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4.5 from 2,151 votes

Beef Barley Soup

This Beef Barley Soup is the ultimate comfort food—rich, hearty, and packed with tender beef, chewy barley, and a deeply flavorful broth. Slow-simmered to perfection, this one-pot wonder is cozy, satisfying, and even better the next day!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 10 mins
Total Time
1 hr 55 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 336 kcal
Course: Soup , Dinner
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 pound stewing beef
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon pepper or to taste
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or more if needed
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 large carrot peeled and chopped
  • 2 talks 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
  • ¾ cup barley I used pearl barley, see notes
  • 1 tablespoon parsley fresh, chopped

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Season the stewing beef generously with salt and pepper. Place the beef in a ziploc bag and add the flour over the beef. Close the ziploc 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. You will have to do this in 2 or 3 batches, since you do not want to crowd the meat. Remove the meat from the pot after you're done and set aside.
  3. In the same pot, you will have a lot of brown bits on the bottom. Add more olive oil if needed, then 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 all the brown bits at the bottom. Add the meat back to the pot, then the beef broth and water and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a medium, cover the pot and cook for about 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want to cook this for so long so that the beef becomes tender, it will melt in your mouth.
  5. Add the barley to the pot, cover it and cook for another 30 minutes or until the barley is cooked through. Make sure you stir occasionally so the barley won't stick. If you find that the soup is too thick add more water as necessary until you get the desired consistency, though this is quite a thick soup.
  6. Remove the soup from heat and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Notes

  • I used pearl barley. Pearl barley usually takes 25-30 minutes to cook and hulled barley usually takes 40-50 minutes. Barley is cooked when it's tender yet chewy. If using hulled barley, make sure you add it before covering the pot and cooking the beef.
  • If you can't 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.
  • Want to Freeze It? – Barley can get mushy in the freezer. For best results, freeze the soup without the barley and add freshly cooked barley when reheating.
  • Flavor Boosters – A splash of Worcestershire sauce, red wine, or a Parmesan rind while simmering adds incredible depth.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 336kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 32g (11%) Protein 22g (44%) Fat 14g (22%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 8g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 52mg (17%) Sodium 835mg (35%) Potassium 902mg (26%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 2274IU (45%) Vitamin C 6mg (7%) Calcium 62mg (6%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 336

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 336kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 32g 11%
Protein 22g 44%
Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 8g 40%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 52mg 17%
Sodium 835mg 35%
Potassium 902mg 19%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 2274IU 45%
Vitamin C 6mg 7%
Calcium 62mg 6%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.