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Hearty beef and barley soup with tender beef, pearl barley and vegetables in a rustic Dutch oven

Hearty Beef and Barley Soup in Just Over an Hour

This hearty beef and barley soup simmers fork-tender beef, plump pearl barley, and sweet vegetables in a savory tomato-kissed broth. It is an easy one-pot fall dinner that tastes even better the next day.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb beef chuck trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for browning
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste no added sugar
  • 6 cups low-sodium beef broth plus extra for thinning
  • 3/4 cup pearl barley rinsed
  • 1 tsp dried thyme or 1 tbsp fresh
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 tsp kosher salt plus black pepper and more salt to taste

Method
 

  1. Pat the beef cubes dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high; brown the beef in a single layer, about 4 minutes per side, then transfer to a plate.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, carrots, and celery, and cook 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits, until softened.
  3. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.
  4. Add the broth, barley, thyme, and browned beef. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
  5. Cover and simmer 50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender and the barley is plump.
  6. Stir in the frozen peas and simmer 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, then serve hot; thin with a splash of broth if the soup thickens too much.