Beef Barley Soup is incredibly easy and so delicious!
Loaded with nutritious veggies, tender beef and plump barley, it’s a complete meal in a bowl!
This homemade beef barley soup can be made ahead of time and freezes well making it the perfect family dinner!
All of my favorite soups are fully loaded with goodies including veggies and grains, this Beef Barley Soup definitely fits the bill!
It is a rich and hearty barley soup that leaves you completely satisfied and warms every inch of your body!
It screams comfort food, like mom used to make and is perfect served up with a side of buttermilk biscuits and a side salad!
How to Make Beef Barley Soup
While the list of ingredients may seem long, this Beef and Barley soup is really easy to make.
I start out by cooking garlic and onions just until softened.
All of the remaining ingredients are simply added to the pot and simmered until tender.
I use homemade stock whenever possible for the best flavor.
What is the Best Beef for soup?
This recipe calls for cooked beef. You can use any kind of leftover beef for this beef barley soup including pot roast, leftover steak or roast beef.
If you don’t have cooked beef, you can cook your own. I use either flank steak (sliced against the grain) or cubed chuck.
If you’d prefer, you can most certainly substitute cooked hamburger in this barley soup recipe. If making a ground beef barley soup, you’ll want to brown the beef with the onions and drain any fat.
One of the main components in this recipe is barley. Barley is a grain that is very similar in size and texture of brown rice. There are several different types of barley but the most common is pearl barley which is used in this recipe.
I use it frequently in place of rice and pasta in many soup recipes, perfect in my Chicken Barley Soup!
With its slightly nutty flavor and interesting texture, it will sure to be a hit in your next homemade soup!
Try adding it to my Easy Hamburger Soup or in place of the noodles in my Turkey Noodle Soup! Your family will love the change!
Cooking the same things all of the time can leave any home chef in a bit of a meal-making rut. The addition of vegetables makes this a great and healthy choice and keeps is relatively low in calories.
Incorporating new ideas, flavors and textures helps to keep things interesting in the kitchen!
This Old Fashioned Beef Barley Soup is traditional soup that has not lost it’s lustre! We serve this alongside our favorite biscuits or 30 Minute Dinner Rolls with a fresh garden salad for a perfect meal!
Make a large pot and freeze smaller portions to enjoy later – it freezes amazing and you will love how convenient it is to microwave or reheat on the stove!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 carrots sliced
- 1 rib celery sliced
- 2 cups cooked beef
- 6 cups reduced sodium beef broth
- 14.5 ounces canned petite diced tomatoes with juices, 1 can
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- ⅔ cup pearl barley
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 packet beef gravy mix
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons red wine optional
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook onions and garlic in oil over medium heat until softened.
- Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered about 40-50 minutes or until barley is cooked.
- Remove bay leaf and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Soup
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This is an excellent beef soup. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
One of the best soup recipes I have ever used. It was delicious and will definitely make it again. Also, will recommend to others .
What can I use in place of the “beef gravy mix”
Hi Beverley, you can use any beef gravy mix you prefer. The one we use is approximately 0.87 oz. And while I have only tried this recipe as written other readers have also replaced it with homemade gravy or you could try a bouillon cube or a bit extra of your favorite seasonings. I hope this helps!
this was fantastic. the Broth was rich and thick. so hearty. I used prime rib and omg rhis was just delicious
1 issue. Very difficult to print from ipad
Sorry to hear that Debbie, but I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Great recipe!I used a bit more veggies because I like em!I also used leftover smoked rib roast and put it in towards the end as it is already cooked and doesn’t soften up as much!
Delicious soup! Christmas soup and game day was a success with this soup. I did not have the red wine added but still very flavorful and filling! Thanks for the great recipe!!
I cooked this soup just to try, and it the result was amazing. The whole family loved the taste and asked me to cook it for Christmas. Well, yesterday, on December 25th we had this soup on our Christmas table, and it was rich, beefy and festive! Thank you for the recipe!
Can you tell me the best way to cook the meat?
Hey Amanda, you can cut the beef into chunks & brown it the soup pot with a bit of oil on medium-high heat. It doesn’t need to cook all the way through because it will finish cooking in the soup. Enjoy!
Just finished making this (my first time eating and making it); my husband and I absolutely loved it. This is his favorite soup and said no one has ever cooked it for him except his mom. Followed recipe, only substitute was red pepper because it’s what i had. Will def make it again and again. It’s perfection.
Thick and yummy. My new favorite soup. Perfect for winter dinners. Freezes great with no loss of texture or flavor. I always make a double batch so I have one for my freezer or to give away. Everyone who tries it loves it.
So happy to hear that, Justina! I am so glad everyone is loving it.
Can this be made in an instapot?
I haven’t tried this in the Instant Pot, but I believe it should work well. The Instant Pot recommends 20 minutes for barley, so you can set it to high pressure for 20 minutes and let it naturally release for 10 minutes. Please let us know how it goes!
Can you use white wine instead of red?
Hi Andi, I have only tried this soup as written but you should be able to replace the red wine with white. Keep in mind, white wine has a different flavor profile than red so the soup will end up tasting slightly different. You could also replace the wine with beef broth/stock.
Amazing recipe. Used up some leftover steak and it was so tasty. A keeper.
To start – I RARELY review anything, good or bad – but my husband, a lifelong soup guy, said this was the BEST beef barely soup he’s ever had! We both loved it! Warmed up the next day just as great too. Will definitely be making it again soon!
Turned out awesome!
Soup was easy to prepare and very tasty and rich in flavor. I opted for a half a jar of beef gravy and some extra water vs a seasoning packet
This is my 3rd season using this recipe. One of my neighbors remarked it reminded them of old time oxtail soup! Rule of thumb in my kitchen is always double the veggies…especially the carrots! Parsnips are a good addition during deep winter months too. This soup is a crowd pleaser! Buon appetite .
I have made beef barley soup my whole life – this is by far, the most delicious. I only made two additions. Unami (from trader Joes) and some sweet paprika.
I made this following the recipe exact and it’s delicious!! If I wanted to double this recipe would you just double all the ingredients and cook all at once?
Hi Denise! Yes you can just double all the ingredients and cook as per the recipe :)