Vegetable Beef Barley Mushroom Soup (Printable)

Comforting bowl of tender beef, pearl barley, and vegetables in rich broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1.1 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes

→ Grains

02 - 1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 9 oz cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
09 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with juices

→ Liquids and Seasonings

10 - 6 cups beef broth
11 - 1 bay leaf
12 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1 teaspoon dried parsley
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Fats and Oils

15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add beef cubes and brown on all sides for approximately 5 minutes. Remove beef and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Add mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Return browned beef to the pot. Add diced potatoes, tomatoes with juices, pearl barley, beef broth, bay leaf, thyme, and parsley. Stir to combine.
06 - Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
07 - Check barley and beef for tenderness. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes more if needed, until barley is tender and soup has thickened slightly.
08 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf before serving. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The barley absorbs all the savory goodness while maintaining a delightful chew that keeps you coming back for another spoonful.
  • Its one of those magical recipes where leftovers actually taste better the next day once all those flavors have had time to mingle and deepen.
02 -
  • If your barley soaks up too much liquid during cooking, simply add more broth rather than water to maintain that deep flavor youve been building.
  • The soup will thicken considerably as it sits, especially if you refrigerate leftovers, so dont worry if it seems slightly thin when you first finish cooking.
03 -
  • If youre short on time but crave the same depth of flavor, brown the beef the night before and refrigerate it, then the next day you can pick up where you left off while the meat is already infused with flavor.
  • Stir a tablespoon of tomato paste into the vegetables just before adding the liquid for an incredible foundation of umami that makes people wonder what your secret ingredient might be.
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