Dish up a hearty bowl of comfort on a chilly day with this simple recipe for Beef and Barley Soup. This filling and tasty dish is a cross between a soup and a stew and it’s perfect for melting away the chill on those coldest of days.
It was a cold and rainy day yesterday and there is almost nothing better on a rainy day than a hearty bowl soup.
This simple recipe cooks low and slow making the beef unbelievably tender. I add the vegetables in stages to make sure none of them end up too soft. There’s nothing worse than a bowl of mushy vegetables.
I remember as a child going to a friend’s house and having beef and barley soup. I walked into the house and the whole place was filled with this amazing aroma of home-cooked soup.
I couldn’t wait to dig in and when I did, the only things left in the soup with any texture were the beef and the barley. Even as a child, I knew this wasn’t the way it should be.
I never forgot that soup and when I started cooking myself, I learned from it. There are 45 minutes between the first batch of vegetables and the second so there’s no hassle and believe me, it’s worth it.
If you love a hearty soup why not try my Split Pea and Ham Soup or for the veg lover, my Healthy Creamy Broccoli Soup. Indulge yourself.
This soup is a flavorful, delicious soup that the entire family will enjoy on those cold and rainy days that just need a dish like this. Enjoy!
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Let's Make
Beef & Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1½ lbs stewing beef cubed
- 2 medium onions sliced
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 3 stalks of celery sliced
- 4 carrots sliced into chunks
- 2 bay leaves
- small bunch fresh parsley chopped
- ½ cup pearl barley
- 4 cups beef stock
- 6 medium potatoes cut into cubes
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large, oven safe pan over medium high heat.
- Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides in the olive oil.
- Remove the meat with a slotted spoon.
- Add the onions, celery and herbs to the pan, then cook for about 5 mins until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook another minute.
- Return the meat to the pan, pour over the stock, then bring to a boil and then turn down the heat. Simmer for 45 minutes.
- Stir in the barley, carrots and potatoes, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for another 45 minutes or until the carrots are tender.
- Serve with crusty bread.
Nutrition Information:
Joan says
Love this soup, thank you. The barley just makes it so much heartier. My new favourite soup ingredient.
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says
I am running low on barley. What a great way to use it! This soup looks so good!