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Two white bowls of hearty vegetable and beef soup sit on saucers, garnished with herbs. In the background, slices of rustic bread are arranged on a wooden platter. The setting is a dark wooden table.
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Quick Beef and Barley Soup

This fast and easy soup is rich, meaty, and full of deep flavor!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Barley, Beef
Servings: 6
Author: Nicole

Equipment

Ingredients

  • ¼ dried porcini mushrooms rinsed and patted dry
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 ½ pounds blade steak gristle removed, sliced thin, and cut into a medium dice
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil divided
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 6 cups low-sodium beef stock
  • 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon low-sodium chicken broth divided
  • ⅔ cup quick-cooking barley
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • ¼ chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Instructions

  • In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the mushrooms and water, cover and cook until the mushrooms are soft, about 1 minute. Strain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid, and chop the mushrooms fine; set aside.
  • Pat the beef dry with paper towels and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook beef until well browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer the beef to a plate.
  • Add the remaining oil to the Dutch oven. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and mushrooms and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the tomato paste and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the broths, reserved porcini liquid and barley, and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium until barley is tender, about 12-15 minutes. Uncover the pot and bring to a boil.  In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and remaining tablespoon of broth.  Add the mixture to the soup and cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Add the beef and any accumulated juices. Stir in the Worcestershire, vinegar, and parsley. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Blade steak (gristle removed) and sirloin steak tips are excellent choices of beef for their tenderness and meaty flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 632mg | Potassium: 1062mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3461IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 5mg
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