Description
This hearty soup is perfect for cold weather, packed with tender beef, chewy barley, and savory mushrooms, making it feel like a complete meal while being easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 pounds chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces (Best choice for tenderness)
- 8 ounces cremini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced (Provides deep flavor)
- 1 cup pearl barley (Classic choice for texture)
- 1 medium onion, diced (Base flavor)
- 2 medium carrots, diced (Base flavor)
- 2 stalks celery, diced (Base flavor)
- 3-5 cloves garlic, minced (Adjust based on preference)
- 6 cups low sodium beef broth (Control saltiness)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (Enriches the broth)
- 1 leaf bay leaf (Adds depth)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (Cozy background flavor)
Instructions
Preparation
- Season the beef with salt and pepper. Brown it in a little oil in a large pot, then set it aside.
- In the same pot, cook the diced onion, carrots, and celery until softened.
- Add minced garlic and tomato paste, stirring for about 30 seconds.
- Add sliced mushrooms and cook until they shrink and release moisture.
- Pour in the beef broth, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add bay leaf and thyme.
- Return the browned beef to the pot and simmer until it starts getting tender, about 45-60 minutes.
- Add the pearl barley and simmer until the barley is tender, about an additional 30-40 minutes.
Notes
This soup can be made ahead and tastes even better the next day. If the broth gets thick, add more liquid when reheating. Suitable for freezing for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Soup
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 500
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 30
