Beef Pearl Barley Soup (Printable)

Tender beef and barley combine with savory vegetables in a comforting, hearty dish.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1.1 lbs beef stewing meat, cut into 0.8 inch cubes
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 large potato, peeled and diced
08 - 1 cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)

→ Grains

09 - 1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed

→ Liquids

10 - 6 cups beef stock
11 - 14 oz canned diced tomatoes with juice
12 - 2 tbsp tomato paste

→ Herbs & Spices

13 - 2 bay leaves
14 - 1 tsp dried thyme
15 - 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

17 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

# How-To:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add beef cubes and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove beef and set aside.
02 - Add onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
03 - Return beef to the pot. Stir in diced potato, mushrooms if using, pearl barley, diced tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary.
04 - Pour in beef stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Remove the lid and continue to simmer uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, until the beef and barley are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Discard bay leaves. Spoon the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It fills your kitchen with the kind of warmth that makes people linger at the stove.
  • The barley does something magical—it becomes tender and slightly thickening without you having to do anything special.
  • You can leave it alone to cook, which means you get an hour and a half to do something else.
  • It tastes even better the next day, so leftovers are actually an advantage.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the beef—it feels like an extra step, but it's what gives the whole soup its depth and richness.
  • If your barley is still crunchy after the first hour, give it more time; it'll tell you when it's ready by becoming almost creamy at the edges.
  • Taste before serving and add salt gradually; the stock might already have plenty, and you can always add more but you can't take it out.
03 -
  • Cut your beef into uniform pieces so everything finishes cooking at the same time; uneven sizes lead to some chunks tender and others still chewy.
  • Don't be tempted to increase the heat to speed things up; a gentle simmer extracts flavor in a way a rolling boil never can.

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