This easybeef and barley souprecipe can be made on the stove or in the slow-cooker. Made with ground beef, pearl barley and a variety of healthy vegetables, it’s hearty and delicious soup, perfect for lunch or dinner on a cold, winter day.
We ALL love homemade soup at our house and this beef and barley soup is one of my absolute favourites. It’s so easy to make, and it’s hearty and delicious and chock full of flavour.
I can always count on it to satisfy the whole family.
My husband works outdoors in winter, and my boys are usually outside, playing pick-up hockey on our backyard rink, so when they all come home for dinner, they’re hungry and they’re cold.
A steaming bowl of homemade soup always goes over well. Served with my homemade Oatmeal Bread or a batch of homemade dinner rolls, this hearty soup fills the belly and warms the soul.
We have several soups that we love best as a family, and this beef and barley recipe is up there at the top of our list.
I make this soup on the stovetop, but it’s also a soup that you can make in the slow-cooker as well.
Beef and Barley Soup Recipe:
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs ground beef (cooked and drained)
28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 cups water
3 cans beef broth (I usually just fill up my 28 oz can from the tomatoes and use the appropriate amount of bouillon)
1 large (or 2 smallish) onions
3-4 cloves garlic
3 celery stalks
4 med carrots (I used baby carrots when writing this post because I was out of large ones)
8 tbsp pearl barley
1/2 tsp thyme (you can substitute with basil if you’d rather)
(1/4 cup red wine – optional)
salt and pepper to taste.
1 bay leaf (I never have one, so don’t sweat it if you don’t either)
To make your Beef and Barley Soup:
Brown ground beef in a pan over medium heat and drain fat when it’s finished cooking.
While your beef is cooking, chop your vegetables into bite-sized chunks.
Put the cooked ground beef and the rest of the ingredients into a large pot, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for 2 hours.
To reduce cooking time, you can saute your vegetables first:
I often saute my vegetables first and deglaze with a bit of red wine before combining all of the ingredients in the pot. It’s not necessary. It’s just something I like to do to reduce the overall cooking time sometimes. If you’re sautéing first, you’ll only need to simmer your soup for about an hour total.
I’ve actually never really timed it to know if it’s an hour, but you’ll know when it’s done when your barley has puffed up and your vegetables are tender.
How to make beef and barley soup in a slow-cooker:
If you’re making it in the slow cooker, just cook and drain your beef, and throw all of the ingredients except the barley into your slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours, adding the barley in the last hour of cooking.
Doesn’t that look just delicious?
Serve this soup with homemade rolls, a crusty loaf or a slice of hearty, homemade bread, and it makes a perfect lunch or dinner for a fall or winter day.
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Beef and Barley Soup
This hearty homemade soup is full of flavour and perfect for lunch or dinner on a fall or winter day.
Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
Cover the pot and allow the beef to cook in the broth for 20 minutes. Add the vegetables, barley, Worcestershire, soy, garlic, thyme, and parsley. Cover and cook for 40 minutes. If the end results are not a thick as you'd like (I like it thicker) combine the water and cornstarch and add it to the soup.
Browning the meat in large pieces adds deep, roasted flavor, without the over-toughening that happens when you brown it in smaller pieces. Sautéing the vegetables, then adding them back to the pot toward the end of cooking, ensures that they don't become flavorless bits of mush.
The joint venture will be based in Campbell's current offices in Shanghai and will be responsible for manufacturing, packaging, branding, marketing, selling and distributing soup, broth and stock products in China. Campbell will retain ownership of Campbell brands and recipes and license those to the joint venture.
Overcooked barley will become mushy, while undercooked may have a thicker and chewier texture. You can make barley as a side dish, but you can also cook it into your food. Feel free to cook our pearled barley in your favorite soup or stew, but be mindful that it will absorb a lot of liquid.
Beef stock on its own should be extremely rich; how did you make it? If the soup is already made and you just want to deepen the flavour, try a shake of a pre-made sauce such as Worcestershire, brown sauce, barbecue sauce, soy or even kecap manis etc. For next time, more or better beef stock.
Cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. When a gravy, sauce, soup or stew recipe calls for flour, use half as much cornstarch to thicken. To thicken hot liquids, first mix cornstarch with a little cold water until smooth. Gradually stir into hot liquid until blended.
"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says. The choice of ingredient depends on the recipe, though.
Pair this crispy delicious cheesy sandwich with a chunky beef or vegetable barley soup; everyone will be asking for seconds. Ham and cheese is another classic combo that is impossible to turn down.
The best cut of meat for beef soup is either a chuck roast, chuck shoulder, chuck-eye roast or top chuck – with chuck roast being my personal favorite. These are the most tender cuts.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that regularly adding barley to your diet may lower your risk of heart disease. That's because barley may lower certain risk factors — in addition to reducing “bad” LDL cholesterol levels, barley's soluble fiber may bring blood pressure levels down ( 25 ).
Directions. Bring a pot of water to a boil; season generously with salt. Add barley; reduce heat to a low, steady simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until chewy and tender, 55 to 60 minutes.
Campbell's said the shortages might have come as a result of discussions over a new licensee partner in the UK. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: Drivers hit with fines worth almost £500k in 'ill-thought-out' Low Emission Zone.
Inspired by a classic Italian recipe that has warmed tables and bellies for many years, Progresso Traditional Beef Barley Soup is made with all the ingredients of the old-world original. We know you will enjoy the delicious chopped beef and savory vegetables in a hearty beef broth. No artificial flavors.
Campbell's® Condensed Beef Consomme is rich and flavorful soup made from concentrated beef stock. This is perfect to be used as a secret ingredient for your next family-pleasing dinner.
1895. First jar of ready-to-eat soup, Beefsteak Tomato, is introduced. New Jersey Beefsteak tomatoes had been our signature product for over 25 years, featured prominently on our labels and first trademark.
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