Beef Barley Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean beef, such as sirloin or round, cut into small cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 8 cups beef broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the beef over medium-high heat until it is nicely browned on all sides. Remove the beef from the pot and set it aside.
2. In the same pot, heat a little bit of oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots. Sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the beef back to the pot, along with the barley, beef broth, water, tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. Stir everything together.
4. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1-1/2 hours or until the beef is tender and the barley is cooked.
5. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary before serving. Enjoy!