Beef and Barley Soup
Beans & Grains, Dairy Free, Dietary, Egg Free, Fall, Freezer Friendly, MAIN DISHES, Make ahead, Meat, Nut Free, One pot/dish, PREP, Recipes, Seasonal, Soups & Stews, Winter / / 1 COMMENTS

Cozy up to a bowl of Beef and Barley Soup. Not only can you add layers and layers of flavors, but they also can be balanced nutritionally.

Beef & Barley Soup in a white bowl garnished with parsley

I am on a total soup and stew kick lately. Mainly because I can cook once and eat all week.

I am teaching three cooking classes this week, so cooking all day at work, the last thing I want to do when I get home it to cook again and wash more dishes!

What is Hulled Barley?

Aim to add more whole grains in soups and stews when you can. Barley is a fantastic whole grain. I chose to use hull-less barley. This type of barley has an outer hull that’s so loosely attached to the kernel that it generally falls off during harvesting. This cuts down on processing and ensures that all of the bran and germ are retained.

Ingredients for Beef and Barley Soup 

all-purpose flour

Veggies: celery, carrots, garlic, kale, onion

Spices: salt, pepper, oregano, parsley

beef chuck roast – trim the fat if needed and dice into bite size pieces

olive oil

red wine

tomato paste

beef broth

water

hulless barley

kale

fresh parsley

top shot of hulled barley soup in a white bowl with a garnish next to dishtowel

How to Make Hulled Barley Soup 

Once you have trimmed and diced the beef, add the flour, salt, and pepper to a shallow bowl or dish and dredge each piece. Shake off the excess flour if needed. 

Add the olive oil to a large pot and heat over medium-high heat. 

Brown the beef, turning as needed. You will need to do this step in batches because you don’t want to overload the pot. Once the meat has finished browning, remove and set aside. 

Add the carrots, celery, diced onions, garlic, and oregano. Stirring occasionally, cook the veggies until they are soft. 

Pour in the red wine to deglaze the bottom of the pot, scraping the brown bits. Simmer and reduce the red wine by half. Add in the tomato paste and stir. 

Place the beef back in the pot, and add the water and broth. 

Bring it to a boil then add the hulled barley. 

Turn the heat down low, and simmer for 45 minutes. The meat should be tender and the barley should be cooked all the way through. 

Be sure to stir it occasionally; this will keep the barley from sticking together. 

Once the soup is done, remove the pot from the heat and the kale. Season with salt and pepper! 

My Barley Soup is Too Thick, What Do I Do? 

If you find that the soup is too thick for your liking after it is done simmering, add some more water until it reaches a consistency you are happy with. 

Tips for Making and Storing 

  • Be sure to add the kale while the soup is still hot so it will wilt. 
  • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days. 
  • This barley soup is great for freezing. Let it cool completely before placing it in the freezer. To serve again, reheat on the stovetop over low heat until it is warm all the way through. 

Soups are great! Not only can you add layers and layers of flavors, but they also can be balanced nutritionally. Any good soup starts with mirepoix. I like to use dry herbs and spices in my soup recipes because you are able to add them during the cooking process, as they can stand up to the heat. 

Beef & Barley Soup in bowls with a white and blue striped napkin

This beef and barley soup may take a little longer to prepare, but it’s worth the wait.

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beef and barley soup in a white bowl

Beef and Barley Soup

  • Author: Chef Julie Harrington, RD
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 50
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stove Top

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 lb boneless beef chuck roast, fat trimmed off and cubed
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 3 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 4 cups water
  • 3/4 cup hulless barley
  • 4 cups kale, spines removed and roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

In a shallow dish combine flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge the beef cubes with flour, shaking off excess flour. 

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven (or large pot) over medium-high heat. Add the beef to the pot and cook just until the meat starts to brown, turning as needed. Do this in 2 or 3 batches, to not crowd the pot. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.

In the same pot, add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and oregano. Cook the vegetables until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Deglaze the pan with red wine scraping the fond (the brown bits) from the bottom of the pan. Let simmer and reduce red wine by half. Add tomato paste and stir to coat the vegetables.

Add beef back to the pot with water and beef broth. Stir to combine.

Bring to a boil, add barley and turn down to a simmer for 45-50 minutes, until meat is tender and barley is cooked through. Stir occasionally so the barley won’t stick together. If you find that too much liquid has evaporated or the soup is too thick add more water as necessary until you get the desired consistency.

Remove soup from heat and stir in the kale while the soup is still hot to wilt. Season with salt and pepper, as needed. 

Garnish with parsley, if using.


Notes

If you do not want to use wine, deglaze with additional beef broth.

Keywords: barley, beef, soup, batch cooking, meal prep

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