My family could eat soup every night, some of our favorites include cabbage roll soup and chicken tortellini soup. Beef barley soup is also on the list, because it’s simple yet totally satisfying.
Whenever I’m looking for a comfort food style meal that I know my family will approve of, I turn to this beef barley soup. It’s got bold flavors, fork tender meat, plenty of veggies and the barley adds such great texture. Kids and adults alike will enjoy this one!
How do you make beef barley soup?
Beef barley soup starts with a few pounds of stew meat, which gets simmered with vegetables until everything is tender. After the meat and veggies are ready, sliced mushrooms and pearl barley are added to the pot to cook until done. Add a sprinkling of parsley and dinner is served!
What is pearl barley?
Pearl barley is a type of barley that has been processed to remove the hull and bran. Pearl barley is faster cooking and has a better texture than unprocessed whole barley, which can sometimes be overly chewy.
Tips for beef barley soup
I use beef stew meat because it’s inexpensive and convenient. You can also buy a chuck roast and cut it into cubes if you prefer. I cut my vegetables on the larger side so that they don’t disintegrate into the soup while the meat is simmering. If you prefer firmer veggies, you can saute them, remove them from the pan, then add them back in halfway through the cook time. I typically use button mushrooms, but cremini mushrooms also work well. I like to serve beef barley soup with a side of fresh baguette or honey cornbread.
Ground beef and barley soup
Don’t want to wait an hour for your beef stew meat to get tender? Consider using ground beef instead. You’ll get a similar rich flavor with a fraction of the cook time. Substitute 1 1/2 pounds of lean ground beef for the stew meat in this recipe.
Freezer Beef Barley Soup
Beef barley soup is the perfect candidate for the freezer. You can either freeze your cooked soup, or you can do it meal prep style where you freeze all of the ingredients in one bag, then thaw everything and cook. Here is my freezer meal beef barley soup recipe.
Slow cooker beef barley soup
This recipe can easily be adapted to use in the slow cooker. Simply brown your beef and vegetables as directed, then place all of the ingredients except the parsley into a crock pot. Cook for 6-8 hours on low, then serve. If you choose to make this soup in the slow cooker, the barley will have a softer texture than the stove top version, but it’s still totally delicious.
Once you try this beef barley soup, you’ll be hooked. It’s an interpretation of the classic recipe that’s anything but ordinary!
More hearty soup recipes
Stuffed Pepper Soup Mexican Chicken Soup Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Sausage Tortellini Soup Chicken Taco Soup
