Amish beef barley soup made with ground beef (hamburger) is a hearty, comforting meal that's quick and easy to prepare. Instead of using stew meat that takes longer to cook, this version uses ground beef for a faster, budget-friendly take on a classic soup.
It's loaded with tender barley, vegetables, and a rich broth, making it a complete one-pot meal that's perfect for busy days when you still want something warm and homemade. Simple, filling, and full of old-fashioned flavor - this is comfort food made easy.
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Why You'll Love This Amish Beef Barley Soup
- Hearty and filling - a complete meal in one bowl
- Simple ingredients - made with pantry staples
- Easy one-pot recipe - minimal cleanup and straightforward steps
- Perfect for busy days - comforting homemade soup without a lot of effort
- Great leftovers - the flavor is just as good the next day
Ground Beef Barley Soup
I love almost any cut of beef, and many beef barley soup recipes use beef roast or stew chunks. While beef chunks make a delicious soup, they take longer to cook.
So for this Amish beef barley soup, we are using ground beef. However, if you prefer, you are welcome to use beef chunks, although you will need to cook them longer.
Using ground beef, makes this a handy dish for a busy day. Isn't that what most of us are looking for nowadays? Simple, quick, and delicious. I know I'm always happy to find quick and easy meal ideas that my family will enjoy. And wintertime calls for hearty comfort food, making this old-fashioned vegetable beef barley soup a perfect go-to.
How to Make Easy Beef Barley Soup With Ground Beef
- Cook the Ground Beef:
- Crumble and brown one or two pounds of ground beef in a pan.
- Drain any excess fat and set the cooked beef aside.
- I brown and drain the ground beef separately for a lighter soup, but if you prefer, you can cook it directly with the vegetables for an easier one-pot method.
- Sauté the Vegetables:
- Add a tablespoon of oil or butter to a large cooking pot.
- Sauté minced garlic cloves, dried onion flakes (or a small chopped onion), diced carrots, and a diced rib of celery in the oil for several minutes until they begin to soften.
- Add Tomatoes and Seasonings:
- Add the petite diced tomatoes (undrained) and seasonings to the pot.
- Pour in 6 ½ cups of beef broth (or a combination of broth, water, and Better than Bouillon beef base).
- Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil.
- Add Barley and Simmer:
- Add the quick pearled barley to the pot.
- Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Serve:
- Serve the soup hot.
- Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator. Reheat and enjoy!
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What Kind of Barley Should I Use?
Barley is considered to be a heart-healthy grain. But honestly, I haven't cooked with it much, other than in this Amish soup recipe which I enjoy. So I'm not very familiar with different types of barley.
I always use Quaker's Quick pearled barley. So I recommend using Quick Pearl Barley, as any other kind will probably require longer cooking time.
You can usually find it at Walmart close to the rice and beans.
What Could I Serve With Beef Barley Soup?
This one-pot dish is a complete meal on its own. But if desired, there are some sides that go great with a bowl of barley soup as well.
One of the first things that come to my mind is homemade buttermilk biscuits, or perhaps you're a fan of moist homemade cornbread.
And if you're trying to incorporate more veggies into your diet, almost any kind of salad goes well with a bowl of soup. You could try this delicious broccoli and cauliflower salad, or a seven-layer lettuce salad.
More Amish Dinner Recipes With Ground Beef
More Amish Soup Recipes
I love soup weather because soups are comfort food, they're easy and quick to make, and it's dinner in one pot.
- Hearty Hamburger Soup is one of our family favorites
- Easy Potato Soup
- Vegetable Beef Soup
- Chicken Corn Noodle Soup
- Cheesy Chicken Chowder.
- The Best Amish Chili Soup and Beef Stew are also hearty comforting dishes that are loved by all.
There are just so many amazing recipes for soup, and I enjoy them all winter long. I hope you enjoy this Amish ground beef and barley soup. If you try this recipe, I'd love it if you left a comment and star rating below. Thank you!
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📖 Recipe Card
Amish Beef Barley Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 Tbsp. oil or butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp. dried onion flakes (or a small chopped onion)
- 2 - 3 carrots, diced
- 1 rib celery, diced
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- ½ tsp. salt (or to taste)
- ¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper (optional)
- 6 ½ c. beef broth (or use 4 c. broth and add 2 ½ c. water with 1 tsp. Better than Bouillon beef base)
- ⅔ c. Quick pearled barley
Instructions
- Crumble, brown, and drain the ground beef.1 lb. ground beef
- Add the oil to a large cooking pot. Saute the garlic, onion, carrots, and celery in the oil for several minutes.1 Tbsp. oil or butter, 2 garlic cloves, minced, 1 Tbsp. dried onion flakes (or a small chopped onion), 2 - 3 carrots, diced, 1 rib celery, diced
- Add the tomatoes, seasonings, and broth. Bring it to a full rolling boil.1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp. dried thyme, 1 tsp. dried oregano, 1 tsp. dried parsley flakes, ½ tsp. black pepper, ½ tsp. salt (or to taste), ¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper (optional), 6 ½ c. beef broth (or use 4 c. broth and add 2 ½ c. water with 1 tsp. Better than Bouillon beef base)
- Add the barley. Cover and reduce the heat. Simmer on low for about 30 minutes.⅔ c. Quick pearled barley
- Serve. Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator. Reheat and enjoy!This soup can also be frozen in airtight containers for later.
Kelly Hanlon
My family loved this soup. It was fantastic. It was also quick and easy to make after work.
Anna
Thank you for taking the time to leave a nice comment. It is one of our favorites!
Anna
So delicious!
Kelly
My family loved this recipe and it was so simple to make.
Anna
Thank you for taking the time to leave a kind comment. Glad you enjoyed it.