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Beef Barley Soup
5 from 351 votes

Beef Barley Soup

Beef Barley Soup combines browned chuck roast with hearty pearl barley, aromatic vegetables, and herbs simmered in broth for a nourishing meal. The method involves searing the beef in batches, sautéing carrots, celery, and onions with tomato paste and garlic, and then simmering everything together until the beef is tender and the barley is cooked through. The addition of soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, and fresh parsley enhances the rich broth.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 7
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs chuck roast trimmed of excess chunks of fat, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped carrot about 3
  • 1 cup chopped celery (about 2 ribs)
  • 2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 large)
  • 3 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic (4 cloves)
  • 2 (32 oz) cartons chicken broth or beef broth, low-sodium
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce low-sodium
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp minced rosemary or 1/2 tsp dried, fresh
  • 2 tsp minced thyme or 1/2 tsp dried, fresh
  • salt freshly ground
  • black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 cup pearl barley
  • 3 Tbsp parsley fresh, minced

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Dab beef dry and add 1/2 or 1/3 of beef, adding just enough not to overcrowd. Season with salt and pepper. Let sear until golden brown on bottom, about 3 minutes then flip and cook 1 minute longer.
  2. Transfer beef in pot to a plate along with juices and repeat process with remaining beef adding in another 1 Tbsp oil to pot.
  3. Add 1 Tbsp oil to now empty pot. Add carrots, celery and onion and saute 3 minutes.
  4. Add tomato paste and garlic and saute 1 minute longer.
  5. Pour in broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Return beef to pot.
  6. Bring mixture to a simmer then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until beef is fairly tender, about 45 - 60 minutes.
  7. Add barley, cover and simmer until cooked through and beef is tender, about 45 - 60 minutes longer.
  8. Stir in parsley. Serve warm.

Notes

  • Searing beef in batches prevents overcrowding and ensures proper browning.
  • You can cook the soup in a slow cooker by transferring seared beef and other ingredients, cooking on low for 7 to 8 hours.
  • For pressure cooking, reduce broth to 7 cups to prevent excess liquid since it doesn't evaporate.
  • After pressure cooking, allow natural pressure release for at least 10 minutes before quick releasing remaining pressure for tender beef.