With tender stew meat and pearl barley in a rich, savory fully flavored broth, this Beef and Barley Soup recipe is hearty, filling, and easy to make. It’s just the thing for cold winter nights!
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Easy Beef and Barley Soup Recipe
As we head into the coldest parts of the year, this beef barley soup should be making a frequent appearance on your dinner table. With chunks of tender beef, barley, and veggies, it’s the ultimate bowl of comfort food – the kind that warms you up from the inside out.
This soup does require 2 hours of simmer time to ensure that the beef becomes nice and tender and the flavors all meld together, but the hands-on prep time is just minutes!
Why You’ll Love This Beef Barley Soup
- Hearty and filling. Beef and barley soup is definitely a “meat on the bones” dish and it’s perfect for a main course on its own.
- Easy prep. All you need to do is brown the meat then add everything to the pot. The simmer time allows the meat to become super tender and the broth extra flavorful.
- Rich, savory broth. The broth knocks it out of the park in this recipe. Beef broth, better than bouillon beef, red wine, and a few seasonings all work together to create the most flavorful base.
Ingredients Needed
Here’s an overview of what you’ll need for this beef barley soup recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card below for details and measurements.
- Stew meat – Lean beef stew meat is the best option for beef and barley soup. As it simmers on the stovetop, the meat will become nice and tender. Plus, pre-packaged stew meat saves on prep time.
- Olive oil – To sear the beef for a nice golden crust.
- Salted butter – Used to sauté the veggies, adding richness and moisture.
- Veggies – Onion, celery, and carrots add substance and flavor to the soup.
- Garlic – For wonderful aromatics and added flavor.
- Tomato paste – Adds a rich, savory flavor with a touch of concentrated sweetness and mild acidity.
- Dry red wine – Enhances the flavor of the broth and also helps tenderize the beef. You can replace it with more beef broth if desired, but the flavors won’t be as deep.
- Better than Bouillon beef base – Adds rich beef flavor to the broth.
- Beef broth – I recommend using low sodium to control the salt level.
- Seasonings – Bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper, and fresh parsley season the beef barley soup.
- Pearl barley – The most common type of barley, so you should be able to easily find it at the store.
How to Make Beef and Barley Soup
The prep for this beef and barley soup recipe is quite simple. Scroll down to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Sear the beef. Brown the beef in the olive oil, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Transfer to a plate with the juices.
- Cook the veggies. Blot any excess oil from the pot. Cook the onion, celery, and carrots in butter until translucent. Add the garlic and tomato paste, cook for about 20 seconds until fragrant, then deglaze the pan with the red wine.
- Simmer the broth. Return the beef to the pot and add the better than bouillon, beef broth, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a boil then reduce to a gentle bubble. Cover and simmer for an hour.
- Add the barley. Add the barley and continue simmering for 45 to 60 minutes, until the beef and barley are tender.
- Serve. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprig. Stir in the parsley then taste test and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve and enjoy.
Tips & Variations
Here are a few tips and variations for making your beef barley soup.
- Brown the beef first. Before the beef simmers, the goal is just to brown each side of the beef until it develops a nice golden crust, which locks in flavor. Don’t skip this step.
- Thin the soup. If your beef and barley soup is thicker than you’d like, you can thin it out by adding in some water or extra beef broth near the end. Just continue simmering until it’s warmed through.
- Thicken the soup. Alternatively, if you prefer a thicker beef and barley soup, you can dissolve 3 tablespoons of brown gravy mix into cold water then stir into the boiling soup to thicken the broth.
Serving Suggestions
Beef and barley soup is a hearty, filling soup that doesn’t really need any sides or additions. One bowl of this will definitely fill you up. That said, I do like to serve it with a slice of crusty dutch oven bread to soak up any remaining broth. You could also start the meal with a simple side salad, if desired.
Proper Storage
- Storing leftovers. Store leftover beef and barley soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. Note that the barley will continue to absorb the broth, although not quite as much as pasta.
- Reheat. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. You may need to add extra broth or some water to thin it out.
More Soup Recipes:
- Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
- Hungarian Mushroom Soup
- French Onion Soup
- Vegetable Beef Soup
- Crockpot Ham and Bean Soup
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Beef and Barley Soup
With tender stew meat and pearl barley in a rich, savory fully flavored broth, this Beef and Barley Soup recipe is hearty, filling, and easy to make. It's just the thing for cold winter nights!
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 pounds lean beef stew meat
- olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion , diced
- 2 celery ribs , chopped
- 2 carrots , roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 tablespoon better than bouillon beef base
- 6 cups low sodium beef broth (or stock)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig fresh thyme , or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 3/4 cup pearl barley
- 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. Pat meat very dry with a paper towel. Drizzle pot with olive oil. Place about a third of the beef in the pot, leaving at least 1-inch space between each piece (if you crowd the pan, the pieces will not brown.) Leave the beef undisturbed for 2-3 minutes on the first side, flip and brown the other sides briefly. Transfer beef to a plate along with its juices. Repeat with remaining beef, in batches, adding more oil if needed.
- Blot any excess oil out of pot with a paper towel. Reduce heat to medium, add the butter, onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add in garlic and tomato paste, cook 20 seconds until fragrant.
- Deglaze pan with the red wine, scraping up any brown bits with a wooden spoon.
- Return partially cooked beef back to the pot along with the better than bouillon paste, beef broth, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle bubble. Place lid on pot and simmer for 1 hour.
- Add the barley and cook at a simmer for another 45 to 60 minutes until the barley and beef are tender.
- Remove and discard bay leaf and thyme sprig. Stir in the chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with crusty bread, if desired and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Brown the beef first. Before the beef simmers, the goal is just to brown each side of the beef until it develops a nice golden crust, which locks in flavor. Don’t skip this step.
Omitting the wine. Any alcohol in the wine completely cooks off and just enhances the flavor of the broth and also helps tenderize the beef. You can replace it with more beef broth if desired, but note the flavors won’t be as deep. Still delicious, though!
Make the soup thinner or thicker. If your beef and barley soup is thicker than you’d like, you can thin it out by adding in some water or extra beef broth near the end. Just continue simmering until it’s warmed through. Alternatively, if you prefer a thicker beef and barley soup, you can dissolve 3 tablespoons of brown gravy mix into cold water then stir into the boiling soup to thicken the broth.
Nutrition
Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 798mg | Potassium: 1102mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3786IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 3mg
This was delicious and exactly what I was craving. I also added some potatoes and it was the perfect addition. Great for a cold winter night!
This was so comforting and delish. I used parsnips instead of carrots and left out the celery as I don’t like it. The meat was so tender. So good on a cold day. Thanks Amy
Hi there. Am in South Africa.
Wot is “better than beef bouillon base”…….? Pse provide substitute
Love this soup, it was excellent! It was super easy to make, flavorful, and comforting. Will be keeping this soup on our family’s regular recipe rotation!
Holy smokes, what a great tasting filling soup and it reheated very well. It will enter the rotation.
This was just wonderful! NO changes. Thanks for a great recipe.
Delicious, of course!
This is one of my all time favorites. I actually brown my beef on sauté in my Ninja Foodie, add some of the broth and pressure it for 20 – 25 minutes. The meat is so tender it falls apart. Then I add everything else & cook as recipe States. Saves me a little time with excellent results.
This was spectacular. Just the right amount of everything and great flavor.