Beef Barley Soup
This Beef Barley Soup contains 39g protein and 603 calories per serving — a protein-forward broth that supports muscle-building and recovery targets. Six servings prepare on the stovetop with shelf-stable ingredients, making it reliable for long-term meal rotation. Scales efficiently across your weekly plan without requiring multiple recipes to hit protein goals.
Ingredients
- •Beef Chuck Roast(907g)
- •1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- •1 teaspoon ground black pepper (divided)
- •Yellow Onion
- •Celery
- •Carrots
- •Parsnip
- •Garlic
- •Mushrooms, Cremini(454g)
- •Olive oil(30g)
Regular (not extra-virgin) olive oil for high-heat cooking. EVOO for dressings.
- •Tomato Paste(30g)
- •Worcestershire Sauce(15g)
Lea & Perrins is the standard. A little goes a long way.
- •Paprika, Smoked(10g)
- •Thyme, Dried(5g)
- •Low Sodium Beef Broth(1920g)
- •2 bay leaves
- •Barley, Pearl, Dry(240g)
- •Vinegar, Red Wine(10g)
- •Parsley, Fresh(120g)
Instructions
- 1Cut the beef into 3/4-inch cubes, discarding any tough pieces of fat or gristle. Place in a bowl and season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Stir to coat. Let stand at room temperature while you chop the vegetables (this will help the beef soften).
- 2Chop the vegetables: dice the onion and celery. Peel the carrots and parsnips and cut into ½-inch chunks. Mince the garlic.
- 3In a Dutch oven or similar large, sturdy pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add as many pieces of beef as will fit in a single layer. Cook on all sides until the beef is well browned, about 8 minutes. Remove to a plate. Repeat with remaining batches, adding more oil to the pan if it seems dry. Do not crowd the pot, or the beef will not brown properly.
- 4Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, celery, and mushrooms. Saute until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary so that the vegetables do not burn.
- 5Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, Worcestershire, smoked paprika, and thyme. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- 6Stir in the carrots and parsnips, coating them with the cooking oils and spices.
- 7Return the beef to the pot. Pour in the stock. Add the bay leaf.
- 8Increase the heat to medium high and bring the liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and partially cover the pot. Let simmer for 45 minutes, until the beef is fairly tender.
- 9Stir in the barley and remaining ½ teaspoon black pepper. Continue to simmer over low, partially covered, until the barley is tender, about 45 minutes more.
- 10Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the parsley and vinegar. If the soup is thicker than you would like, thin it with additional water as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
Nutrition — Per Serving
603
calories
39g
protein
33g
fat
- Carbohydrates
- 39g
- Saturated fat
- 10.5g
- Sodium
- 546 mg
- Dietary fiber
- 8.4g
6 servings per batch · ~624g each
Macro data sourced from USDA FoodData Central
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How much protein does Beef Barley Soup have per serving?
Each serving provides 39g of protein and 603 calories with 33g fat and 39g carbs. The protein density is solid for a soup-format meal.
How long does Beef Barley Soup take to prep?
This quick prep recipe batch-cooks 6 servings at once, making it efficient for weekly meal prep on the stovetop. One cooking session gives you six ready-to-reheat meals.
Is Beef Barley Soup good for muscle gain?
At 39g protein and 603 calories per serving with 39g carbs, this soup supports muscle gain phases with balanced macros. The barley provides sustained carbohydrate energy alongside the protein for post-workout recovery.
