This quick beef barley soup is wholesome and hearty. It is loaded with steak, vegetables, and barley. It is easy to make using a combination of fresh and convenience ingredients to make a flavorful soup the family will love.
The trick for how to make beef barley soup without having to cook it a long time is to use quick cooking barley. Find quick cook pearled barley in the rice/grains aisle of large supermarkets or online.
This soup does not have a long cook time so use meat that is on the tender side already. Sirloin is a good choice because it is (relatively) inexpensive and tender.
Beef soups are great for dinner because they are filling and satisfying. Try this hamburger soup, a vegetable beef soup and this stick-to-your-ribs Cuban-style beef soup.
Ingredients
- Oil – Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point because the beef is browned at moderate-high heat. We use canola oil, use your favorite.
- Beef – Sirloin steak is best for this recipe. use any cut of sirloin available/on sale (sirloin, sirloin tip, top sirloin, etc.)
- Spices – Salt, dried thyme, and black pepper season the soup simply.
- Vegetables – The base of the soup is made with onions, celery, and garlic. Then it is finished with mixed vegetables which is an easy way to get a variety without a lot of work. We used a combination of carrots, peas, corn, and green beans.
- Pantry – From the pantry you will need tomato paste to add flavor and color, diced tomatoes, beef broth and quick cook pearled barley.
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
Instructions
Season the beef with salt. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the beef.
Arrange it in one layer and cook, undisturbed, for 3 minutes. Stir well and cook another 3 minutes, stir occasionally.
Then, lower the heat to medium and add the onions and celery. Cook for 2 minutes, stir occasionally.
Next, add the garlic, tomato paste, thyme, black pepper to the pot. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Add the diced tomatoes and beef broth. Raise the heat, bring the broth to a simmer. Then, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the barley. Raise the heat, bring the soup back to a simmer. Then, lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep the liquid simmering; lower or raise the heat.
In the meantime, cook the vegetables using about half of the time recommended on the package. Add the vegetables to the soup, raise the heat to medium, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Stir the soup occasionally and keep it simmering. If it is boiling too vigorously lower the heat a bit.
Taste the beef barley soup and add salt if needed. As a reference we did not add extra to ours.
Frequently asked questions
Quick barley is a type of barley flake that cooks quickly (about 10 minutes). It has been steamed and then dried. Because it has been partially cooked it takes less time to make.
No, because we are using quick barley. However, if you need to use pearl barley then, yes cook it to package directions before adding it to the soup.
Yes. In this recipe we account for thickening in the amount of broth used so do not add extra barley.
Serving and storing
Serve the beef barley vegetable soup with crackers (like we do) or crusty bread for dipping. But there’s no need because this hearty soup is satisfying on its own.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To freeze the soup, cool it quickly and place in airtight containers that are appropriate for freezing. Remember to leave an inch or two to allow for expansion. Freeze for 2-3 months.
Gently, reheat the soup in a covered saucepan over medium-low to low heat until heated through (at least 165°F), stir occasionally – or reheat in the microwave.
It may be necessary to add a few tablespoons of broth or water when reheating because the barley soup thickens when stored.
For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
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📖 Recipe
Beef Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound Sirloin Steak cut into small cubes (about ½ - ¾ inch cubes use any cut of sirloin available, sirloin tip, top sirloin, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon Salt we use kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon Oil use a neutral oil with a high smoke point (we use canola oil)
- 1 Medium Onion diced
- 1 Celery Rib diced or sliced
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- ¼ teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 (14 ounce) can Diced Tomatoes (we use petite dice)
- 6 cups Beef Broth
- ⅓ cup Quick Cook Pearl Barley
- 10 ounces Frozen Mixed Vegetables cooked to about half the time recommended on the package – just enough to defrost
Instructions
- Season the beef with salt. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the beef.
- Arrange it in one layer and cook, undisturbed, for 3 minutes. Stir well and cook another 3 minutes, stir occasionally. If necessary, continue cooking for 1-2 minutes until the liquid has cooked out and the beef is sizzling, stir constantly.
- Then, lower the heat to medium and add the onions and celery. Cook for 2 minutes, stir occasionally.
- Next, add the garlic, tomato paste, thyme, black pepper to the pot. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the diced tomatoes and beef broth. Raise the heat and bring the broth to a simmer. Then, lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the barley. Raise the heat, bring the soup back to a simmer. Then, lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep the liquid simmering; lower or raise the heat as needed.
- In the meantime, cook the vegetables using about half of the time recommended on the package.
- Add the vegetables to the soup, raise the heat to medium, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Keep it simmering. If it is boiling too vigorously lower the heat a bit.
- Taste the soup and add salt if needed. As a reference we did not add extra to ours.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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