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Cozy Beef and Barley Soup with Root Vegetables

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A warm, comforting soup featuring tender beef chuck, nutty pearl barley, and hearty root vegetables simmered slowly to create a rich and satisfying stew perfect for chilly evenings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 3/4 cup pearl barley (about 150g)
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups beef broth (1.4 liters), low-sodium recommended
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt, or to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Optional: splash of Worcestershire sauce or pinch of smoked paprika

Instructions

  1. Pat beef chuck cubes dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown beef cubes in batches, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
  3. Lower heat to medium. Add onion, celery, carrots, and parsnips to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7-8 minutes. Add garlic in the last 2 minutes.
  4. Stir in tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves. Cook 1-2 minutes to mellow tomato paste.
  5. Deglaze pot with about 1/2 cup beef broth, scraping up browned bits.
  6. Return beef to pot. Add remaining beef broth and pearl barley. Stir to combine.
  7. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 1 to 1.25 hours, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender and barley is plump but chewy.
  8. Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and optional Worcestershire sauce or smoked paprika.
  9. Let soup rest off heat for 10 minutes before serving warm.

Notes

Rinse pearl barley before cooking to remove dust and excess starch. If soup thickens too much, add hot water or broth to loosen. Browning the beef properly is key for flavor. Can be adapted for gluten-free by substituting barley with quinoa or gluten-free oats. Leftovers store well in fridge up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: beef soup, barley soup, root vegetable stew, comfort food, easy soup recipe, homemade stew, slow simmer soup

Find it online: https://yumnode.com/cozy-beef-and-barley-soup-recipe-easy-homemade-root-vegetable-stew/