Mushroom Barley Beef Soup
Description
This hearty Mushroom Barley Beef Soup is a cozy, slow-simmered one-pot meal made with tender beef, earthy mushrooms, and chewy pearl barley. It’s packed with potatoes, carrots, celery, and warming turmeric for a rich, savory broth that’s perfect for meal prep, cold weather dinners, and make-ahead lunches.
Ingredients
Soup Ingredients
- 2 lb beef fillet cut into bite-size cubes
- 2 large onions thinly sliced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup pearl barley rinsed well
- 1 large carrot chopped
- 6 stalks celery chopped
- 3 medium Idaho potatoes peeled and cubed
- 16 oz white mushrooms sliced
- 2 tsp turmeric
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice optional, for finishing
- water as needed to keep the soup simmering and brothy
Instructions
Build the Broth and Tenderize the Beef
- Add the cubed beef to a large pot and cover with water about halfway up the meat. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
- Skim off and discard any foam that rises to the surface, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Season with salt, black pepper, and turmeric. Add the sliced onions and minced garlic, cover, and simmer for 2 hours 30 minutes.
Add Vegetables and Barley
- Add the chopped carrot, chopped celery, cubed potatoes, and rinsed pearl barley. Stir well.
- Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add more water as needed to keep the soup from getting too thick or sticking.
Finish the Soup
- Stir in the sliced mushrooms and simmer for 30 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and the barley is cooked through.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper. If using, stir in lemon juice just before serving.
- Serve hot. Add a splash of water while reheating leftovers if the soup thickens.
Notes
- Use a gentle simmer (not a rapid boil) for tender beef and a clearer broth.
- Rinse the pearl barley to remove excess surface starch and help keep the soup from turning gummy.
- Barley absorbs liquid as it sits, so add a little water when reheating leftovers to loosen the consistency.
- Add mushrooms near the end so they stay meaty and don’t shrink away into the broth.