper towel.
Season the cubed beef with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper on all sides. Set aside.
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
Add the beef cubes and brown them on all sides for about 6-7 minutes, about a minute or two per side. Transfer them onto a plate, cover it with aluminum foil, and set it aside. Do not wash the pot.
Add 3 cups chopped onion, 1 ½ cups of carrots, and 1 cup celery to the pot and cook on medium-high heat, until softened, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes.
Add the 4 minced cloves of garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add 3 tablespoons of tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly for about a minute or so. Season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.
Stir in ½ cup of red wine and scrape any brown “bits” at the bottom of the pot using a wooden spoon.
Add the browned beef (with all the juices), 7 cups of beef broth, one 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes, and 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme. Give it a stir, place the lid ajar, and bring it to a boil. Then, turn the heat down to medium-low and let it simmer for 30-45 minutes or until your meat is fully cooked and tender.
Next, stir in 1 cup pearl barley and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce.
Let it simmer, with the lid ajar, for 45-55 minutes, keeping a close eye on it and stirring occasionally, until the pearl barley is tender but has a slight “bite”.
Turn the heat off, remove the thyme bundle, and stir in 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar if using. Taste for seasoning and add more if necessary.
Add ½ cup of chopped fresh parsley and serve right away.

Video

Notes

Yields: This recipe makes about 11-12 cups of soup, enough to serve 6 adults. The nutritional information below is per serving.
Consistency of the soup: As the soup simmers, you'll see some of the liquid evaporate, resulting in a thicker soup. I recommend keeping the lid slightly ajar while simmering to prevent too much liquid from evaporating. This helps maintain the soup's rich flavor without diluting it. Still, you can add more broth or water for a thinner consistency. However, be sure to add warm liquid to keep the soup’s temperature consistent.
Storage and freezing: You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just be sure to bring it to room temperature before storing it. Thaw it overnight in the fridge.
Reheating: Transfer the leftovers to a saucepan, add a cup (more or less) of water or broth, and warm on medium heat, stirring regularly.
Slow cooker beef and barley soup: If you're looking for a more hands-off approach, or want to make it ahead, you can cook this soup in your crockpot. The process is similar but with a few key differences. Simply:
- Sear the meat, set it aside, sauté the vegetables, and cook the wine while scraping up those browned bits.
- Store the meat and veggies separately in airtight containers in the fridge overnight.
- In the morning, transfer everything to a slow cooker, along with the rest of the ingredients. Cook it on low for 7-9 hours or high for 4-5 hours until the meat is tender. If you can, stir it a few times during the process.
- When done, stir in the apple cider vinegar and parsley right before serving.

Nutrition

QR code

Scan this QR code with your phone's camera to view this recipe on your mobile device.