This hearty beef mushroom barley soup will really warm you up on these last days of winter.
I didn’t plan to make this soup, but I spotted an irresistible package of mixed mushrooms at the store and changed my plans on the spot.
Shiitake, oyster, pleurote and mini bellas—what a mix. It was such a new item the barcode didn’t even scan yet.
So I bought the mushrooms, brought them home, and set out to make something comforting. I had an idea: beef barley soup with lots of mushrooms.
I’ve been trying to broaden my soup repertoire beyond the usual chicken noodle, black bean, and baked potato. I even attempted a spicy tomato soup recently—good effort, but not quite ready to share—so I returned to a more reliable comfort zone.
Looking for more soup? Check out these fall soup recipes!
One of my favorite Polish dishes is mushroom barley soup. There’s a local Polish banquet hall that makes a version I adore; it’s hard to match. Still, I wanted to make a rich beef and barley soup and let the mushrooms shine.
Beef Mushroom Barley Soup
Pin Recipe
Rate Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 pound mushrooms (mixed varieties work well)
- 1 cup chopped white onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups beef broth
- 4 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1/2 cup dried barley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Soak the mushrooms briefly to remove dirt, then pat them dry and set aside.
- Season the beef with salt and pepper and brown it in a large soup pot.
- When the meat is browned, drain excess grease. Add the beef broth, water, bay leaves, basil, thyme, and rosemary. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low to simmer.
- In a separate pan, melt the butter. Sauté the onion, garlic, and carrots until the onion is translucent. Add this mixture to the simmering beef and broth and continue simmering for 30 minutes. Keep the pan—you’ll use it again.
- While the soup simmers, chop the mushrooms. After the 30 minutes, heat the saved pan over medium and sauté the mushrooms for 3–5 minutes to develop flavor.
- Add the sautéed mushrooms and the barley to the soup. Simmer for 40 minutes more, until the barley is tender and flavors meld. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, remove bay leaves, and serve hot.
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates: 14 g
| Protein: 18 g
| Fat: 5 g
| Fiber: 3 g
Let us know how it was!