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Simple ingredients along with an easy cooking method, but not simple in flavor! This beef barley and cabbage soup features hearty ground beef and nutty barley in a deeply savory soup base. Cabbage is added for that subtle sweetness and texture. This is the type of soup you crave in a big bowl!
Beef Barley and Cabbage Soup
This beef barley and cabbage soup is the perfect soup to add to your soup rotation. When I was coming up with soup ideas, I decided on this specific soup because I felt that there are a lot of recipes out there for the classic beef and vegetable soup but I wanted my soup to be different and I wanted it to be filling!
What Makes it Different
In my opinion, the barley makes this soup more of a complete meal because it’s more filling than just potatoes and vegetables. If you’ve never had barley before, it’s the perfect opportunity to try it as well! Barley has a specific chewy texture to it that actually gives a nice mouthfeel. It also gives the soup substance so it doesn’t feel like just any other soup.
The addition of cabbage adds a natural, mild sweetness to the soup and it softens into the broth and is very forgiving for those reheats. I also like that it gives the soup body without weighing it down with more starch.
How to Make Beef Barley and Cabbage Soup
- Brown the ground beef in a large pot.
- Add in aromatic vegetables (onion and garlic) to the pot then the carrot and cabbage. Cook until wilted down a bit.
- Sprinkle in the barley and pour in the liquids and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil then cover and simmer for 1 hour, or until the barley is softened and doubled in size.
- Season to taste then serve warm!
Tips for the Best Results
- Pearl barley, like the one I used in this recipe, is typically the best type of barley to use. You can use quick cooking barley but since this simmers for over an hour, you’ll need to add the barley in during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking otherwise the barley will be too mushy.
- You want to check on the barley throughout the cooking process to make sure it’s not being overcooked. That’s one of the biggest reasons why people don’t like barley because they think it’s mushy when it’s just overcooked. When cooked right, it should have a slightly chewy texture that’s not mushy.
- Use green cabbage thinly sliced for the cabbage, not napa cabbage or any other variety (like purple cabbage).
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Leftovers of beef barley and cabbage soup is so good! The flavors get even better and the vegetables and barley soak up even more of the broth.
Allow leftovers to cool then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep in mind, the barley will continue to soak up liquid so they’ll be bloated when you open the container to reheat.
To reheat from the refrigerator, reheat in the microwave or stovetop until warmed through. You’ll likely have to add more liquid to loosen it up.
You can consider freezing this soup if you don’t mind the texture of the barley after it has been frozen and defrosted.
Beef Barley and Cabbage Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 pound ground beef, 80/20 or 90/10
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 3 medium carrots, chopped into ¼” rounds
- ½ head of green cabbage, sliced, about 2 cups total
- ½ cup dry pearled barley
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 3 cups beef stock
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a 6 quart or larger dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat then add your oil.1 tablespoon cooking oil
- Add the ground beef to the pot and cook until browned and break apart into smaller pieces.1 pound ground beef
- Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened and tender, about 3 minutes.1 medium onion, 4 cloves garlic
- Add the carrots and cabbage to the pot. Stir and cook the cabbage down slightly until it’s not completely overflowing.3 medium carrots, ½ head of green cabbage
- Once cabbage has cooked down and there is room, add the barley into the pot, stir, then add the tomato sauce, beef stock, and bay leaves.½ cup dry pearled barley, 2 cups tomato sauce, 3 cups beef stock, 2 bay leaves
- Stir to incorporate then bring to a boil. Once the soup is to a boil, reduce heat to get a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Check on it periodically. When finished, barley should still be slightly chewy and have doubled in size. If more liquid is needed, add more beef stock.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste.Salt and pepper
- Remove bay leaves and serve warm!
Nutrition
Photographs by Meg McKeehan Photography
