This soup is lovingly simmered on the stove or in the crock pot to produce the richest Beef Barley Soup recipe I’ve ever tasted. Shredded carrots and potatoes give it a fabulous, thick texture. Originally published October 2, 2014.
Table of Contents
I still remember the first time I walked into Eric’s parent’s house. I mean, of course I remember it, Eric and I were practically engaged before I met his family, so you know, no pressure. Hi, I’m going to be here FOREVER, hope you don’t hate me. (We were married 5 months later.)
The reason I remember walking through the door so vividly is because of the delicious smell. Soup. The soup to end all soups.
You’ll love this recipe for Beef Barley Soup
My mother-in-law Kris is one of the best cooks I know. I’m addicted to recipes (part of the reason I started this blog–it’s a catalog my friends, plain and simple) but she is a true cook, adding ingredients by gut instinct rather than what some imposing recipe says. (I do that sometimes…and sometimes I have to throw dinner in the trash.)
Her Beef Barley Soup is literally the definition of comfort food for me. It reminds me of being in her cozy kitchen in Montana, with snow fluttering outside that somehow makes you feel warmer, and this aromatic soup simmering on the stove, with the cats nosing around to see what the smell is.
Beef Barley Soup Recipe ingredients
This recipe for beef barley soup is loaded with hearty, good-for-you ingredients! See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and instructions.
- Beef stew meat (nicely marbled beef chunks)
- Salt and pepper
- Oil
- Water
- Beef base
- Celery
- Onions
- Garlic
- Potato
- Carrots
- Pearl barley
How to make Beef Barley Soup
You should have heard me try to finagle this recipe out of Kris. She sent me an email with the basic beef barley soup recipe but I still had to text her 7 times and call her twice. It worked, because the soup tastes exactly like hers. Which is to say, it tastes just like home.
The shredded carrots and potatoes are part of the reason this soup is so fabulous. It gives it great texture, on top of the barley. This was my first time buying barley. I had to ask where it was after checking by the oats and then the flour. (It was by the dry rice and beans. Here’s the kind of barley you’re looking for.) (Update! I tried this with quick pearl barley in December 2016. It worked awesome and was done in half the time.)
I call this a lazy-day soup. Make it on a rainy day at home when your most exciting task is laundry. It will make you feel all warm and nostalgic, I promise. Or, if you want to eat this on a weekday, throw it in the crock pot and add the barley when you get home.
I love Better than Bouillon. It adds the BEST flavor to soup.
I’m telling you guys. Shredded potatoes/carrots is where it’s at. Use a food processor if you have one, but if not a normal cheese grater will do.
Well guys, if all goes according to plan, this is the last time I will hit publish with this blog design. I’m so excited to show you! I feel like I just got a new wardrobe. Soon I will make you all sit in the living room while I model my new outfits.
Beef Barley Soup Crock Pot tips
- Brown the beef. Giving the beef chunks a nice sear before putting together your soup creates the best texture and flavor. Don’t skip this step!
- Brown in batches. I recommend splitting the beef up into 3 batches when browning. If there’s too much in the pan at once, you’ll end up steaming it rather than searing it.
- Is your soup too thick? Depending on how long you simmer, sometimes the soup can get much too thick. If you like a soupier soup, just add more water and beef base to thin it back out.
- Slow cooker or stovetop! This recipe is great in the slow cooker or on the stove, so I’ve included instructions for both. Pick whatever fits your time frame the best!
How to serve this recipe for Beef Barley Soup
I love making this crusty One Hour French Bread to go with this Beef Barley soup. It would also be amazing with The Best Garlic Bread of Your Life, Homemade Crescent Rolls, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, or Garlic Knots!
If you are serving a lot of people and need another side, make this Apple Gorgonzola Salad, or this Raspberry Avocado Salad with Poppyseed Dressing.
Beef and Barley Soup storage
One of my favorite things about soup is just how easy it is to make a giant batch to store and eat the whole week!
To store your soup, let it cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days. It can also be stored for up to 3 months in the freezer.
To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen, then warm on low on the stove until everything is heated through.
Crockpot Beef Barley Soup FAQs
No, not when you’re making it in the slow cooker. If you cook it first, it will absolutely turn into mush over a long, all-day crockpot simmer.. The barley goes into the soup uncooked, then simmers in the broth until it’s perfect. All you need to do first is rinse it.
Beef and barley soup will naturally thicken as it sits and simmers. However, if you’re looking to thicken it a little more quickly, you can whip up a simple slurry. To do so, whisk together 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water. Add small amounts of that into the soup until it’s thickened to your liking.
In this Beef Barley Soup I use pre-packaged stew meat, which is usually made of chuck steak. It’s cheap and it’s super tender after simmering in this soup all day. You could also use beef sold as chuck roast or round roast, or even beef short ribs,, but anything well-marbled will work great.
It is possible to overcook barley if you soak it before putting it in the slow cooker. Start with uncooked barley, rinse it, and let it cook directly in the soup, and you’ll be just fine.
When you’re using pearl barley, you don’t need to soak it – just give it a quick rinse. Hulled barley needs soaking for several hours; we aren’t using that (no way dude, I am trying to make this dinner easy).
There’s hulled barley, there’s pearl barley, and there’s quick barley. Hulled barley is like the whole wheat bread of barley–it’s been processed very minimally, and it’s a whole grain. Don’t try to use it in this soup! Either pearl barley or quick barley are great in this recipe. Quick barley is more processed but also cuts down on the amount of cook time, so buy what works for you.
This barley soup is healthy, at least by my definition of healthy. It’s got protein rich beef and veggies like onions, carrots, and potatoes. Barley is a nutritious food too. Plus eating something so warm and comforting is always good for your soul!
Pearl barley has more fiber and calcium than rice, and it’s somewhat less caloric. Full disclosure, I’m not using it in this soup for health, I’m using it for nostalgia and texture.
Barley can be anti-inflammatory because it contains antioxidants. Antioxidants help your cells stay healthy and repair themselves.
Other soups you will love:
Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup with Italian Sausage and Pesto << classic minestrone with some super delicious extras.
Cheeseburger Soup << Warm. Filling. Actually tastes like a cheeseburger!
Cream Cheese Chicken Chili << another great dinner to throw in the slow cooker!
Easy Cheddar Cauliflower Soup << dreamy, creamy, and cheesy, this soup uses an entire head of cauliflower.
Slow Cooker Enchilada Soup from Weary Chef
Easy Chicken and Dumpling Soup from Melanie Makes
Tortellini Cheddar Cheese Soup from Simply Gloria
Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram
Beef and Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds stew meat, nicely marbled beef chunks
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 10 cups water
- 3 tablespoons beef base, mounded tablespoons good quality*
- 2 cups celery, chopped
- 2 onions, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large potato, peeled and shredded, about 2 cups
- 3-4 large carrots, peeled and shredded, about 2 cups
- 1 cup pearl barley, *** rinsed
Instructions
- Generously salt and pepper the beef. In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- When it is very hot, add about 1/3 of the meat. Brown for about 1-2 minutes, then turn to brown the other side. Remove to a plate when it is browned on all sides.
- Repeat with remaining meat in 2 more batches. (If you add it all at once it will steam the meat instead of browning it–not what you want.)
- When all the meat is browned, add all the meat back to the pot with 10 cups of water. Add 3 healthy tablespoons beef stock concentrate.
- Add the chopped celery, onions, and garlic. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium-low. Simmer for about 2 hours with the lid on.
- When the meat is tender and you can break it apart easily with a wooden spoon, add the shredded potato and carrots. Bring to a boil, then continue to simmer on low for another 30-45 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.
- Add 1 cup of barley. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low. Cook for another half hour, or until barley is tender and the soup tastes…like home.
Slow cooker instructions:
- In a large pan, brown the meat according to the instructions. Remove the browned meat to a large crockpot.
- Add 2 cups of the water to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir up all the browned bits. Add this and the remaining 8 cups of water to the crock pot.
- Add the beef base, celery, onions, and garlic to the slow cooker and stir.
- Cook on low for about 6 hours. Add the potatoes and carrots and cook for another hour.
- Add the barley and simmer for another hour or so, until it is tender.
What happens if you forget to rinse the barley? I’ve never cook barley before.
Hey Gail! rinsing the barley is just to clean it a bit. No worries if you forget!
What can you substitute for the better than beef base product? It’s WAY too expensive in my location
I’m very interested in trying this recipe and have all the other ingredients.
Thanks much
Christine
Christine! Any high quality beef broth will work fine!
I have made this stew SO many times and every time I make it, my entire family devours it. It is a flawless recipe and ends up looking exactly like it does in your photos. Thank you for such a homerun recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that Kiki!! Thank you for the review, I’m so glad you all are enjoying it!
Rarely do I find a recipe online that works, or comes out to a flavor I would want to make again. BUT!! THIS RECIPE!!!! WOW!!! I followed the directions close as a cook can ( I did it my way… cue Frank Sinatra)… My family doesn’t care for celery, and I will use it next time but in long stalks so I can remove them before serving, so we get that flavor. The recipe was quite well constructed, and easy to follow (where I did) and I adjusted times for the crock pot I use, as well as the amount of barley (A WHOLE BOX!!!). My wife and I LOVE beef barley soup, especially with a LOT of barley! The Better Than Bullion soup base is a staple in our house and made for a great soup flavoring in the soup! I have recommended this recipe to many, and will continue to do so! LOVE THE SOUP!!!!
Not too partial to it am I now? LOL Well done! a 10 on my scale!!
I’ve never thought to add celery in stalks and then take it out. Great idea for people don’t love celery! I’m glad you like it!
Thanks for the idea of using celery stalks then removing them. I like the taste of the celery but not the texture!
Have made this for many functions and everyone says it’s the beat beef barley soup that they have had, better than their mom’s.
I’m so happy to hear that Stephanie! It’s great when you find a recipe everyone loves. Thanks for sharing your review!
Any suggestions on how I can make this ‘low carb’?
Hey Kat! If you cut out the barley this would be pretty low carb. I’ve seen people replace the barley with rice or buckwheat groats, but those also have carbs.
My family loves this soup.
Thanks for the recipe. It’s a keeper!
Made this on the weekend and turned out great. The flavours were perfect and cooking the barley for 30 minutes was the perfect amount of time to produce the perfect texture.
The only thing I changed was that the cooking time after you add the shredded carrots and potato seems to be excessive. I cooked it for 10 minutes and then added the barley and cooked for another 30 minutes. Quite frankly I think the carrot and potato could be added at the same time as the barley.
Can’t wait to make it again.
Made this last night and it was great. I too added a small can of diced tomatoes drained and enjoyed the added flavour it added. The one issue I had was the cooking time given after you add the carrots and potato. I reduced it to 15 minutes and found it to be more than enough. This reduced the cooking time. The 30 minutes cooking time after adding the barley was the perfect amount of cooking time. The barley was cooked but still had some chew to it.
Can’t wsit to make this again.
I made this tonight and it was fabulous! I used beef stock instead of water and only 1 Tb bouillon base. My husband was skeptical of shredding the carrots and potatoes but we loved the texture! 5 STARS!
yes! i made this today since it’s so cold and i had the day off. The house smells divine. I agree it tastes like home. I added a can of diced tomatoes and a big splash of worcester sauce. Served with salad & crusty french bread, it warmed the soul! thank you to you & your mother in law. :)
Soul warming indeed!! Thank you Jill!
What about using beef broth instead of water and beef base?
Absolutely Denise!! Just make sure it’s a really high quality beef broth!
I would LOVE to see this Beef Barley Soup adapted for IP!🤞🏼
Okay this is a good idea Jenn, I should really do this. Thanks for the suggestion!
I’m trying it tonight! I’m sautéing the beef and then deglazing with broth…I’m going to use manual on high for 8 minutes.
Yes, me too! This soup is incredible but I need it to be done quicker tonight so I am scrolling through the comments hoping for tips on making it in the Instant Pot!!!
I’m sure cooking for 45 mins to an hour in the INSTANT POT would work, any thoughts?
Yes me too please!! I was just scanning the comments hoping to find an instant pot adaptation…
I left my furloughed husband this recipe with thawed meat amd told him to make this for dinner. He couldn’t find the Better than bouillion in the fridge and used a cube. When I got home I threw a tbsp of the the beef base and a bay lead and let it simmer for another hour. Came out delicious!! Thanks for sharing!!
Haha, way to put him to work! I love it. Good idea adding the bay leaf, I’ll have to try that next time. I bet it amps up the flavor even more!
I have made the stove top version of this several times over the past few years and loved how it turns out every time, even with my slight variations. We are expecting snow later today and I was going through old recipes, looking for a good snow day project. I confess I do not shred the potatoes and carrots. As suggested in the originial recipe, properly browning the stew beef gives it a deep rich flavor. I use Better than Bouillion for the base and even added a shot of worcestershire sauce for more beefy taste. My husband loves mushrooms so I always add them which supplements the many wonderful textures and the overall heartiness of this soup.
Great tips Kim! Thanks for commenting!