Beef and Barley Soup

Here’s a hearty Beef and Barley Soup—rich, comforting, and even better the next day 🥣

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Beef & Barley Soup

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs beef chuck, cut into bite-size pieces

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt & black pepper, to taste

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 3 carrots, diced

• 2 celery stalks, diced

• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced (optional but great)

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 1 tsp dried rosemary

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• ¾ cup pearl barley

• 8 cups beef broth

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• Fresh parsley, for garnish

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Instructions

1. Brown the beef
   Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season beef with salt and pepper. Brown in batches; remove and set aside.

2. Sauté vegetables
   In the same pot, add onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Cook 5–7 minutes until softened.
   Stir in garlic, thyme, rosemary, and tomato paste; cook 1 minute.

3. Build the soup
   Add browned beef, barley, broth, bay leaf, and Worcestershire sauce.

4. Simmer
   Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 60–75 minutes, until beef is tender and barley is cooked.

5. Finish & serve
   Remove bay leaf. Adjust seasoning. Garnish with parsley.

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Tips & Variations

• Slow cooker: Brown beef first, then cook everything on Low 7–8 hrs or High 4–5 hrs.

• Instant Pot: Pressure cook 25 minutes, natural release 10 minutes.

• Thicker soup: Add extra ¼ cup barley or simmer uncovered at the end.

• Richer flavor: Use half broth, half beef stock.

If you’d like, I can help you turn this into a freezer meal or pair it with a simple bread or salad.