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A soup pot filled with beefy barley soup
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5 from 8 votes

Beef Barley Soup

Meaty, flavorful and filling soup to warm the soul!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef, soup
Servings: 8
Calories: 381kcal
Author: Tricia

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ to 3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 6 cups low-sodium beef broth, plus more if desired for thinner soup
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
  • cup pearl barley, rinsed and drained
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Instructions

  • Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Remove all visible fat and any silver skin. Cut into 1-inch pieces and season with salt and pepper.
  • Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to a large Dutch oven or heavy bottom soup pot. Warm over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half the beef and cook until browned on one side. Stir and continue cooking until the beef is well seared and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.
  • Transfer browned beef to a bowl using a slotted spoon; cover to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining beef and transfer to the bowl, keep warm. (For the best flavor, sear the beef over high heat so it browns and forms crusty bits on the bottom of the pot.)
  • Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the now empty Dutch oven. Add the onions and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened and the onion starts to brown and caramelize, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme leaves, paprika, red pepper flakes and tomato paste to the vegetables. Sauté for 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant. Add one cup of broth to deglaze the bottom of the pot scraping up any browned bits.
  • Add all browned beef, remaining broth, tomatoes and barley to the pot. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to medium/medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beef and vegetables are tender, about 1 hour.
  • Add the soy sauce and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Allow the soup to rest for a few minutes. Using a large spoon or ladle, skim off any fat pooled on top, if desired. This may not be necessary if your roast was well trimmed and not overly fatty. Stir in the parsley, check seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty bread for sopping up the broth.

Notes

  • Use diced potatoes in place of barley, if desired.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 534mg | Potassium: 1035mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2854IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 4mg