Ultimate Beef and Barley Soup
Ultimate Beef and Barley Soup – hearty, nourishing, and perfect for chilly days!
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef stew meat cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 carrots sliced
- 3 celery stalks sliced
- 1 cup mushrooms sliced
- 8 cups beef broth
- 1 (14.5oz.) can diced tomatoes undrained
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Brown the Beef: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef stew meat and brown on all sides. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
- Sauté the Vegetables: In the same pot, add the chopped onion, minced garlic, sliced carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables are softened.
- Add the Broth and Barley: Return the browned beef to the pot. Add the beef broth, diced tomatoes (with juice), tomato paste, pearl barley, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
- Simmer: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1-1.5 hours, or until the beef and barley are tender. Stir occasionally.
- Season: Remove the bay leaves. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
