Easy Vegetable Beef Barley Soup Recipe

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This vegetable beef barley soup recipe is easy to make and filled with hearty vegetables. This classic beef barley soup is the perfect comfort food. 

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Vegetable Beef Barley Soup Recipe Ingredients 

To make this hearty soup you will need a few simple ingredients. These can all easily be found at your local grocery store. You will need: 

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup of pearl barley
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups water or broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 chili pepper, chopped
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 TBSP olive oil, for sauteing 

*When making this classic beef barley soup recipe it is advisable to soak the barley in cold water for a few hours up to overnight for best results. If you are using quick barley the soaking process isn’t necessary.

How to Make Old-Fashioned Beef Barley Soup

First, chop all of the vegetables, and discard the scraps. 

Next, heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef to the pot. Cook until the delicious beef is brown and crumbly. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits of beef. 

*Note: you can use your preferred type of beef for this hearty beef barley soup. You can use beef stew meat or beef chuck. Lean beef will yield a healthier soup with less fat in the beef stock. 

Then add the chopped vegetables to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes for vegetables to soften.

Add the pearled barley, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper to the pot.

Next, pour in the water or broth. Broth will offer more flavor to this delicious soup than water. You can use beef broth, chicken broth, or vegetable broth.  Stir to combine everything evenly and cook for another 2 minutes to allow the spices to incorporate and meld flavors.

Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 45 minutes.  Stir periodically and check the plump barley for doneness.

The flavorful soup is ready when the barley is soft and the flavors have thoroughly melded. Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings to your personal preference. 

Remove the bay leaves, and use a ladle to serve a steaming bowl of soup. Enjoy the warmth and flavor of the best beef barley soup with vegetables.

Easy Vegetable Beef Barley Soup

This delicious vegetable beef soup recipe combines the hearty, nutty flavor of barley with the natural sweetness of the vegetables and the flavorful depth of the broth. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy. 

This soup is perfect on chilly days and served in a homemade bread bowl or with a side of homemade crusty bread. 

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