Beef and Barley Soup is a heart dish that’s packed full of flavor.   This simple soup is super easy to make and oh so good!

Ah October!  This is usually when we start to see signs of fall here in Atlanta.  As I write this post, it’s currently 83 degrees but that does not stop me from taking part in some fall activities. If you follow me on Instagram then I’m sure you’re already gotten a dose of me enjoying a pumpkin spice chai latte, taking walks with my son and just loving this weather.  We have already gone to the farm where we had a hay ride, visited the pumpkin patch and almost went into the corn maze.  Fall is very much in my bones despite me sweating from the high temps. For lunch I had a hearty bowl of Beef and Barley Soup and while some may view soup as cold weather food, in Guyana and the Caribbean where there is no winter, soup is very popular.   For me it’s a year round dish and anytime that I just need a big bowl of comfort.  I’ve shared quite a few soup recipes over the years like Caribbean Chicken Soup with Parsley Dumpling, Chicken Foot Soup, cow heel soup, Split pea soup and Beef Soup with Cornmeal Dumplings.  It’s safe to say I like soup!

Beef and Barley soup could not be simpler to make and that’s one of the great things about soup in general; anyone can make it and its filling.  Chunks of beef and barley are simmered in a well seasoned broth which has onions, garlic, oregano and other spices.   This soup is not a quick dish; it’s one of those dishes that you start a few hours ahead of meal time.  I cut the beef into small cubes so this lessened the cooking time.   From start to finish, the beef and barley soup took about 1 ½ hours to cook which is not bad in my book.

Get the Recipe BEEF AND BARLEY SOUP

Ingredients
 

  • 1 ½ lb beef, cut into small cubes
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp oil
  • 1 white onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 tsp tomato paste
  • 2 carrots cut into pieces
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 4 cups water
  • ½ tsp oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ cup barley

Instructions
 

  • Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large pot then add beef and brown.
  • Add onions, garlic, carrots and tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion softens.
  • Add beef broth, water, oregano, bay leaf and barley.
  • Bring to a boil and turn the heat down to simmer.
  • Cook until the beef is tender, about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Add extra salt as needed and garnish with chopped parsley.
Author: Jehan Powell