Beef Barley Soup
Updated Dec 12, 2025
This beef and barley soup uses beef chuck, carrots, celery, tomatoes, and barley for a hearty one-pot soup that cooks low and slow.
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My Beef and barely soup is so good!
I make this beef and barley soup a lot during the colder months. It is one of those meals that feels like it takes all day to prep, but really, once everything’s in the pot, it just does its thing. It takes me about 15 minutes of prep time, and the stovetop does the rest! Beef and barley soup is what I make when I want something steady and familiar that holds up well for leftovers. Sometimes I’ll make a batch on Sunday and just reheat it throughout the week.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Beef Barley Soup Ingredients
- Beef: I usually purchase a whole beef chuck roast and cut it into cubes, but you can also pick up pre-cut beef cubes to save time.
- Beef stock: Any brand will do!
- Barley: I like to use pearled barley for this soup.
- Vegetables: Carrots, celery, onions, and crushed tomatoes are my go-to veggies for this recipe, but if you’re looking to add in extra veg, potatoes, peas, mushrooms, and kale are all delicious additions to this soup.
- Seasoning: I use Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to bring out the flavor of the soup but you can add in some cayenne or red pepper flakes for extra spice.
How to Make Beef Barley Soup
Beef Barley Soup Recipe
This beef and barley soup is made with cubes of beef, pearled barley, carrots, onions, and celery all simmered down in a tomato-y beef broth.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound beef chuck cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper divided
- 1 onion diced
- 3 carrots diced
- 3 celery stalks diced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups beef stock
- 1 cup pearled barley
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large Dutch oven and place over medium high heat for 1 minute. While the oil heats up, season the beef all over with ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Once the oil is shimmering, add beef cubes. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the beef is seared all over. Remove from the Dutch oven with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add onion, carrot and celery to the Dutch oven and season with remaining salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook, scraping up any brown bits that have formed on the bottom of the pan, for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables start to soften.
- Add Italian seasoning and Worcestershire sauce and stir well to coat all of the vegetables. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then add crushed tomatoes and stock, stirring to scrape up any more brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Add beef to the Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. After 1 hour, add pearled barley, cover again and cook for an additional 1 hour, or until both the beef and the barley are tender.
Notes
- My Top Tip: Let your soup simmer. This is not a quick recipe! The longer the soup simmers, the more flavorful and thick it will become. Once you’ve got all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go, let the soup simmer for at least 2 hours.
- Storage: You’ll want to let your soup cool before transferring it to a container and storing it in the fridge for up to four days. To reheat, transfer it to a pot on the stovetop and heat over medium-low until warmed through. You can also transfer it to a slow cooker, set it to low, and let it heat for 2-3 hours. Or, for the fastest option, you can reheat individual bowls of soup in the microwave.
- Freezing: The barley may lose some of its texture in the freezer, but freezing this soup will still preserve its flavor for up to 3 months. Just store it in an airtight container in the freezer, and transfer it directly to a sauce pan when you’re ready to thaw and heat.
Nutrition
Calories: 343kcal, Carbohydrates: 44g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 1143mg, Potassium: 1350mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 5415IU, Vitamin C: 16mg, Calcium: 121mg, Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Recipe Tips
- Make your soup ahead of time. Like most braised dishes, this soup is even better the next day. While it does take a while to cook, it’s pretty hands-off, so if you want to serve this for a special event or a dinner party, make it ahead, then just reheat it gently in the slow cooker the next day for a super easy meal!
- Don’t skimp on the stock. Use a good quality beef stock for maximum flavor! And feel free to add extra if you like a more broth-heavy soup.
- Make sure your beef cubes are equal in size. If they vary in size, they may cook unevenly, meaning some chunks will be tender while others will be tough.
- Let it simmer. This is not a quick soup! The longer the soup simmers, the more flavorful and thick it will become. Once you’ve got all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go, let the soup simmer for at least 2 hours.
Serving Ideas
- Serve with bread. When you’ve got a rich, meaty soup, you need some good bread to soak up all that flavor. Try my homemade buttery skillet rolls, air fryer bread, or French bread dinner rolls.
- Add in a side salad. This braised, umami soup definitely calls for a light green salad to pair, like green goddess salad, mixed green salad, or a classic garden salad.
- Top with croutons. For a little extra crunch, I’m a huge fan of topping soups with chunky homemade croutons!
FAQs
Can I make this recipe in the slow cooker?
Yes, you can make this recipe in the slow cooker! For best results, brown the beef and sauté the vegetables on the stovetop before transferring them to your slow cooker. Then add all of your remaining ingredients (minus the barley) and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Add the barley for the last hour of cooking.
Why did my beef come out tough?
This is one of those recipes where you may need to adjust the cooking time based on your oven and the meat you’re working with. The best way to test is with a fork: you want the beef to be tender and easy to pull apart. If it’s still tough, continue simmering until it’s tender.
Comments
Would love to try this recipe today..love ur recipes
Aw, thank you, Asma! Let me know what you think of it, and enjoy!
I am becoming a great cook using your recipies and my WIFE loves it.
Aw, thank you so much! I am flattered that you’re using my recipes to further your culinary skill!