Another Winter Soup – Beef & Barley Soup

     A hearty beef soup that’s loaded with nutritious ingredients; great for cold winter nights.

     We started with a base of sautéed onions, carrots and celery to which we added cooked ground beef mix and whole barley (you can use the quick-cooking variety to reduce cooking time but we like hulled or pearled as these varieties are chewier and have more fiber)

Beef & Barley Soup    4 servings / makes about 6 cups

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup sliced celery

1 (12 oz.) pkg. mushrooms, coarsely chopped

½ cup uncooked barley (pearled, hulled or quick-cooking)

½ to 1 cup cooked Ground Beef Mix (if you don’t keep this on hand, simply brown the beef in the skillet before you add the veggies)

2 cups beef broth

3 to 4 cups water (start with 3 cups and add more if needed)

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

                         

1.     Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrots; cook, mixing occasionally, until onion is softened, about 7 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook, mixing occasionally, until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are tender, about 8 minutes.  

2.     Add barley, broth, water, salt and pepper; stir to combine. Cover and bring to a simmer; reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes or until barley is tender.

Check out our other soups in the Index that appears at the right.