Beef barley soup is a hearty and comforting soup full of tender beef, pearl barley, wild rice, mushrooms and savory umami flavor.
I didn’t even know that beef barley soup was a thing. I guess whenever I heard someone mention a barley soup I just went into a mindless state because barley didn’t sound delicious. But it’s the best soup I’ve had in years and that says a lot considering how much my family loves soup. Have you tried “The Soup“? Or maybe our roasted tomato basil soup? We love soups!
If you search for beef and barley soup recipes, you’ll find a lot of the same style of soup — carrots, celery, beef, barley, etc. We have changed things up for this. This is a little different, and more scrumptious imho, than anything you’ll find out there.
Why is This the Best Beef Barley Soup?
My friend and I decided that there are a few small things that are musts in a beef barley soup…
- No carrots or celery. This isn’t stew and we don’t want it to look, smell or taste like stew. That’s a different recipe!
- Use wild rice along with the barley. It adds a toothy, flavorful oomph that you will miss if you skip it. You can add as much or as little as you’d like.
- WHOLE ROAST slowly cooked. We aren’t cutting this baby up, though if you were short on time you could certainly use stew meat and half the baking time. But a whole roast slowly cooked will bring out far more flavor and tenderness in the meat.
Ingredients for Beef Barley Soup
At first glance, this list may look long, but don’t worry! Most ingredients are pantry ingredients and everything combined creates a depth of flavor that is heavenly. Here is what you will need…
- Chuck Roast: you will cook this whole like you would a pot roast
- Olive Oil: helps brown the roast
- Salt and Pepper: adds flavor
- Red Wine Vinegar: helps deglaze the pan and adds acidity
- Water: helps deglaze
- Red Onion: adds flavor and caramelization
- Baby Bella Mushrooms: adds earthy flavor and chewiness
- Pearl Barley: you can find this right by the rice at the grocery store
- Wild Rice: adds an extra layer of flavor and different texture to the soup
- Au Jus Packet: adds bold savory flavor
- Onion Powder: adds flavor
- Garlic Powder: adds flavor
- Oregano: you can also use Italian seasoning if you don’t have oregano
- Balsamic Vinegar: adds a slight sweetness and more acidity
- Worcestershire: our favorite brand is Lea & Perrins
- Beef Broth: helps cook