Ahhh 🥣 Beef & Barley Soup — hearty, comforting, and perfect for cold days. Rich beef flavor, tender vegetables, and chewy barley make it deeply satisfying.

Here’s a classic, foolproof version 👇

🥩🥣 Classic Beef & Barley Soup

🛒 Ingredients

1 lb (450g) beef stew meat or chuck, cubed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½–¾ cup pearl barley
6 cups beef broth
1 cup water (as needed)
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt & pepper to taste
Optional: mushrooms or diced tomatoes

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1️⃣ Brown the Beef

Heat oil in a large pot.
Sear beef until browned on all sides (don’t overcrowd).
Remove and set aside.

2️⃣ Sauté Vegetables

In the same pot:

Cook onion, carrots, celery 4–5 minutes.
Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.

3️⃣ Build the Soup

Return beef to pot.
Add barley, broth, thyme, bay leaf.
Bring to a boil.

4️⃣ Simmer Low & Slow

Cover and simmer:

45–60 minutes
Until beef is tender and barley is cooked.

Add extra water/broth if it thickens too much (barley absorbs liquid).

5️⃣ Finish

Remove bay leaf.
Adjust salt and pepper.
Optional: add chopped parsley before serving.

✨ Tips for Extra Flavor

Brown beef well — that deep color = deep flavor.
Add a splash of Worcestershire or soy sauce for richness.
Mushrooms add incredible depth.
Tastes even better the next day.

⏱ Faster Version

Use:

Ground beef instead of chunks
Quick-cooking barley
→ Ready in about 30 minutes.

If you want, I can give you:

A slow cooker version
Instant Pot method
Or a thicker “stew-style” variation