Somehow I had never tried barley before making this soup. Now I’m a believer (cue the music!).

I like to prep for the week on Sundays by cutting veggies and batch cooking. That usually means making lunches for Cherokee and me. In this case, I tried to have the Mirepoix mix (onion, carrot, and celery) ready ahead. The barley could be cooked in advance too but it really cooked quickly in the soup.

I also used pearled barley which is quick cooking but not technically a whole grain. Finding hulled barley locally is basically impossible so pearled is the next best thing. Hulled barley keeps the bran and germ while pearled barley removes those.

The meal plan also called for precooking barley on Sunday for this. I did not and it still turned out great. I left the original recipe with precooked barley if you’re batch cooking and prepping ahead.

• Prep time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 25 minutes
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

Category	Item	Quantity	Notes
Protein	Grass-Fed Ground Beef	1 lb	Use sparingly to adhere to MD guidelines.
Pantry/Batch	Beef or Vegetable Broth	6 cups (48 oz)	Low sodium preferred.
	Pre-cooked Barley	3 cups	Use the barley batch cooked on Sunday.
	Diced Tomatoes (canned)	1 (15 oz) can	Optional, adds acidity and color.
Produce (Batch/Fresh)	Mirepoix Mix (Onion, Celery, Carrot)	2 cups	Use your pre-chopped mix.
	Garlic	3 cloves	Minced.
Seasoning	Dried Thyme	1 tsp	Essential for classic flavor.
	Dried Bay Leaf	1	Remove before serving.
	Salt & Black Pepper	To taste
	Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)	1 Tbsp

Instructions

1. Brown the Beef & Sauté Mirepoix

1. Heat the EVOO in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add the ground beef. Break it up with a spoon and cook for 6-8 minutes until fully browned. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Optional Step: Carefully drain off any excess fat from the pot, leaving about 1 tablespoon for flavor.
4. Add the Mirepoix Mix (onions, carrots, celery) directly to the pot. Stir and cook for 5-6 minutes until the onions soften.
5. Add the minced garlic and dried thyme. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

2. Simmer the Soup Base

1. Pour in the broth and the can of diced tomatoes (if using).
2. Add the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any flavorful browned bits.
3. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and let the soup simmer for 10-15 minutes to ensure the vegetables are tender and the flavors meld.

3. Add Barley & Finish

1. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
2. Stir in the pre-cooked barley. Since the grain is already cooked, you only need to heat it through (about 2-3 minutes).
3. If the barley absorbs too much liquid, add a splash more broth or water to reach your desired consistency.
4. Taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.

Other Notes

As I mentioned earlier, I cooked the barley in the broth when simmering the soup base. It still cooked quickly enough. When I reheated it, I added a little more broth to keep it soupy. The barley will soak up a lot in the fridge.

Rating

Cherokee and I enjoyed the soup. It was quick and convenient to make. Honestly, it did look kind of gross. It is ground beef, chopped up vegetables, and barley which when mixed looks a bit unappealing. C complained that it was “too brothy” but I think his real issue was vegetables.

We would definitely do it again.