Loaded with barley, beef and veggies Homemade Beef Barley Soup is a meal all by itself.
This another one of my favorite Fall Soup Recipes that also freezes great too. Let me show you how to make one of my family's favorite hearty winter soups.
My family loves homemade soup for dinner. During the cold fall and winter months we will have soup at least once a week. However, I also enjoy making soup for dinner during the hot summer months.
Table of Contents
Beef Barley Soup Recipe Pioneer Woman
This recipe is similar to beef barley soup pioneer woman, but of course, I have my own spin on making the recipe perfect for my family!
Especially soups that are hearty like this recipe for Beef Barley Soup where it's really like a meal than just a bowl of soup. Soup is a great addition to any weekly meal plan all year long!
You'll only need to add a few crackers, homemade biscuits or even homemade French bread spread with garlic butter to complete this meal.
Recipe FAQ's
Do you have to cook barley before putting it in soup?
Barley does not need to be cooked or even soaked before adding it to soup. It will become soft during the cooking process.
Is Barley Soup healthy for you?
Rich in vitamins and minerals, barley is a very healthy grain. It's also high in fiber which helps with digestion and might even help you feel fuller after enjoying a bowl of barley soup!
Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Measuring cups - liquid measuring cups
- Measuring spoons and dry measuring cups
- Cast Iron Stock Pot - this is my favorite one, but any large heavy stock pot you have will work.
- Barley - I always use Goya Barley which you can find in the grain aisle where they also sell beans, lentils and rice.
Le Creuset Enameled Cast IronMore InformationGoya Barley, 16 ozMore InformationKnorr Bouillon Cube Hsp Beef, 8More InformationStoneware Soup BowlsMore InformationSet of 4 French Onion SoupMore Information
Ingredients
Here's a quick overview of the ingredients for this recipe. Find the exact amounts and click the Instacart button to easily add them to your cart – all in the printable recipe card below!
- Beef stew meat
- Chopped carrots
- Celery
- 1 clove garlic; chopped
- Beef broth
- Beef bouillon
- Dry barley - you can find barley with the other dried beans or vegetables in your local grocery store.
- Vegetable oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Quick Tip
When cooking with barley and other grains, it's always best to rinse and wash away any debris or dust before adding directly to the soup. to make this recipe, make sure to follow this top tip!
Directions
Step 1: To prepare the beef, carefully slice it into smaller bite-sized pieces. This will make the dish easier to eat and will help ensure that each bite is perfectly tender.
Step 2: Make sure to chop the carrots and celery into small, bite-sized pieces for the best texture. You'll want about ½ cup of each.
Step 3: Start by heating the oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the beef and brown it thoroughly. Once the meat is browned, toss in the carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes more to soften the vegetables slightly. Then, pour in the beef broth and add the bouillon cube. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer gently for about an hour, or until the meat is deliciously tender.
Add the Dry Barley
Step 4: After the beef has cooked for about an hour and is tender, add the barley. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes, checking periodically until the barley is plump and tender
Before You Begin!
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What to serve with soup?
Homemade French Bread – this recipe is so easy to make and ready in under an hour! Don’t forget to serve Homemade Garlic Butter to go along with the bread or biscuit you’re serving.
How to Freeze Soup
This soup freezes well also. Which is nice as I can send the leftovers to work with my hubby or use the leftovers for another meal on really busy nights.
Add the cooled soup to a freezer-safe container and place in the freezer.
You can also add the soup to a freezer safe bag, but I usually use containers. Frozen beef barley soup can kept safe in the freezer for up to three months.
When you're ready to enjoy the soup leftovers again, defrost overnight in the refrigerator. You may need to add more beef broth to the soup as you reheat it in a stock pot.
- Set contains: (1) 7 cup tall round food storage containers with Mineral Blue TrueSeal lids
Top Tip
The most important thing to remember when freezing any soup is you need to allow that soup to cool completely.
📖 Recipe Card
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Homemade Beef Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef stew meat
- ½ cup carrots chopped
- ½ cup celery chopped
- 1 clove garlic; minced
- 3 cans beef broth
- 1 cube beef bouillon
- ⅔ cup barley
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Slice the beef into small cubes.
- In a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the oil and brown the beef.
- When the meat is browned, add the carrots, celery and garlic and continue cooking for a few minutes.
- Add the beef broth and bouillon cube and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer until the meat is soft; about an hour.
- Add the barley and continue to cook on low another 30 - 35 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
This recipe has been updated since it first appeared in 2015 with new photos, a new printable recipe card that includes nutritional information and new information. I hope you enjoy the updates as much as I enjoyed working on them!
Karen Corinha says
Added 1/2 cup chopped onion to this recipe. And a little Maggie seasoning to bolster flavor! So good.
Lois says
That sounds good! I'm not a big fan of onions in soup, but I love how you made the recipe your own! Thank you for visiting!
Catherine Sokolowski says
It's finally starting to feel like soup weather. I have been looking for a beef barley soup recipe. Yours look perfect. Thanks for sharing!
Lois says
I hope you enjoyed the recipe. It's one of our favorites!
angle says
I love this! Especially the leaves and feather ones. I’m definitely going to make some. While I’m doing it, I think I’ll make a few unscented ones for brown sugar disks too.. This is my blog http://chirowellnessnatural.com if you want to visit!
Madonna/aka/Ms Lemon of Make Mine Lemon says
Barley sounds good.
Summer Nicole says
This looks delicious! I am excited to try making it soon! 🙂
Jeannie says
Soup is a winter staple around here. I've not used Barley before, but I'm game to try it. Thanks for partying at For What It's Worth-jeannie.
Catherine says
Delicious and comfort for this cold weather. xo Catherine
Ann says
This looks wonderful!
Patty Anderson says
Love your soup recipe and it looks delicious Lois.