I’ve been making this homemade Beef & Barley Soup recipe for more than 30 years, and back when I had my deli and catering business, this was a popular lunchtime pick. I must have made hundreds of gallons of it back then, and today, it’s still one of my family’s most requested soups. Hungry? Let’s get cooking!
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Hearty, filling, delicious, and nutritious, this is a classic beef barley soup. It’s filled with tender chunks of meat, just the right amount of barley, and plenty of veg.
Ready to make something delicious! Let’s go!
Ingredients
- Beef – I use stew beef, cut into small pieces – small enough to fit on a spoon with some other veggies.
- Beef stock/broth – Use homemade if you have it or can make it. Otherwise, look for a good brand without added color or flavor. And, go low-sodium or no-salt added, if you can.
- Barley – Pearl barley is what I use, and it is so nutritious!
- Carrot
- Onion
- Celery
- Peas
- Corn
- Garlic
- Vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper
How To Make Vegetable Beef & Barley Soup
Cook the barley in water until firm but still tender.
Brown the beef in oil. Set aside.
Sauté the carrots, onions, celery, and garlic in oil until soft. Add the beef and sautéed veggies to a large pot, along with the beef stock, and simmer.
Add the barley and remaining veggies. Season and serve!
How To Make Beef & Barley Soup in the Instant Pot
Set the Instant Pot to sautee and add the oil. Brown the seasoned beef and remove.
Add the diced onions, carrots, and celery. Sautee for 5-6 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the chopped garlic and sautee an additional minute or until fragrant.
Add about 1/4 cup of beef broth to the Instant Pot and scrape up all the bits. Turn sautee off. Add the remaining beef broth, and put the beef chunks and barley into the pot. Seal it and set it to Soup/Stew (or High Pressure) for 25 minutes.
Natural release for 5 minutes, then manual release. Add the frozen peas to the still boiling liquid. Season and serve!
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- I like to cook the barley separately that way it doesn’t absorb all my beef broth.
- I use fresh veggies with the exception of the peas and corn. If I had fresh peas and corn, I’d use that but they’re rarely in season when I make this soup.
- Stewing beef is an easy and cheap beef for this dish, but use whatever you’ve got on hand.
What To Serve With This Classic Beef Barley Soup
I love a soup and salad combination, or soup and sandwich. But, this easy soup recipe is hearty enough to be a meal all on its own, though for my boys, I usually put some good crusty bread out on the table to fill them up. For dessert, check out this Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe!
Is This Beef Soup Freezer Friendly?
Heck ya! I freeze this soup all the time, and if there’s none currently in my freezer then you can bet I’ll be making it soon.
To freeze this homemade Beef & Barley soup, chill it thoroughly first.
BUT
What I like to do is drain all the chunks (barley, veg, beef and everything) and chill it separately from the broth because barley will keep absorbing liquid. If you chilled this soup overnight with the barley in it, you’d find most of your liquid gone the next morning.
Then, simply package your soup (chunks and liquid) in freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to three months.
The barley will not absorb more liquid once it is frozen.
To reheat, warm it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Pearl barley does not need to be soaked prior to cooking. It can be added straight to the boiling liquid, but it is a good idea to rinse it first.
Yes! it is a great source of fiber and other nutrients, and it is a whole grain.
I use stewing beef, but you can use leftover roast beef or whatever you’ve got on hand.
Like This? Also Try:
Homemade Beef & Barley Soup
Ingredients
Instructions
Stovetop method:
- Season the stewing beef with a good pinch of salt and pepper then brown it in a skillet in 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Set aside.
- In the same skillet, heat the remaining tbsp of oil and sautee the carrot, celery, garlic and onions until the onion is translucent, about 6 minutes.
- Add the broth, browned beef, and sauteed veggies to a large pot. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the beef is tender.
- Meanwhile, add two cups of water and 1/2 tsp of salt to another pot. Simmer the barley for about 20 minutes or until it is tender but still firm. Drain and set aside.
- When the soup has been simmering for 30 minutes (or until the beef is tender), add the drained barley and remaining veggies. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for an additional10 minutes.
- Season with the salt and pepper to taste, then serve and enjoy!
Instant Pot Method
- Set the Instant Pot to sautee and add the oil. Brown the seasoned beef on all sides, about 3 minutes, then remove the beef chunks with a slotted spoon.
- Add the diced onions, carrots, and celery. Sautee for 5-6 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the chopped garlic and sautee an additional minute or until fragrant.
- Add about 1/4 cup of beef broth to the Instant Pot and scrape up all the bits. Turn sautee off.
- Add the remaining beef broth, and put the beef chunks and barley into the pot. Seal it and set it to Soup/Stew (or High Pressure) for 25 minutes.Natural release for 5 minutes, then manual release.
- Add the frozen peas to the still boiling liquid. Season and serve!
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
Now this looks like the kind of comforting soup that I need in my life. Loving all the flavours in it.
A recipe that’s been perfected over 30 years?! Talk about a winner! You don’t get any better than that!
This soup is perfect for my family! The hubby enjoys a little meat during dinner and I could eat soup breakfast, lunch and dinner so we are both happy with this recipe!!
I love hearty soups – especially when they have barley in them! This looks perfect for the chilly weather we are having at the moment – thanks for sharing!
Oh my goodness.. this looks so hearty and delicious!
This was such a delicious way to use up leftover beef from Sunday night roast! The soup was comforting and super simple.
This recipe came out so good. Tasted just like my mom used to make it–will definitely be making this when my kids come to visit!
Love how easy this soup is with the frozen vegetables. It’s my go to for cold winter days. You’d think it simmered all day long with the flavor but I love that it’s ready in under an hour!
I’m so glad you love it! ~Jenn
Made a big batch of this soup and froze it for a month and just wanted to say it is great even a month later. I was unsure if barley would still be good after frozen for awhile but it tasted just as good as the first day I made it. Great recipe, thanks!
I almost always have some of this soup frozen – my kids love it! ~Jenn
This is what my husband calls “empty the fridge soup.” He gets so excited any time we have excess veggie scraps in the fridge because that means it’s soup time! I’ve put everything in it, from zucchini to parsnips, and it’s always consistently delicious! That’s what you get from a solid base recipe, thanks Chef Jenn!
Empty the fridge soup – love it! Hope you don’t mind if I borrow it! Glad you’re enjoying the recipe! ~Jenn
I have a question, the recipe says to add garlic and saute till fragrant about 1 minute…..how much garlic because it is not listed in the ingredients.
Apologies! 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic. ~Jenn