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Close-up of a steaming bowl of Beef and Barley Soup Cold Weather Favorite, featuring tender beef chunks, plump barley, and carrots.

Beef and Barley Soup

This recipe makes a hearty beef and barley soup suitable for a cold weather meal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 336
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound stewing beef
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon pepper or to taste
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or more if needed
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 large carrot peeled and chopped
  • 2 stalks celery cleaned and chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon oregano fresh, chopped (or 1 tsp dried oregano)
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 cups beef broth low sodium
  • 3 cups water
  • 3/4 cup barley I used pearl barley
  • 1 tablespoon parsley fresh, chopped

Equipment

  • 6 Quart Dutch Oven

Method
 

  1. Season the stewing beef with salt and pepper. Place the beef in a ziploc bag and add the flour over the beef. Close the bag and shake until each piece of beef is fully covered in flour. You can also do this in a bowl.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef to the pot and cook just until the meat starts to brown about 3 minutes per side. Cook in 2 or 3 batches to avoid crowding the meat. Remove the meat from the pot after browning and set it aside.
  3. In the same pot, add more olive oil if needed. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook the vegetables until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add the garlic, oregano, and tomato paste to the pot and stir. Cook for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add a bit of the beef broth to the pot to deglaze the brown bits at the bottom. Add the meat back to the pot, then the beef broth and water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium, cover the pot, and cook for about 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender.
  5. Add the barley to the pot, cover it, and cook for another 30 minutes or until the barley is cooked through. Stir occasionally so the barley does not stick. If the soup is too thick, add more water until you reach the desired consistency.
  6. Remove the soup from heat and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Notes

I used pearl barley, which usually takes 25-30 minutes to cook. Hulled barley usually takes 40-50 minutes. Barley is cooked when it is tender yet chewy. If you use hulled barley, add it before covering the pot and cooking the beef. If you cannot find barley, use rice or couscous instead. If you make this ahead of time, add the barley the day you serve it. Store leftover beef barley soup in an airtight container for 3-4 days.