This Paleo Beef and “Barley” Soup is such a comforting meal! It’s loaded with chunks of tender beef, carrots, mushrooms and cauliflower rice in place of barley in a rich and flavourful beef broth. This hearty soup freezes well and can be made in the slow cooker, stove top or instant pot. It’s Paleo, Whole30, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free and Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal.
This Whole30 Beef & Barley Soup is the perfect cross between a stew and a soup. It’s chunky, with fall apart beef and tender veggies, all in a richly flavoured broth that is SO GOOD. I really love the depth of flavour in beef and barley soup and I think that this healthier version really nails it. In place of barley I have used cauliflower rice which doesn’t have quite the same chewiness as barley, but helps to bulk up the soup. This is a fantastic lightened up version of the the hearty soup that I think you guys are going to love.
Why you are going to love this Paleo Beef & “Barley” Soup:
- It’s so comforting and flavourful: This hearty soup is perfect for a cold winter’s day. It’s packed with beef, tender carrots, mushrooms and cauliflower rice and will leave you feeling satisfied (unlike so many other soups which don’t feel like a meal).
- The beef is insanely tender: The chunks of beef are so insanely tender that they literally melt in your mouth thanks to the low and slow cook time.
- The broth! The base of this soup is made with beef stock, balsamic vinegar and tomato paste and has an incredibly rich depth of flavour.
- It freezes well: This soup freezes really well so it’s a great one to make in a big batch and then enjoy for quick and easy meals throughout the winter.
- You won’t even miss the barley: Cauliflower rice makes for a fantastic grain free alternative to barley. It gives the soup substance and holds its shape, even after freezing, thawing and reheating.
How to store this Whole30 Beef & “Barley” Soup
Leftover soup will last for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. If you are making this soup specifically to be frozen, I would recommend cooking the cauliflower rice for just 2 minutes before transferring to a freezer proof container. Undercooking the cauliflower rice will help to ensure that it doesn’t become overcooked and mushy when you reheat it after thawing. This soup will last for up to 5 months in the freezer.
Love a chunky soup or stew? Here are a few other recipes that you might enjoy:
- Mexican Beef Stew
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Turkey Mulligatawny Soup
- Brisket Chili
- Spiced Lamb and Lentil Stew
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Beef & "Barley" Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 pounds chuck roast or stewing beef cut into 1 inch cubes
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 onion finely diced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 cups chopped mushrooms
- 2 cups chopped carrots
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 6 cup beef stock
- 3 cups cauliflower rice
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
- If your slow cooker has a sear function, put it on sear and heat the olive oil (alternatively you can put the oil in a pot on medium high heat) and add in the beef and sear it for 4 to 5 minutes until browned. Once the beef is all browned, set it aside on a plate.
- Leaving the slow cooker on sear, add in the garlic and onion, season with salt and pepper and cook for 4 minutes until the onion begins to soften. Next add in the carrots and mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Next add in the thyme, rosemary, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar and beef stock. Give the soup a stir and then return the cooked beef back in.
- Put the slow cooker on high heat and cook for 4 hours (or low heat for 6 hours) until the beef is fall apart tender.
- Once the beef is fork tender, add in the cauliflower rice and leave it to cook for 10 more minutes until the cauliflower rice is tender. Serve the soup garnished with parsley.
Stove top Instructions
- For steps 1- 3 sear the beef and vegetables on medium high heat. Lower the heat to low and leave the soup to cook on the stove top for 1 1/2 hours until tender.
- Once the beef is fork tender, add in the cauliflower rice and leave it to cook for 10 more minutes until the cauliflower rice is tender. Serve the soup garnished with parsley.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Turn the instant pot on sear, heat the olive oil and add in the beef and sear it for 4 to 5 minutes until browned. Once the beef is all browned, set it aside on a plate.
- Add in the garlic and onion, season with salt and pepper and cook for 4 minutes until the onion begins to soften. Next add in the carrots and mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Next add in the thyme, rosemary, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar and beef stock. Give the soup a stir and then return the cooked beef back in.
- Put the lid on the instant pot and turn to the sealing position. Turn on manual (high pressure), and cook for 16 minutes. Allow the pressure to release before removing the lid.
- Turn on sear and add the cauliflower rice to the soup. Leave to simmer for 8-10 minutes until the cauliflower is tender but not mushy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!
This soup is sooo good. The whole family liked it, even my 4 year old. The broth has a wonderful flavor. Thank you!
Thanks for leaving a review! I’m happy to hear that you liked it!
Do you think it will work well using ground beef instead?
I’m enjoying a bowl as I type this. This was my favorite soup as a child, which is the last time I ate it. This is the real deal. As soon as I took the lid of my IP off, I was transported back to my childhood. The smell of the broth is fantastic, as well as the taste. The meat is perfectly tender. March is giving it’s last blast of winter in my part of Canada today, and this soup is absolutely perfect. I can honestly say this is comfort food…it’s how I feel after having a bowl. Thank you for a healthy and easy version of a lifetime fave. This will absolutely be on regular rotation.
Hi Carmen:
I made a very large batch using 3.5 lbs of chuck I got from the delivery service at our supermarket. I’m the only one on SCD. The entire family loved it! This is excellent. I was going to freeze half of it for another week, but I was asked to leave it in the fridge for lunches, noshes, and dinners later this week. Thanks again for this creative and wonderful recipe.