Gluten-Free Beef “Barley” Soup
This is a modification of the Beef Barley Soup from this website, to make it gluten-free.
Servings: 7
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chuck roast, trimmed of excess chunks of fat cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1½ cups chopped carrots (about 3)
- 1 cup chopped celery (about 2 ribs)
- 2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 large)
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1½ Tbsp minced garlic (4 cloves)
- 2 (32oz) cartons certified gluten-free beef broth (e.g. Pacific Foods or Swanson)
- 1 Tbsp gluten-free Tamari (e.g. San-J) or Coconut Aminos
- 2 tsp certified gluten-free Worcestershire sauce (e.g. US Lea & Perrins or French's)
- 2 tsp minced fresh rosemary or ½ tsp dried
- 2 tsp minced fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup whole grain sorghum (closest match to barley's shape, texture and nutty flavor) OR Long-Grain Brown & Wild Rice Blend, OR, for a grain-free alternative, 2 cups peeled, ½-inch cubed potatoes.
- 3 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
Instructions
How to Make Beef Barley Soup on the Stovetop
- Sear Beef: Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Pat 2 lbs trimmed chuck roast cubes dry with paper towels and sear in batches, seasoning with salt and pepper, until golden brown (about 3 minutes on bottom, 1 minute after flipping). Take care not to overcrowd. Transfer to a plate.
- Saute veggies: Add 1 Tbsp oil to now empty pot. Add carrots, celery and onion and saute 3 minutes.
- Cook tomato paste: Add tomato paste and garlic and saute 1 minute.
- Add liquids and GF seasonings: Pour in gluten-free broth, Tamari or Coconut Aminos, gluten-free Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Return beef and juices to pot. Bring mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until beef is fairly tender, about 45 – 60 minutes until beef starts to become tender.
- Add Grain Substitute:If using Whole Grain Sorghum: Stir in 1 cup rinsed sorghum. Cover and simmer on low for 55 to 60 minutes until tender with a chewy bite.If using Brown & Wild Rice Blend: Stir in 1 cup rinsed rice blend. Cover and simmer on low for 40 to 45 minutes.If using Diced Yukon Gold Potatoes (Grain-Free Alternative): Stir in 2 cups peeled, ½-inch cubed potatoes during the final 20 to 25 minutes of simmering.
- Finish with parsley: Stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.
How to Make Beef Barley Soup in the Slow Cooker
- Sear beef in olive oil, then transfer all ingredients (using Whole Grain Sorghum or Brown/Wild Rice) to the slow cooker except parsley. Cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours. Stir in fresh parsley right before serving.
How to Make Beef Barley Soup in the Instant Pot
- Brown beef using "Sauté" mode. Reduce total broth volume to 7 cups (56 oz). Add all ingredients except parsley. Cook on Manual / High Pressure for 25 minutes (allowing sorghum or brown rice to fully soften alongside the beef chuck), then perform a natural pressure release for 15 minutes before releasing any remaining steam.
Notes
Gluten-Free Execution Checklist
- Label Verification: Confirm Worcestershire sauce explicitly lists “Gluten-Free” on the bottle label.
- Broth Audit: Check broth ingredient statements to ensure zero wheat, yeast extracts, or hydrolyzed wheat proteins are listed.
- Grain Rinse: Rinse sorghum or brown rice blend thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer under cold water before adding to the pot.
- Reheating Reserve: Grain substitutes continue absorbing liquid as the soup sits; keep 1 cup of extra gluten-free broth available to adjust thickness when reheating leftovers.
Tips for the Best Beef Barley Soup
- Cut the veggies somewhat thick, they’ll simmer a long time and those carrots can tend to get too soft.
- Brown the beef first, this adds a rich layer of flavor.
- Let the soup simmer low and slow, so beef comes out tender.
- Saute the tomato paste to help boost flavor and lightly caramelize it.
- Add grain halfway through simmering for lightly chewy texture.
Possible Variations
- Replace 1/2 cup of the broth with 1/2 cup dry red wine.
- Add other vegetables like mushrooms, green beans, canned tomatoes, potatoes or peas. Green beans and peas can be added closer to the end.
- If adding more veggies you may want a little more broth as well.
- Add other herbs for more flavor like bay leaves or marjoram. Or try seasoning with Italian seasoning.
- Use ground beef instead of chuck roast. If doing so add grain in step 6 then skip the second simmer time.
