Vegetable Beef & Barley Soup

Hearty and health Vegetable Beef & Barley Soup is made with stew meat, whole grain pearl-style barley and fresh veggies. Slow simmering helps meld the flavors and yields tender meat We paired it with chewy Hot Bread Kitchen's Nan-e Barbari (Persian Flatbread). 

Vegetable Beef & Barley Soup 4 to 6 servings 

1 lb. chuck or arm roast, trimmed of excess chunks of fat, cut into 3/4-inch cubes 

About 1/3 to 1/2 cup seasoned flour (all-purpose flour seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic and onion powder) 

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided use 

1/2 cup chopped celery (about 1 rib) 

1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 small to medium) 

2 cloves of garlic, minced 

2 tablespoons tomato paste 

3/4 to 1 cup chopped carrots (about 2), cut into chunks 

5 to 6 cups beef broth, divided 

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary, or 1/4 tsp. dried 

 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme, or 1/4 tsp. dried (I actually tied sprigs of fresh rosemary together & added to the soup) 

Kosher salt & pepper to taste 

1/4 cup pearl barley 

1/2 to 3/4 cup thinly sliced or chopped cabbage 

3/4 to 1 cup chopped carrots (about 2), cut into chunks 

1 large Russet potato, peeled and cut into chunks 

1/2 to 3/4 cup thinly sliced or chopped cabbage 

1/2 cup frozen peas 

1. Dredge stew meat in seasoned flour to coat. 
   
2. Heat 1 to 2 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add meat and sear until golden brown on bottom, about 3 minutes then flip and cook about 1 minute longer. 
3. Add 1 tablespoon oil to now empty pot. Add celery and onion and sauté 3 minutes. 
4. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook 1 minute longer. 
5. Pour in 4 cups broth, bay leaf, rosemary and thyme, scraping bottom of pan to release any bits that have baked onto bottom of the pan. Return beef to pot. 
   
6. Bring mixture to a simmer then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until beef is fairly tender, about 45 to 60 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. 
7. Add barley, cover and simmer until cooked through and beef is tender, about 45 to 60 minutes longer. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. 
8. Stir in 1 or 2 more cups of broth as needed. Bring to a boil and stir in carrots, potatoes and cabbage; reduce heat and cook another 30 minutes of so until veggies are tender. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. 
9. Add peas and cook just until they are hot.
   
   
   

Recipe without photos . . .

Vegetable Beef & Barley Soup 4 to 6 servings 

1 lb. chuck or arm roast, trimmed of excess chunks of fat, cut into 3/4-inch cubes 

About 1/3 to 1/2 cup seasoned flour (all-purpose flour seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic and onion powder) 

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided use 

1/2 cup chopped celery (about 1 rib) 

1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 small to medium) 

2 cloves of garlic, minced 

2 tablespoons tomato paste 

3/4 to 1 cup chopped carrots (about 2), cut into chunks 

5 to 6 cups beef broth, divided 

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary, or 1/4 tsp. dried 

 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme, or 1/4 tsp. dried (I actually tied sprigs of fresh rosemary together & added to the soup) 

Kosher salt & pepper to taste 

1/4 cup pearl barley 

1/2 to 3/4 cup thinly sliced or chopped cabbage 

3/4 to 1 cup chopped carrots (about 2), cut into chunks 

1 large Russet potato, peeled and cut into chunks 

1/2 to 3/4 cup thinly sliced or chopped cabbage 

1/2 cup frozen peas 

1. Dredge stew meat in seasoned flour to coat. 
2. Heat 1 to 2 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add meat and sear until golden brown on bottom, about 3 minutes then flip and cook about 1 minute longer. 
3. Add 1 tablespoon oil to now empty pot. Add celery and onion and sauté 3 minutes. 
4. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook 1 minute longer. 
5. Pour in 4 cups broth, bay leaf, rosemary and thyme, scraping bottom of pan to release any bits that have baked onto bottom of the pan. Return beef to pot. 
6. Bring mixture to a simmer then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until beef is fairly tender, about 45 to 60 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. 
7. Add barley, cover and simmer until cooked through and beef is tender, about 45 to 60 minutes longer. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. 
8. Stir in 1 or 2 more cups of broth as needed. Bring to a boil and stir in carrots, potatoes and cabbage; reduce heat and cook another 30 minutes of so until veggies are tender. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. 
9. Add peas and cook just until they are hot.