Description
This hearty beef and barley soup is warm, filling, and packed with tender beef, wholesome barley, and a mix of flavorful vegetables. It’s the perfect comfort food for chilly days and makes excellent leftovers.
Ingredients
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1 lb beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
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1 tbsp olive oil
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1 medium onion, chopped
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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3 carrots, sliced
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2 celery stalks, sliced
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1 cup pearl barley
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6 cups beef broth
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1 cup water
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1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
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1 tsp dried thyme
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1 tsp dried oregano
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1 bay leaf
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Salt and pepper to taste
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Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
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In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add beef and brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.
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In the same pot, sauté onion, garlic, carrots, and celery until softened, about 5–7 minutes.
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Return the beef to the pot. Stir in barley, beef broth, water, diced tomatoes, thyme, oregano, and bay leaf.
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Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, or until beef is tender and barley is cooked.
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Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf before serving.
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Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
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You can substitute quick-cooking barley for pearl barley to cut down on cooking time.
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This soup freezes well — store in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
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For a richer flavor, use a combination of beef broth and red wine (replace 1 cup of broth with wine).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 60mg