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Beef Barley Soup

One pot meal combining barley, veggies and a flavorful broth!
Two bowls are filled with a hearty soup made with vegetables, ground beef and barley.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Makes: 14 Cups
Nutrition Facts: View label

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef (15% fat or less)
1 large carrot, diced (about 1 cup)
1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 stalks celery, diced (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
8 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup pearl barley (see Notes)
½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Rinse or scrub fresh vegetables under running water before preparing.
  3. In large sauce pot, cook ground beef over medium heat. Drain fat (see Notes).
  4. Add carrot, onion, celery and garlic; stir often and cook for about 5 minutes.
  5. Add broth, tomatoes with juice, barley and pepper. Bring to a boil.
  6. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 45 to 60 minutes or until barley is as tender as you like it.
  7. Serve warm.
  8. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Notes

  • Pour fat from cooked meat into a metal container. Let it cool, then dispose of it in a garbage can.
  • No broth? Use 8 teaspoons low-sodium bouillon and 8 cups of water instead.
  • Add 1 cup sliced mushrooms with tomatoes.
  • Add 1 cup chopped kale or other greens with tomatoes.
  • Pearl barley is high in fiber but is not a whole grain. If using whole grain barley (also called hulled barley), it may take longer for the barley to soften.
  • Try adding cilantro on top for more flavor.
  • This recipe can be made in a 5-quart or larger slow cooker for extra convenience. Put cooked ground beef and all other ingredients into the cooker, cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours. To shorten cooking time, cook on HIGH for 1 hour then turn to LOW for 5 to 6 hours or until barley is cooked as tender as you like.
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Comments

Submitted by LesleyJ on Wed, 12/14/2011 - 16:36

Very good for a soup that only took 40 minutes to cook! Adding tomato stock might be nice and make the broth a little more flavorful.

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