Old Fashioned Beef Vegetable Soup with Barley is pantry friendly so you can make it anytime. Loaded with tender beef, barley and nutrient filled vegetables, this soup is sure to warm you up at lunch or dinner.
One of my favorite foods to make on a snow day is soup. We sure have had lots of snow days this past week so I have been making soup non- stop! This one is a snowed in favorite because I usually have all the ingredients on hand in my panty and freezer. There is no need to run to the store for anything.
How to Make Mire Poix
This hearty beef vegetable soup is warm, savory and comforting. I always keep some of this vegetable beef soup in the freezer so I can reheat it and have a bowl anytime I want comfort food.
Ingredients Needed
Stew Meat – I like to use a lean beef cut like top round but chuck has more fat so it’s more flavorful. Chuck is usually the least expensive meat also. You could also use sirloin tips or get a small roast and cut it into cubes yourself.
Beef Broth or Stock – Use your favorite but I recommend a low sodium one so you can control the saltiness in your soup.
Frozen Vegetables – These are my favorite. I get a blend of peas, corn, green beans and carrots. They keep well in the freezer and are never mushy in the soup. Don’t be afraid to use frozen vegetables as they taste as good as fresh in soups and are super healthy.
Quick Cooking Barley – This barley cooks in 10 to 15 minutes which is fabulous to make beef barley soup. If you can’t find this type, you can use regular but make sure to cook it longer according to the package directions.
Canned Tomato Sauce – I use a plain tomato sauce from a can but you could substitute a cup of fresh chopped tomatoes. You can also use chunky or crushed canned tomatoes. I make homemade air fryer roasted tomatoes and a cup of these are delicious in this soup.
Olive Oil and Seasonings – Olive oil is my favorite oil to use in most of my cooking but feel free to use canola or another vegetable oil. This beef vegetable soup has basic seasonings like onion and garlic powder, dried parsley and salt and pepper. But use your favorite seasonings if there is something you like more.
The steps to making beef barley soup are quite easy.
Steps to Making Beef Barley Soup
Brown stew meat in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Add broth and tomato sauce. Simmer until the stew meat is tender.
Add frozen veggies, barley and additional seasonings. Cook on low until veggies and barley are tender.
Season to taste before serving in bowls.
Old Fashioned Beef Barley soup is comfort food but very pantry friendly to make anytime you want it.
Tips for Storing and Reheating Soup
In the fridge, your soup will last 3 to 4 days. But in the freezer, it will be good for up to 6 months. Make sure to keep it in an air tight plastic container.
From the refrigerator, you could either microwave your soup in a bowl for 2 minutes or pop it back into a pot and heat until simmering.
If your soup is frozen, there are a few options. First, you could allow it to sit in the fridge overnight to properly thaw, then follow the same instructions listed above.
If you’re in a rush and need the soup to thaw more quickly, you could place it in a warm water bath in its container or use the defrost function of your microwave.
Finally, you could remove the frozen soup from the container and pop it right into the pot, then heat until it’s heated all the way through.
More Hearty Soup Recipes
Yellow Split Pea Soup with Ham
Leftover Turkey Orzo Soup
Cabbage and Beef Soup
Spicy lentil Soup with Smoked Chicken Sausage
Cheeseburger Soup via Spiced
Vegetable Beef Barley Soup is warm and comforting!
What goes well with Beef Barley Soup
This soup is a meal in itself so I like to serve it with some bread on the side or a salad. It also pairs well with a simple sandwich or wrap. While it’s easy enough to get a delicious loaf of bread or rolls from the bakery, below are a here are some recipes you can easily make to go with the soup.
Cheese Beer Bread
Middle Eastern Bread Salad
Hummus Veggie Wrap
Quick Dinner Rolls via Honeybunch Hunts
If you like this beef soup recipe, please give it a 5-star rating below.
RECIPE
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5 from 9 votes
Old Fashioned Beef Vegetable Barley Soup
Old Fashioned Beef Vegetable Soup with Barley is pantry friendly so you can make it anytime of year. Loaded with tender beef, barley and vegetables, it is hearty comfort food.
Prep Time
5minutes mins
Cook Time
1hour hr 10minutes mins
Course: Dinner Entree, SoupCuisine: American Comfort Food Servings: 6 servings Calories: 344kcal Cost: $10
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
16 ounces beef stew meat
8 cups low sodium beef broth or stock (or more if necessary)
1 can – 8 ounces tomato sauce
4 cups frozen mixed vegetables (10-16 ounce package)
1 cup quick cooking barley
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
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Instructions
In a large soup pot, heat olive oil on medium and brown meat for about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add broth and tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook on low heat for about 40 minutes or until meat is tender.
Add frozen veggies and cook for 10 minutes. Add barley, onion powder and garlic powder. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes or until barley is tender. If soup is too thick, more broth can be added to thin.
Season with salt and pepper if needed and serve in bowls.
Nutrition
Calories: 344kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 691mg | Potassium: 1259mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 6170IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 4mg
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Comments
Mary saysMarch 20, 2009 at 12:39 pm
I’m a fan of barley soup, Lisa. This looks awfully good. I hope the snow is gone by tomorrow.
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Sara saysMarch 20, 2009 at 3:39 pm
This looks delicious – I really like barley but don’t cook with it nearly enough!
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Robyn Rice saysOctober 27, 2025 at 8:18 am
I went on looking for a recipe similar to my mom‘s. This is almost exactly what she would make. We always ate it with saltines and American cheese lol. The only difference I did was add one jug of V8 juice and one box of beef bone broth. It was perfect. I also grew up in New Jersey so I wonder if it’s a Jersey thing!
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lisa saysOctober 29, 2025 at 9:13 am
Robyn,
I love that you used V8 juice. I have had it that way too.
Enjoy!
Lisa
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Peter M saysMarch 20, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Lisa, beef barley soup is a longtime family-fave…truly a meal of a soup.
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Donna-FFW saysMarch 20, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Lisa- This looks terrific! I have been looking for a beef barley, this sounds wonderful and it looks so delicious, I can not believe the snow this morning either!! Odd, huh?
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Pam saysMarch 20, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Mmmm. Looks nice and hearty – perfect for this cold rainy day.
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Maria saysMarch 20, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Happy Spring to you too! Love barley soup, I will just minus the beef:)
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Jennifer saysMarch 20, 2009 at 6:34 pm
Time to buy some barley and make the soup–I know what you mean about making soup now that it is ‘spring’. New challenge involving PEEPS
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Michele saysMarch 20, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Happy Spring to you too Lisa!
I could eat beef barley soup any day of the year. It’s never to hot for a bowl full of the stuff. 🙂
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Annie saysMarch 20, 2009 at 8:17 pm
You got me with this one. I remember eating this when I was little girl. I have to make this, thanks for posting 🙂
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Heather saysMarch 20, 2009 at 8:45 pm
oh, i love beef barley soup. yous looks so delicious! i am definitely going to give it a try 🙂
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Jeena saysMarch 21, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Now this is a tasty soup that is so rustic and delicious!
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Priscilla saysMarch 21, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Sounds like a perfect meal on those chilly spring days!
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Bridgett saysMarch 21, 2009 at 5:01 pm
This looks so hearty. I love barley soup.
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Erica saysMarch 22, 2009 at 12:43 am
Looks great Lisa! I love any soup that involves barley! Hope it warms up your way 😉
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Dawn saysMarch 22, 2009 at 5:22 pm
happy spring Lisa! let’s hope the warm weather soon follows????
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Lynda saysMarch 22, 2009 at 6:28 pm
This is delicious looking soup! I ‘ll have to try this this week as we are expecting some cool, rainy weather.
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Culinary Cory saysMarch 22, 2009 at 10:32 pm
I can’t believe you actually woke up with a dusting of snow! The soup looks hearty and welcoming.
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Allie saysMarch 23, 2009 at 10:06 am
Yummy!! Happy Spring Lisa!
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Jennifer saysMarch 23, 2009 at 10:09 am
That looks pretty easy to make.
I make soups a lot and have never made this one before. I’m definitely bookmarking it!
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Jeff saysMarch 23, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Thankfully our first day of snow was met with good weather. However, that could change in two minutes and be faced with a blizzard.
Great comfort food recipe!
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Aggie saysMarch 23, 2009 at 1:04 pm
I can’t believe the weather you’ve been getting! I feel guilty for actually enjoying our nice weather in FL!
The soup looks and sounds so good, we are having a rainy day today and I would so love some of that soup!
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Debbie saysMarch 23, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Looks really good. I have not had barley soup in ages….
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The Food Hunter saysMarch 23, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Looks like delicious comfort food to me.
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Bunny saysMarch 23, 2009 at 8:21 pm
I love barley in a beef stock soup! I need to make this!
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Tanya saysMarch 24, 2009 at 7:02 am
Barley soup is one of my favorites. I should make this this week. Looks delicious 🙂
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Elra saysMarch 24, 2009 at 9:37 am
Such a delicious and comforting soup Lisa.
Cheers,
elra
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Robin Sue saysMarch 24, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Oh how I wish my hubby liked barley. I love its taste and texture, perfect in soups. Great recipe!
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The Blonde Duck saysMarch 24, 2009 at 5:00 pm
I love beef soup! This looks great!
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GypsyMommy saysMarch 24, 2009 at 11:01 pm
I love your blog! Feel free to stop by my blog for your awards. Have a great day!
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Mary saysMarch 24, 2009 at 11:44 pm
Lisa, I have an award for you to pick up on my blog.
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Jamie saysMarch 25, 2009 at 4:32 am
Wow what a gorgeous soup. I love warming, hearty soups like this for family dinners.
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biz319 saysMarch 25, 2009 at 12:37 pm
I haven’t made barley soup in ages – thanks for the recipe!
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giz saysMarch 28, 2009 at 4:20 am
If I had to pick 3 of my favourite soups, beef/barley would definitely be in that category. It’s so hearty and warming and the season doesn’t really matter to me.
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burpandslurp saysMarch 28, 2009 at 1:15 pm
just wanted to say, THANKS so MUCH for your lovely comment! it made my day!
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Jan saysMarch 28, 2009 at 5:23 pm
This looks like the perfect soup for today, because after 2 weeks of warm weather, it’s snowing again here. Oh, and I have a cold, so I know this would make me feel a whole lot better.
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Chef E saysMarch 29, 2009 at 10:38 am
I love beef barley soup, and I must say yours looks better than any I have ever seen, even my own!
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melissa saysFebruary 24, 2010 at 7:35 pm
hi! i know this post is super old, but I just wanted to let you know I made it without the beef this weekend and it’s making a lovely lunch. I linked to you on the post. http://kitchencanister.blogspot.com/2010/02/vegetable-barley-soup.html
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adventuresfromcloud8 saysNovember 28, 2010 at 9:47 pm
I am going to make this tomorrow, it sounds perfect!
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Anonymous saysDecember 05, 2010 at 4:12 pm
Good Afternoon
Great share, thanks for your time
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Christine saysOctober 01, 2021 at 1:42 pm
It looks good
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Beth saysOctober 01, 2021 at 7:43 pm
5 starsThis soup is so delicious. I have shared this recipe with family and friends because I think it is that good, Thanks for sharing the recipe with us.
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Julie saysOctober 01, 2021 at 7:54 pm
5 starsLooks so hearty, comforting and delicious. A perfect soup for any day.
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Mirlene saysOctober 01, 2021 at 8:48 pm
5 starsYou really can’t go wrong with soup for this season! Love a savory bowl of soup to comfort me with all the delicious beef in it!
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Kay saysOctober 02, 2021 at 4:20 am
5 starsThis is a proper soup, I love the addition of stewing beef, the flavours it adds and also filling enough for a dinner time soup.
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Mindee Taylor saysOctober 02, 2021 at 8:41 am
5 starsYum! Loved how fast this recipe was to make! It was even better reheated the next day too!
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Heather Perine saysOctober 02, 2021 at 10:16 am
5 starsThis soup was so comforting….made for a perfect Fall weekend dinner and (great leftovers too!)
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Alessandra Abate saysOctober 19, 2022 at 8:24 pm
5 starsGreat recipe! I loved every spoonful!
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lisa saysOctober 20, 2022 at 2:01 pm
Thanks Allessandra! One of my favorite soups!
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Susan Bopp saysJanuary 24, 2023 at 8:03 pm
5 starsThis was super easy and very flavorful I loved it I did add two 8 oz cans of tomato sauce instead of one and just a teaspoon of that better than bouillon beef and it came out so good
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lisa saysJanuary 25, 2023 at 1:43 pm
Hi Susan,
Great idea if you like it with an extra tomato flavor. Thanks for the review and your input!
Lisa
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judie saysApril 10, 2025 at 4:16 pm
5 starsI’m75 and never cooked barley before! Anyhow this is what I did to cut down on time. I put a qt. of LS broth, stew beef & barley in pressure cooker (I skipped the oil). I cooked 12min. I cut up an onion since I didn’t have onion powder. I put another qt. broth, used 16oz can diced tomatoes instead of sauce & everything else in the pot & cooked on stove top 10-15min til onion & barley were cooked. That’s it!! It is delicious & so easy.
