I have fond childhood memories of arriving home from school on chilly days greeted by the welcoming aroma of my mom’s homemade cooking. Her beef barley soup, which she referred to simply as vegetable soup, was a household favorite. I admit to a tweak here and there, but I think of hers as The Best Beef Barley Soup. Ever.
My good friend, Eileen, and I have known each other since we were in kindergarten together. Just a few years but who’s counting. One day, we found ourselves sharing similar “soup” memories and realized that our moms’ barley soup was each delicious, with a few distinctive differences.
How The Best Beef Barley Soup came to be…
We put our heads together and came up with a beef barley soup that Anne and Louray would certainly have loved! Now, all these years later, the marriage of two family classics have become a standout in our soup rotation.
Be sure to use a pot that will hold at the very least eight quarts.
When browning the beef, it is essential that you do so in batches. If there is too much meat in the pot at one time, the end result will be steamed beef. The browning process adds a depth of flavor that you don’t want to miss!
Since the total cooking time required for this pot of goodness is over two hours, the prep work can be done as you go.
While the beef is browning, start chopping..
- celery
- onion
- cabbage
After about ten minutes, add the next bunch of ingredients…
- beef broth
- stewed tomatoes
- soup bones
- pot herb
- bay leaves.
A note on pot herbs…
You may have difficulty in finding a quality pot herb in your local market. At times, they appear as though they’ve been hanging out on the shelf way longer than they should.
And if you feel the need to make this soup on a somewhat warmer day, go for it! You just won’t find a pot herb on any shelf. It’s so easy to make your own. It will be better and fresher. Just follow my suggestions here.
You will notice that the fresh carrots are added along with the barley after the soup has simmered for quite some time.
This gives the beef ample time to become tender without turning the veggies to mush. Speaking of carrots, I cut mine on the larger side giving the soup some extra texture.
While the carrots are cooking, give those frozen peas, green bean and lima beans a head start by partially cooking them in some boiling water. When you add them to the pot of simmering soup, they’ll still be hot and won’t lower the temperature of your bubbling broth.
They are added when the carrots are just about tender. The cooked pasta is reserved on the side then added as the soup is served.
If you prefer to use all fresh vegetables, go for it.
The final outcome would be that much better! Also, another possibility to consider would be to add some fresh or frozen corn. It is a wonderful addition to this soup. I choose not to add corn due to dietary restrictions within my family.
Be sure to cook your pasta separately.
I learned the hard way that if you cook your pasta right in the soup, you’ll end up with beef barley stew instead of beef barley soup! Don’t let the pasta soak up all of that wonderful broth.
Also, you’ll be able to control the texture of your pasta this way… especially if you prefer al dente. Happy slurping!
the best beef barley soup
Add some bread and a green salad for a complete meal.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut to bite sized pieces
- 3 stalks celery, sliced (7 ounces)
- 1 medium onion, diced (5 ounces)
- 1/2 head of cabbage, cored and chopped (16 ounces)
- 2 to 3 (46-ounce) cans beef broth (See Recipe Notes)
- 2 (14-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, roughly chopped (with juice)
- 1 large or 2 small soup bones
- 1 pot herb
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 carrots, sliced (12 ounces)
- 1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed and drained
- 4 ounces frozen sweet peas
- 4 ounces frozen cut green beans
- 4 ounces frozen baby lima beans
- 4 ounces pasta (baby shells or similar)
Instructions
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In a stock pot or dutch oven of at least 8 quart capacity, heat the oil and butter over medium high setting. When ready, add only enough beef to the pan so that the pieces aren't touching. When all sides are browned, remove to a plate and continue with the remaining beef. When complete, add first batch to pot, along with the celery, onion and cabbage. Sauté until vegetables slightly soften, about 5 to 10 minutes.
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Add 2 cans of beef broth, the stewed tomatoes, soup bone, pot herb and bay leaves. (Reserve extra broth to add later if needed.) Bring to a boil; then reduce heat so that soup gently simmers. Partially cover pot and let simmer until beef is tender, about 1 to 1 ½ hours. While soup is simmering, partially cook the frozen vegetables in microwave or on the stove. Also, cook the pasta according to package directions for slightly less time.
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When beef is tender, add carrots and barley. Continue cooking for about 20 minutes; then add partially cooked vegetables. Simmer for another 15 minutes.
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Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove soup bone, pot herb and bay leaves. At this time, if soup is too thick, you can add water or additional beef broth. Place small amount of pasta in bottom of bowl and ladle hot soup over pasta. Enjoy!
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NOTE: If freezing portions of soup, wait until soup cools slightly before adding pasta to containers.
Recipe Notes
As the soup is in the final simmer, determine if you need more broth. Add as needed.
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More hearty soups…
I love it!!!!!! Good luck, you’re gonna do great!
Thank you, girlfriend! I think our moms would love it, too. Especially this post.