Vegetable Beef Barley Mushroom Soup (Printer View)

Hearty soup with tender beef, pearl barley, mushrooms, and vegetables in rich beef 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
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 & Oils

15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# Method:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add beef cubes and brown on all sides for about 5 minutes. Remove beef and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 4-5 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 15-20 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 the effort of one.
  • The barley transforms from hard little pearls into tender, creamy bites that make every spoonful satisfying without being heavy.
  • There's real beef in here, not just broth, so you get genuine substance and protein that keeps you full for hours.
02 -
  • Don't skip the browning step on the beef, even if you're impatient. That's where ninety percent of the flavor lives, and it's the difference between a soup that tastes like home and one that tastes like boiled meat water.
  • The barley needs to be rinsed and actually cooked long enough to be tender. Undercooked barley is gritty and unpleasant, but once it's done right, it becomes this wonderful creamy accent to the whole dish.
03 -
  • Taste the broth before you buy it if you're at a good market. A rich, flavorful broth is everything in a soup like this, and it's worth spending a bit more for quality.
  • Brown the beef in batches if your pot is crowded, because overcrowding releases moisture and steams instead of sears. Take your time here and you'll be rewarded with deep color and flavor.
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