Beef Barley Soup with Mushrooms (Printable)

Tender beef, smoky pancetta, mushrooms, and pearl barley simmered in rich, aromatic broth for ultimate comfort.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 pound beef chuck roast, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
02 - 4 ounces pancetta, diced

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 pound baby bella mushrooms, sliced
04 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
05 - 2 medium carrots, diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Grains

08 - 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed

→ Liquids

09 - 8 cups low-sodium beef broth
10 - 1 cup water

→ Aromatics & Seasonings

11 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
12 - 2 bay leaves
13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
15 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
17 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Garnish

18 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook until browned and crispy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside.
02 - Season beef chuck cubes with salt and pepper. Add to the pot in batches, searing until browned on all sides, about 5 to 6 minutes per batch. Remove beef and set aside.
03 - Add remaining olive oil to the pot. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery until softened, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add sliced mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release their juices and begin to brown, about 6 to 8 minutes.
05 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Return beef and pancetta to the pot. Add barley, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, beef broth, and water. Bring to a boil.
06 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender and barley is fully cooked.
07 - Remove bay leaves. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's a one-pot meal that actually tastes like you fussed over it for hours, but the active work takes maybe 20 minutes.
  • The barley absorbs all that umami-rich broth, becoming almost creamy without cream—it's the secret texture nobody expects.
  • Leftovers get even better, as if the soup is still learning how to be itself in your fridge.
02 -
  • If you skip browning the beef and pancetta properly, your soup tastes watery and one-dimensional—the Maillard reaction isn't just for looks; it's where most of the depth lives.
  • Barley keeps absorbing liquid even after cooking, so if you're storing leftovers, the soup thickens considerably; thin it with extra broth before reheating.
03 -
  • A splash of dry red wine added before simmering deepens the broth considerably and adds a subtle complexity that guests will taste but never identify.
  • If you have access to mushroom broth, substitute half the beef broth with it for an earthier, more umami-forward version that makes the mushrooms shine even more.
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