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Cozy Beef Barley Soup

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A hearty and comforting beef barley soup perfect for winter, featuring tender beef, chewy barley, and fresh vegetables simmered low and slow for rich flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 3/4 cup pearl barley
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 medium celery stalks, diced
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Pat the beef cubes dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches, about 5-7 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
  2. In the same pot, sauté onion, carrots, and celery for about 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds without burning.
  3. Deglaze the pot with 1/2 cup beef broth, scraping up browned bits.
  4. Return beef to the pot. Add remaining beef broth, diced tomatoes with juices, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
  5. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
  6. Stir in pearl barley, cover, and simmer for another 30-40 minutes until barley is tender but chewy. Add more broth or water if soup is too thick.
  7. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Optionally, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
  8. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve hot with crusty bread or a green salad.

Notes

Brown the beef well for deeper flavor. Soaking barley for 1 hour can reduce cooking time. Add more broth if soup thickens too much. For gluten-free, substitute barley with quinoa or gluten-free oat groats and use gluten-free broth. Slow cooker adaptation: brown beef and sauté veggies first, then cook on low 6-8 hours, adding barley last hour.

Nutrition

Keywords: beef barley soup, hearty soup, winter soup, comfort food, easy soup recipe, slow simmer soup

Find it online: https://wigglebite.com/cozy-beef-barley-soup-recipe-easy-hearty-comfort-meal-for-winter/