Beef Barley Vegetable Soup

We've had a few cool days lately, so our family has been enjoying some homemade soups.  One of our favorite soups is Beef Barley Vegetable.  It's one pot and uses up leftovers.  And it keeps well in the refrigerator, or you can freeze the leftovers for later.  You can put it together in 20 minutes, and cook it in about 50 minutes, (so it's on the table in just over an hour).  Here's how I make mine.

You need:

1 Tab olive oil

1 onion chopped

1 garlic clove chopped

1 cup leftover mixed vegetables, (or 2 carrots and 1/2 green pepper sliced), and 4 ounces sliced mushrooms

1 stalk celery, sliced

2 cups cooked beef, cut into chunks

6 cups beef broth, (I use homemade, to reduce the sodium)

1 14.5 oz can of tomatoes, (I used a 1-pint jar of my homegrown canned tomatoes)

2/3 cup barley

1 Tab Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teas dried thyme

1/2 cup beef gravy 

1 bay leaf

2 teas dried parsley (or 2 Tab fresh parsley)

salt and pepper to taste

In a medium soup pan, over medium heat, cook the onions and garlic in oil until softened, (I like to salt and pepper my onions and garlic, just a little).

Next, add ALL the beef broth, and stir.

I also like to add 1 or 2 Tab of red wine, but this is purely optional.  I find it adds more flavor to the soup.

Add the mushrooms, vegetables, and beef.  Stir the soup.

Add the dried thyme, dried parsley, and bay leaf.  

Add the Worcestershire sauce.

Add and crush the tomatoes.

Add the gravy.  (You can use leftover gravy, make it fresh, or even use packaged dried gravy mix).

Add the barley.

Stir then salt and pepper to taste. 

Most everything I added was leftovers.  If you do not like anything, (i.e. mushrooms), then don't add them.  I find this is a great way to use up those leftovers in the refrigerator.

Also, if you want to make smaller batches, just cut the amounts in 1/2 that you put into the soup pot.

If you want a larger batch, double the amounts you put into the soup pot.

Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer COVERED for about 40 to 50 minutes or until barley is cooked.

Stir about every 20 minutes to prevent the soup from sticking and burning.

Once the barley is cooked, give the soup a taste for seasoning.  Does it need more salt or pepper?  Remove the bay leaf, and serve.

You will notice that the soup has thickened up nicely.  However, if it is too thick, just add some water and stir it in.

I like to serve my soup with homemade bread or biscuits.  Add a salad and you've got a complete meal.  The next day, the leftovers are delicious.  I place any excess in a freezer container, and when we are ready to have soup, we just defrost and heat.

You can use leftover steak, roast beef, flank steak even ground beef, (with the fat drained off), or chicken.  And barley is a great substitute for rice or pasta in your diet, (the pearl barley has a similar texture to brown rice.

So if you're looking for a hearty soup, that's also a full meal, give beef barley vegetable soup a try. 

Enjoy!