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This homemade beef barley soup is a complete meal in a bowl. Loaded with tender beef, thickly sliced mushrooms, plump barley and studded with carrots and celery, this beef and mushroom barley soup can be made ahead of time, freezes great, and is the perfect hearty soup to warm your body and soul!
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 1.5 pounds beef stew meat cut into 1/2" pieces
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 3 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1/4" half-moons
- 2 large celery stalks cut into 1/4" half-moons
- 1 pound white mushrooms or crimini, ends trimmed and sliced into 1/2" thick slices
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 12 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1.5 cups pearled barley rinsed
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Most cubed beef stew meat is cut into 1" pieces. Use a knife to cut each cube in half so that all beef stew pieces are cut into 1/2" pieces.
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Dice yellow onion.
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Rinse and peel carrots. Cut into 1/4" half moons.
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Rinse celery and cut into 1/4" half moons.
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Gather salt, pepper, fresh thyme, bay leaf, and broth. Rinse pearled barley and set aside.
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Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add olive oil, cubed beef stew meat, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until meat is browned and mostly cooked through.
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Add chopped onion, carrot, celery, sliced mushrooms, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften.
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Add in beef broth, fresh thyme sprigs, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Once boiling, add rinsed pearled barley, cover, and simmer for 75 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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When cooking time is up, remove lid and use a tongs to remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs (the leaves will have fallen off into the soup so just remove the sprigs) and discard.
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Allow soup to cool for 15 50 20 minutes before serving or storing for future use. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
Recipe Tips:
- Pearled barley is the most commonly found form of barley for cooking. It is a small off-white to beige grain that is polished to remove some or all of the bran layer and the outer hull. While pearled barley is a great source of fiber and beta-glucans, this grain is NOT gluten-free and is not considered safe for celiacs or those following a gluten-free diet.
- If you don't have fresh thyme, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of dried thyme.
- While almost any mix of mushrooms will work for this recipe, it is recommended to use mushrooms that are cut on the thicker side and will retain their shape after a long simmer.
- To save time, look in the refrigerated section of the grocery store for prepared "mirepoix" or already diced onion, celery, and carrot mixture.
- This beef barley soup freezes and reheats GREAT.
- To reheat: place defrosted OR frozen soup in a pot, cover, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
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