Homemade beef barley soup is a cozy soup that is hearty and healthy. It is perfect family-friendly meal served on its own or with a salad and crusty bread.
My favorite soups are loaded with wholesome veggies and proteins, like this thick and hearty vegetable soup and this classic chicken noodle soup.
This homemade beef barley soup is no different. It's a one-pot dinner packed with good-for-you ingredients, like garlic, onions, carrots, celery, and corn.
It's a healthy and incredibly delicious family dinner that will not disappoint.
Homemade beef barley soup is an ultimate comfort food and the perfect dinner for a cold winter night.
It is kid-friendly, easy, and requires not even 10 minutes of preparation.
Even better, once you chop the ingredients and dump them in the pot, all you need to do is stir it every so often. That means you can relax and spend more time with your family while dinner cooks itself.
You can also make it ahead of time, like on a lazy Sunday, and freeze it for dinner or lunch during the week.
But the aroma of the simmering vegetables and beef will make your house smell amazing. You may not be able to wait!
Other Soups You'll Love:
- Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Instant Pot Vegetable Soup
- Crockpot Chicken Parmesan Soup
- Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Spinach Tortellini Soup with Parmesan
📋 Ingredients
The list of beef barley soup ingredients may seem long, but they are simple ingredients that are easy to find.
Most are kitchen staples and items that you probably have many of on hand already.
To make beef barley soup, you'll need:
- uncooked barley
- uncooked chopped beef
- carrots, celery & corn
- diced tomatoes in juice
- beef broth
- Worcestershire sauce
- garlic & onions
- thyme, parsley, salt & pepper
I think this soup tastes best with a top round sirloin. I buy a full steak, trim the fat, and cut it into small pieces, about ½ inch each.
But feel free to use pre-chopped beef or another variety of steak.
Sweet corn is the best choice for the corn, but you can use whatever you have on hand or prefer. You can use canned, frozen, or steam-in-a-bag corn.
My favorite can of tomatoes for this beef barley soup are diced and seasoned with Italian spices, but plain diced tomatoes work too.
🔪 Instructions
This incredibly simple soup takes not even 10 minutes to prepare. It simmers for 60 minutes while you relax, making it an excellent dinner for a cold weeknight!
First, chop the onions and mince the garlic. Over medium heat, cook them in a dutch oven or large pot for about 5 minutes in olive oil (or until tender).
Second, add all remaining ingredients. Once you've added all ingredients, let the soup simmer for 45-60 minutes, until the barley and beef are cooked through.
And last, taste the broth and season with additional salt, pepper, and spices if you desire.
💭 Cooking Tips
I do not cook my beef prior. I put the raw cubed beef right in the broth and let it simmer with everything else. In my opinion, this makes it even more tasty! When cubing the beef, I leave a few fat pieces on for extra extra flavor.
If you like an even heartier soup, add more barley, starting with ⅓ cup at a time. Barley expands quite a bit when cooked.
🧒🏼 Kid-Friendly Tips
While beef barley soup is already kid-friendly, your kids may have a hard time chewing the beef depending on their age.
Cut the beef into very small pieces for young children. Or, use ground beef instead of cubed beef.
📖 Variations
While you should stick to the onions and garlic to make the broth base, you can vary the vegetables. Some great additions are:
- peas
- green beans
- potatoes
- fresh tomatoes
Beef Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 small onions (or 1 large), chopped
- 4 minced garlic cloves
- 2 lbs cubed beef
- 1 cup barley
- 8 cups beef broth
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 chopped carrots
- 3 chopped celery stalks
- 1 ½ cups sweet corn
- 1 tsp thyme
- 2 tsp parsley
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot or dutch oven, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil for 4 minutes over medium heat.
- Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45-60 minutes, until the barley is cooked through.
Notes
Nutrition
🍲 Serving and Storing
Beef barley soup is satisfying as a full meal on its own or it can be served with a side salad or focaccia bread, garlic bread or tomato basil bread.
Fridge: store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer: store in the freezer for about 6 months. Lay flat in freezer sage bags or put in plastic tubs. Defrost overnight in the fridge or do a quick thaw in the microwave (removed from the plastic bags or tubs).
Reheating: use the microwave or stovetop to reheat.
That's all there is to making and enjoying homemade beef barley soup. Let me know what you thought in the comments below!
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