Go Back
Beef barley soup with vegetables

Beef Barley Soup with Vegetables

A thick, hearty one-pot soup with tender beef, chewy pearl barley, carrots, celery, and potatoes simmered in rich beef broth. Cozy comfort food that's ready in about 90 minutes.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lbs beef chuck cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 3 large carrots peeled and sliced into coins
  • 3 celery stalks sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 8 cups beef broth
  • 3/4 cup pearl barley rinsed
  • 2 medium potatoes peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Method
 

  1. Brown the beef: Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until well browned, then remove to a plate. Do not crowd the pot — crowded beef steams instead of browning.
  2. Cook the onion, carrots, and celery: Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion softens, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom — those bits are pure flavor.
  3. Add garlic and tomato paste: Stir in the garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute until the garlic smells fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly.
  4. Pour in the broth: Pour in the beef broth and stir well. Return the browned beef to the pot. Add the bay leaves and thyme, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
  5. Add the barley and simmer: Stir in the rinsed barley. Cover the pot with the lid slightly open and simmer on low for 45 minutes, until the beef starts to turn tender.
  6. Add the potatoes: Stir in the potato chunks. Cover again and simmer for 20 to 25 more minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the beef is fork-tender.
  7. Season and serve: Remove the bay leaves. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with fresh parsley. The soup thickens as it sits — add a splash of broth when reheating if needed.