Beef Barley Soup

Here’s a hearty, old-fashioned Beef Barley Soup—rich, comforting, and perfect for cold days.

Beef Barley Soup

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 2 carrots, sliced

• 2 celery stalks, sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ cup pearl barley

• 8 cups beef broth

• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (optional but traditional in many versions)

• 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional, for deeper flavor)

Instructions

1. Brown the beef
   Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches; remove and set aside.

2. Sauté vegetables
   In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 5–6 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.

3. Build the soup
   Stir in tomato paste (if using). Add beef back to the pot, then barley, broth, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.

4. Simmer
   Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1–1½ hours, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender and barley is cooked.

5. Adjust & serve
   Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Tips & Variations

• Extra rich flavor: Add a splash of red wine when sautéing vegetables

• Thicker soup: Add ¼ cup more barley

• Slow cooker: Cook on LOW 7–8 hours or HIGH 4–5 hours

• Freezer-friendly: Barley thickens when frozen—add extra broth when reheating

If you’d like a pressure-cooker version, vegetable-heavy style, or Amish or Mennonite-style beef barley soup, just say the word