Recipe Details

• Author: deesviral
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 6–8 servings
• Category: Soup / Comfort Food
• Cuisine: American
• Keywords: beef barley soup, hearty soup, comfort soup, deesviral

Ingredients

• 1 lb beef stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed
• 6–7 cups beef broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Optional: fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add beef and brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5–6 minutes until softened.
4. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Return beef to the pot and add barley, beef broth, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.
7. Simmer for 60–75 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender and barley is cooked.
8. Remove bay leaf, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed.
9. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

Tips & Variations

• For a thicker soup, let it simmer uncovered for the last 10 minutes.
• Add mushrooms for extra depth of flavor.
• This soup tastes even better the next day and freezes well.