Vegetable Beef Barley Mushroom Soup (Printable)

Tender beef, barley, mushrooms, and vegetables in a savory broth—comfort in every spoonful for chilly days.

# 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

→ Broth 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:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven 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 diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery. Cook for 4-5 minutes until softened.
03 - Add sliced mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Return browned beef to the pot. Add diced potatoes, canned tomatoes with juices, pearl barley, beef broth, bay leaf, thyme, and parsley. Stir thoroughly 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 15-20 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 Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of soup that tastes even better the next day, so you're basically getting two meals for one cooking effort.
  • The barley adds real substance and a nutty texture that makes this feel substantial enough to be dinner on its own.
  • You can throw it together on a busy evening and let the oven do most of the work while you handle other things.
02 -
  • Don't skip the browning step for the beef—it seems fussy but it's the difference between soup that tastes like something and soup that tastes like boiled meat.
  • If your barley is still hard after the full cooking time, it might be old or a different variety, so taste a grain before you judge it done.
03 -
  • Toast your dried herbs in the hot oil for just a second before adding anything else, and they'll taste fresher and less dusty.
  • Save the soup's flavor by tasting and seasoning at the very end, not during cooking when salt can make the broth taste metallic.
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