Hearty Beef and Barley Soup
A rich, chunky soup of tender beef chuck, pearl barley, carrots, celery and potatoes, simmered with tomato paste, thyme and bay leaf. A cozy one-pot dinner for chilly autumn nights.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 105 min
- Total
- 2 hr 5
- Serves
- 6
Deep browning the beef and toasting the tomato paste build a savory base without any stock. The soup thickens as it sits, so thin it with a splash of water when reheating. It keeps in the fridge for 4 days and freezes well for up to 3 months.
Method
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Pat the beef dry and season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper.
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Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in two batches for about per batch, until deeply browned on all sides. Move to a plate.
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Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the carrots and the celery. Cook for , scraping up the browned bits, until the vegetables begin to soften.
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Stir in the tomato paste and cook for , until it darkens slightly.
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Return the beef and any juices to the pot. Add the water, bay leaves and thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer, cover partially and cook for .
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Stir in the barley, potatoes and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer for , until the beef and barley are tender.
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Discard the bay leaves. Stir in the parsley and vinegar, then taste and adjust, adding more salt if needed.
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Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
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