Several years ago, my dad started making a delicious beef barley soup on nights my mom was working late or just too tired to cook. She would suggest takeout, and Dad would say, “You sit down and rest. I’ve got a hearty dinner coming from us.” They had a great partnership that way. Betwixt the two of them, there was always something good on the table at dinnertime.
The question is this: Where did my dad come up with this soup? Because I have a little secret. My dad doesn’t really know how to cook! Unless it’s a premade meal or something frozen. Homemade chili and this healthy soup is pretty much the extent of his menu offerings. I think he got this winter stew recipe from my Grandma.
My Grandma had this dented pot that she used to cook her old fashioned recipes in. Chili, soup, goulash, pot roast, everything. She never let anyone else so much as touch it. Once when I was nine, I knocked it off the stove, and she wouldn’t talk to me for hours.
This old-fashioned recipe is my grandma’s, more or less. She made it in that same beat-up pot every cold night and I grew up thinking all soup came out of a dented stockpot. I’ve tweaked a couple things over the years, but it’s still mostly hers. She’d probably tell me I use too much pepper now. She’d be right.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I make this all winter long. Here’s why.
- Uses stuff you already have: Ground beef, elbow macaroni, a can of tomatoes. My neighbor borrowed an onion last week to make her own batch. That’s how basic this ingredient list is.
- One pot: Everything cooks together. Less dishes. I’m a fan.
- Kids eat it without complaining: My picky one won’t touch a vegetable but will put away two bowls of this soup. The frozen veggies hide in there, and nobody says a word. You know it.
- Stretches for days: A single batch feeds my family with leftovers. My husband takes it to work in a thermos, and his coworker keeps asking what smells so good.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Nothing fancy. But a few things to know.
- Ground beef: I use 80/20 for more flavor. You could go 93/7 if you want leaner, but you know what, you’ll taste the difference. Ground turkey works too. My sister swears by it. She makes hers with turkey every single time. I think beef is better, but I don’t say that to her face.
- Beef broth: Six cups. Sounds like a lot, right? The macaroni soaks up more liquid than you’d think, so you need all of it. Chicken broth works in a pinch, but it won’t have that deep beefy taste. Vegetable broth is an option, too. If that’s your thing.
- Elbow macaroni: Holds broth in those little curves, which is why I like it for soup. Shells or rotini work too. I used broken spaghetti once because I was out of everything else, and it was fine, just looked a little weird in the bowl.
- Frozen mixed vegetables: Straight from the freezer bag. No chopping, no peeling, nothing. My friend Dee uses fresh carrots and celery, which is great if you have the time and the cutting board space. I usually don’t.
- Tomato paste and diced tomatoes: The paste makes everything richer without adding a ton of liquid. Diced tomatoes give you chunks to bite into. Don’t skip the paste, I tried it once without and the broth tasted thin.
Tips for Success
I’ve learned a lot over the years, and these tips always help me make this soup perfect.
- Actually, brown the beef: Don’t just cook it till it’s gray. Let it sit in the pan and get some golden color going. That’s where the flavor comes from. I rushed this for years before my grandma finally told me I was doing it wrong.
- Drain the grease: Too much fat and you get this oily film sitting on top of the broth. I tilt the pan, press the meat to one side with a spoon, pour off the grease. Ten seconds and done.
- Watch the pasta: It keeps cooking after you kill the heat so pull it when it’s barely done. If you’re making this ahead, the noodles bloat up overnight. Still tastes fine but the texture is different. My husband doesn’t notice, I always do.
- Taste before you serve: Every broth brand has different salt. Mine always needs more pepper at the end. Season to your family’s taste, not just what the recipe says.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge, sealed container, up to 4 days. Pretty easy! Add a splash of broth or water when you reheat for a hearty dinner because the noodles soak up liquid like crazy.
Stovetop on low heat is the best way to go. Microwaving works too, just do 30-second rounds and stir between each one. Nobody likes biting into a cold spot in the middle of hot soup.
This beef barley soup freezes for up to 3 months. I’d cook the pasta a little less than usual if you’re planning to freeze it since it softens more when you thaw and reheat. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge first.
Serving Suggestions
Crusty bread is the best with this soup. Tear off a chunk and dunk it right in. My daughter goes through half a baguette when I make this. Cornbread is delicious, too. Especially when it’s buttered the minute it comes out of the oven.
Grilled cheese on the side is a classic move, too. Or a simple green salad with vinaigrette if you want something fresh next to all that warm broth. But you know what, the bread is the way to go.
FAQs
Can I make this ahead of time?
Oh yeah. Tastes better the next day, honestly. The flavors have time to sit together. Just add extra broth or water when you reheat because the pasta swells up overnight.
What if I don’t have frozen vegetables?
Use fresh. Carrots, celery, peas, whatever you’ve got in the fridge. Toss them in with the broth so they have time to get tender. My grandma always used fresh, but I’m lazier than she was.
Do I have to use beef broth?
You don’t have to, but it makes a difference. Chicken broth is your next best option. Vegetable broth works if you’re trying to keep it lighter. I just wouldn’t use water alone because the soup needs that savory base.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
You can brown the beef on the stove first and then dump everything into the slow cooker except the pasta. Let it go on low for about 6 hours. Add the macaroni in the last 20 minutes or so. If you put the noodles in at the beginning, they’ll turn to mush by dinnertime. Learned that one from experience.
How do I keep the pasta from getting soggy in leftovers?
Some people cook the noodles separate and add them to each bowl. I don’t usually bother with that, but it does work if the texture thing bugs you. Just cook a small pot of macaroni on the side and spoon some into each serving.
Notes
When you choose your pasta, make sure to choose one that’s small enough to fit in a spoon. Also, it needs to be a sturdy pasta. Elbow macaroni or small shells, for example. Delicate pasta like egg noodles will disintegrate or worse, get mushy.
Hearty Beef & Grain Stew
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. Beef stew meat such as chuck or round, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 tbsp. Olive oil divided
- 1 Medium yellow onion diced
- 3 Medium carrots peeled and sliced into ½-inch thick coins
- 2 Ribs celery sliced into uniform pieces
- 2 Cloves garlic minced
- 1 can 14.5 oz. Diced tomatoes, with their juices
- 6 cups Low-sodium beef broth
- ¾ cup Pearl barley uncooked and rinsed
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. Dried thyme
- 1 dried Bay leaf
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Use paper towels to thoroughly pat the beef chuck chunks completely dry on all sides, ensuring clean searing mechanics. Season the meat generously with salt and black pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or stockpot over high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, drop in the beef pieces in a single layer and sear undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes until a deep brown crust locks onto the bottom surface; flip and color the edges for another 2 minutes, then transfer the meat to a clean plate.
- Drop the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the empty, hot pot, dropping the stove heat down to medium. Toss in the diced yellow onion, sliced carrots, and celery, cooking for 6 to 8 minutes while stirring frequently until the vegetables soften and become highly aromatic.
- Add the minced garlic straight into the center of the pan, mashing and stirring it against the hot metal surface for exactly 60 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to let the garlic bits scorch.
- Pour the diced tomatoes with their juices, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce directly into the pot, stirring firmly with a wooden spoon to scrape up all the dark, caramelized savory beef bits anchored to the bottom of the vessel.
- Stir in the uncooked rinsed pearl barley, dried thyme, dried bay leaf, and the seared beef chunks along with any collected plate juices, mixing until the ingredients are uniformly suspended in the liquid baseline.
- Bring the soup up to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then immediately drop the flame down to low to maintain a gentle, steady simmer. Clamp a tight lid securely over the top and let the pot simmer undisturbed for 55 to 60 minutes.
- Lift the lid and taste a barley grain; the soup is finished the exact moment the beef is meltingly tender and the barley cells have plumped up into a soft, slightly chewy bite. Turn off the flame, discard the bay leaf, adjust with additional salt or pepper if desired, and ladle hot into deep bowls.
