beef barley vegetable soup

Classic comfort in a bowl! Here’s a hearty Beef Barley Vegetable Soup recipe — rich, nutritious, and perfect for chilly days.

🥣 Beef Barley Vegetable Soup

Servings: 6–8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1.5–2 hours (mostly simmering)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb (450g) beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces

• 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 medium carrots, diced

• 3 celery stalks, diced

• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

• 1 cup green beans, trimmed and chopped

• 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes

• 8 cups beef broth or stock

• 2 tsp dried thyme

• 2 bay leaves

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

• Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Brown the Beef:

   • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

   • Add beef stew meat and brown on all sides, about 5–7 minutes. Remove and set aside.

2. Sauté Veggies:

   • In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

   • Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.

3. Build the Soup:

   • Return beef to the pot.

   • Add potatoes, green beans, diced tomatoes (with juice), beef broth, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.

4. Simmer:

   • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours until beef is tender.

5. Add Barley:

   • Stir in barley and cook uncovered for another 30 minutes until barley is tender and soup has thickened slightly.

6. Finish & Serve:

   • Remove bay leaves. Adjust seasoning if needed.

   • Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve hot.

Tips:

• For a quicker version, use pre-cooked beef or stew meat.

• Feel free to swap vegetables based on what you have (peas, corn, kale).

• Leftovers taste even better the next day!