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small cooked ground-beef crumbles, distinct pale barley grains, thin carrot half-moons, green-bean pieces and diced tomatoes in red-brown broth in a plain bowl, with no potatoes, noodles or garnish
Melissa Hart

Hamburger Barley Soup

Quick-cooking barley is essential to the timing here; regular pearled barley needs a longer simmer and isn't an even swap. Ground beef gives the soup a savory base without waiting for stew meat to become tender. Brown the crumbles first and drain them. Thin carrot pieces and frozen green beans then soften during the barley's short cooking window, leaving a brothy vegetable-and-beef soup with chewy grains instead of potatoes or a tangle of pasta.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb 90% lean ground beef
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 2 medium carrots cut into thin half-moons
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes with juices
  • 6 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1/2 cup quick-cooking barley with a 10-minute cooking time
  • 1 cup frozen cut green beans
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Method
 

  1. Brown beef and onion in a 6-quart pot over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, breaking beef into small crumbles and cooking it to 160°F. Drain excess fat.
  2. Add carrots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring from the bottom.
  3. Add tomatoes, broth, thyme, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a simmer.
  4. Stir in quick-cooking barley and green beans. Simmer partly covered for 10 to 12 minutes until barley and carrots are tender, stirring once or twice.
  5. Divide among 6 bowls with broth surrounding the beef, vegetables and grains.