Beef Barley Vegetable Soup

Beef Barley Vegetable Soup is a classic comfort food made with tender beef, fresh vegetables, and pearled barley simmered in a savory broth. This soup is hearty, filling, and delicious, and perfect for the whole family.

Beef Barley Vegetable Soup… but Better!

Beef Barley Vegetable Soup is a simple recipe with a few steps. And it turned out OUTSTANDING, to say the least.

My daughter-in-law, Gabby, gave me this recipe, and my grandchildren, who are seven and five, absolutely love it. It’s the perfect soup for this time of year, and you can enjoy making it all season long.

What a delicious meal on its own! Hearty, filling, and loaded with flavor. Simmered with fresh vegetables, water, salt and pepper, tiny pieces of beef chuck for stew, and pearled barley, this soup is nothing short of perfection.

No need to add any grated cheese (as much as we’d love to); this soup is exquisite and needs no embellishing. Just serve it with a side of our fresh Italian green salad, and maybe a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich, and dinner is done.

So today, we’re happy to show you Step by Step how to make this Beef Barley Vegetable Soup, and we can’t wait to share this recipe with you.

Ok, Let’s Make This Soup!

Ingredients You Will Need

For our Beef Barley Vegetable Soup recipe, here are the ingredients you will need:

• 1.25 pounds of “beef for stew” – chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil – divided
• 2 tsp. salt – divided
• 1 tsp. black pepper, plus extra before serving
• 2.5 Tbsp. flour (or GF, or cornstarch)
• 3 garlic cloves – minced
• 1 onion – finely chopped
• 3 stalks of celery – thinly sliced
• 3 carrots – peeled and sliced
• 4 ounces of sliced white mushrooms (1/2 of an 8-ounce package)- rinsed, drained, and chopped
• 3 cups of purified water
• 5 sprigs of fresh thyme (or some fresh rosemary, chopped)
• 1 cube of beef Bouillon (or 1 Tbsp. from a jar)
• 1/2 cup dried pearled barley – rinsed

How to Make Beef Barley Vegetable Soup? (Step-by-Step)

For this recipe, you will need a large pot for soup or a 6-quart Dutch oven. First, gather all the ingredients on the counter. Then prep and chop the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, place them into a bowl, and set it aside. Then follow our step-by-step directions, or scroll down to the bottom for the full recipe card.

STEP 1: PREPARE THE BEEF: On a parchment-lined cutting board, chop each piece of beef into small cubes (about 1/2-inch pieces) This will take about 10 minutes or more, but it’s worth it.

Then put the cubed beef in a zip-lock bag. Toss in 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and 2.5 tablespoons flour. Seal the bag, shake it, and turn it upside down a few times to coat all the beef pieces with flour.

STEP 2: COOK THE BEEF: Grab your soup pot or 6-quart Dutch oven, set it on the stovetop, and turn on medium heat. Pour in 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss in the floured beef cubes. Reduce the heat a little, and stir to cook the beef for about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked beef to a dish and set it nearby.

STEP 3: SAUTE THE VEGGIES: In the same pot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss in the chopped onion, garlic, carrots, and celery (hold the mushrooms for later). If you need a little more EVOO, add some.

Sauté the veggies on low heat, covered, for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they soften. THEN, add the 4 ounces of mushrooms, chopped, and simmer for a few more minutes.

STEP 4: ADD THE BEEF BACK: Add the sautéed cubed beef back into the pot, plus 3 cups of water, one cube of beef bouillon, and fresh thyme. Bring the water to a boil, and add in the 1/2 cup of pearled barley, rinsed and drained. Stir, and cover with a lid.

LAST STEP: Simmer the soup on the lowest heat for 45 to 50 minutes. Turn off the heat. Stir in 1 additional teaspoon of salt and some additional fresh black pepper. Taste, and keep it covered until you are ready to serve. Serve warm.

Storing & Freezing

To Store: Always let the soup cool completely before storing. Then transfer the soup to a sealed container, and keep it chilled in the fridge.

To Freeze: Place the sealed container into your freezer, and freeze for up to 2 months. After that, discard and make a new batch.

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Happy & Healthy Cooking! 🙂

Thanks for stopping by… xo anna and liz