Beef and barley soup is a hearty winter classic full of rich beef and mushroom flavors with lots of barley and veggies. The perfect bowl of comfort.

The holiday hangover is real.

I am finished with all the Thanksgiving leftovers so at least we have that going for us.

We did get a touch of snow at the start of the month.

Isn’t that how it always goes?

The snow comes early just to get you in that holiday spirit.

Then you get your decorations up and it’s a randomly warm 60 degree day.

Come on!

Give me full on snow and soup season.

Now, not in February or March. I want it now!

The latest soup in our rotation is this veggie packed beef and barley soup.

The reason I crave this soup is mainly for the barley, mushrooms, and that salty broth.

I could give or take the beef.

My favorite soup is actually this mushroom barley soup.

If you are a mushroom lover like me, make that soup!

I even have a tomato based beef barley and Instant Pot version.

Did you think I was joking when I said I love barley soups?

Beef and barley soup is made from:

• stew meat
• carrots
• celery
• onion
• mushrooms
• beef stock
• quick cooking barley

I like to use the quick cooking barley because… well, it is quicker and sucks up less broth in my opinion.

Add a bay leaf, fresh herbs like thyme and sage to flavor the soup.

Those seem to be the herbs everybody has on hand this time of year.

Feel free to add fresh parsley or rosemary for a touch of green too.

This soup has to be served with bug hunks of warm bread topped with lots of butter.

I made this soup and passed some along to my parents and still had enough leftover to freeze for the truly cold days of winter.

This soup is thinner than a stew and is totally slurpable.

What soup or stew are you loving this winter?

Beef and Barley Soup

Yield: Serves 4-6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Beef and barley soup filled with lots of hearty vegetables, big tender bites of beef, and filling barley.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 lbs stew meat cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 8oz baby bella mushrooms, stems removed and diced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 40 oz low-sodium beef stock
• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup quick cooking barley
• 1 dry/fresh bay leaf
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 sprig of sage, leaves removed and chopped

Instructions

1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium/high for a minute or two. Add the beef to a small mixing bowl. Season it with salt and pepper and add the corn starch. Toss to evenly coat the beef.
2. Add the olive oil to the Dutch oven. Once shimmering, add the beef. Brown on all sides, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat to medium/low. Add the vegetables. Stir to combine. Cook until tender, about 7-10 minutes.
4. Add the tomato paste. Mix to combine.
5. Pour in the beef stock and water. Mix to combine. Add the bay leaf. Cover with a lid. Bring to a simmer and simmer covered for 10 minutes.
6. Add in the barley along with the thyme and sage. Cover with lid again. Check the barley about 10 minutes later. Remove the lid. Season with more salt and pepper.
7. Simmer the soup for 10 more minutes uncovered.
8. Remove the bay leaf and the thyme stems before serving. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Let the soup cool for about 10 minutes before dishing out and serving.

Notes

Dried herbs can be used in place of the fresh. Add about a 1/2 tsp of each.