Easy Beef Barley Soup
There’s something immensely satisfying about repurposing leftovers into a new and delicious meal, and this easy beef barley soup is the perfect canvas for transforming yesterday’s roast beef into today’s comforting and hearty bowl. This hearty soup not only warms the soul but also minimizes food waste, making it a win-win for your taste buds, your budget and the environment.
My family loves this soup and I love the fact that it is so easy and economical. After having a big roast beef dinner (which is never inexpensive), it’s nice to repurpose the leftovers in a manner that isn’t the same meal all over again. I hate food waste and I am also not a fan of leftovers, so I am always dreaming up ways to use leftovers in a way that they don’t appear like leftovers.
This quick and easy soup is simple to make, inexpensive and filling. In addition to being quite healthy, which is just an added bonus in my opinion. Pearl barley is perfect in this soup, but if you prefer another barley go ahead and substitute it, just make sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly. The bonus of using leftover roast is that by adding the beef to the last 15 minutes of cooking, you can extend the cooking time for firmer barley without making the beef tough.
Though many traditional beef barley soups are made with stewing beef and cooked low and slow, this soup takes advantage of the fact that the beef is already cooked. If you want a traditional low and slow beef barley soup then by all means go for it. I would suggest browing the beef, adding the broth and veggies to a crock pot and letting it go for 6 hours over low heat, adding the barley in the last hour in my opinion is the best way to prevent them from becoming mushy.
What you need for easy beef barley soup:
Ingredients:
- Leftover roast beef (about 2 cups, shredded or diced)
- pearl barley
- onion, diced
- carrots, sliced
- celery stalks, chopped
- beef broth
- can (14 oz) whole or diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried herbs (Italian seasoning or thyme and oregano)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil for sautéing
I don’t know about you but I am a soup LOVER. I would rather have soup than just about anything else. I know that sounds extreme but that’s how much I love soup. I haven’t found a soup that I don’t love and I make a lot of soups. If you like soup and want to try some of my other soups you can find them here.
- Mushroom Soup Recipe
- Butternut Squash & Ginger Soup
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Tortilla Soup
- Mashed Potato Soup
- Hamburger Soup
- Mexican Tortellini Soup
- Tomato Basil Soup
- Borscht
Although these are not the only soups I love and make, they will sure get you started.
Easy Beef Barley Soup
Equipment
- 1 stockpot
Ingredients
- ½ large sweet or white onion, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin Olive Oil
- 12 cups beef broth
- 2 cups diced leftover beef roast, trimmed
- 14 ounce whole peeled canned tomatoes (or diced)
- ⅔ cup pearl barley
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning (or oregano and thyme)
- 1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- In a large heavy bottom stockpot add, the ½ large sweet or white onion, diced, the 2 ribs celery, diced, the 2 medium carrots, sliced and the 2 Tbsp extra virgin Olive Oil oven medium-high heat and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the tomatoes to the pot and using a wooden spoon, break up the tomatoes to bite sized pieces.
- Pour in the 12 cups beef broth and bring to a simmer.
- Add the 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning (or oregano and thyme), 1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper and 1 tsp kosher salt then add the ⅔ cup pearl barley and let the soup simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the leftover diced beef and let simmer a further 5 minutes, taste for seasoning
- Once the barley is fully cooked, serve and enjoy.
Notes
This hearty and easy beef barley soup brings together the rich flavors of the roast beef with the wholesome goodness of barley and vegetables, creating a comforting dish that’s perfect for any day of the week. So, the next time you find yourself with leftover roast beef, turn it into a delightful feast with this simple and satisfying recipe.