Meat & Poultry Beef Steak Sirloin Steak Quick Beef & Barley Soup 4.2 (15) 12 Reviews Quick-cooking barley and sirloin helps get this beef-and-barley soup on the table in a snap—and it doubles easily. Serve with crusty bread and a glass of malbec. By EatingWell Test Kitchen EatingWell Test Kitchen The EatingWell Test Kitchen is a group of dedicated culinary professionals who develop and test our recipes. Our recipes go through a rigorous process, which includes testing by trained recipe testers, using different equipment (e.g., gas and electric stoves) and a variety of tools and techniques to make sure that it will really work when you make it at home. Testers shop major supermarkets to research availability of ingredients. Finally, a registered dietitian reviews each recipe to ensure that we deliver food that's not only delicious, but adheres to our nutrition guidelines as well. Learn more about our food philosophy and nutrition parameters. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 6, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD Reviewed by Dietitian Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD Christa Brown is a registered dietitian and business owner with a practice focus on diabetes management and content development for brands and fitness influencers. She is a licensed dietitian with a Master of Science in Nutrition Education and a certification in gut health by the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: Ana Cadena Cook Time: 40 mins Total Time: 40 mins Servings: 4 Yield: 4 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each Nutrition Profile: Diabetes-Friendly Dairy-Free Healthy Aging Low-Sodium Soy-Free Heart-Healthy High-Protein Egg-Free Low-Calorie Jump to Nutrition Facts Ana Cadena Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 8 ounces sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 medium onion, chopped 1 large stalk celery, sliced 1 large carrot, sliced 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme ¾ cup quick-cooking barley 4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth 1 cup water ¼ teaspoon salt 1-2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar Directions Sprinkle steak with 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the steak and cook, stirring often, until browned on all sides, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Ana Cadena Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil, onion and celery to the pot and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add carrot and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more. Add tomato paste and thyme and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are coated with the tomato paste and are beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Ana Cadena Add barley, broth, water, salt and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer; cook until the barley is tender, about 15 minutes. Return the beef and any accumulated juice to the pot and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vinegar to taste. Ana Cadena Equipment Dutch oven Frequently Asked Questions Is this recipe heart-healthy? Don't let the beef in this recipe trick you into thinking it can't be healthy. Sirloin is one of the leaner cuts of beef. Trimming off the fat makes it even leaner. Beef contains protein, iron and zinc—just to name a few nutrients—and can be a part of a varied heart-healthy diet. Is this recipe gluten-free? No, this recipe is not gluten-free since it contains barley, a gluten-containing grain. For another hearty—but gluten-free—beef soup recipe, try our Pot Roast Soup. Is there a substitute for sirloin steak? You can use flank steak as a substitute, which is a lean and flavorful cut of beef that cooks quickly. You'll only need 8 ounces of steak for the soup, so reserve the remainder for other flank steak recipes. Can I use dried thyme instead of fresh? If you don't have fresh thyme on hand, you can use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme instead. Can I make beef and barley soup ahead? Absolutely! Cool the soup completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days or freeze for up to three months. If the leftover soup gets too thick in the fridge, add a little more broth when you reheat it. Should you cook barley before adding it to soup? No, you don't need to cook the barley beforehand. We use quick-cooking barley, which is barley that has been parboiled and dried. Quick-cooking barley takes about 15 minutes to cook until tender, making this recipe perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. Additional reporting by Carrie Myers and Jan Valdez Originally appeared: EatingWell Soups Special Issue April 2016 Save Rate Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 273 Calories 9g Fat 29g Carbs 20g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Serving Size about 1 1/2 cups Calories 273 % Daily Value * Total Carbohydrate 29g 10% Dietary Fiber 5g 16% Total Sugars 4g Protein 20g 39% Total Fat 9g 12% Saturated Fat 2g 10% Cholesterol 30mg 10% Vitamin A 3232IU 65% Vitamin C 6mg 7% Folate 20mcg 5% Sodium 332mg 14% Calcium 44mg 3% Iron 2mg 9% Magnesium 24mg 6% Potassium 647mg 14% Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate. * Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.) (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.