Mushroom beef soup both nutritious and filling

A good pot of soup doesn’t need a lot of fuss to be satisfying, and there’s real comfort in knowing you’ve made a hearty meal that warms the tummy without breaking the bank. 

This mushroom, beef, and barley soup is packed with flavor and wholesome ingredients—tender beef, earthy mushrooms, kale, carrots, potatoes, and nutty barley come together to create a dish that’s as nutritious as it is filling. It’s the kind of recipe that sticks with you, perfect for feeding a hardworking family after a long day. Simple, affordable, and comforting — this is the kind of meal that feels right at home here in the Flathead Valley. 

MUSHROOM, BEEF AND BARLEY SOUP

2 TBSP Olive Oil

2 cups carrots, diced

3 cups Mushrooms: brown, button baby portobello, porcini, stems removed & sliced

2 ribs celery, with leaves, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced fine

1 cup onion, chopped

2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

3 TBSP butter

1 lb ground beef lean

2 cups pearl barley

12 cups vegetable or beef stock

3 cups chopped kale or Swiss chard, ribs removed

2 cups baby Yukon gold potatoes, quartered

4-5 sprigs fresh thyme

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp ground pepper (heaping teaspoon)

1 tsp celery salt

½ cup red wine, like a petite Syrah

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil. Add in the carrots, celery, and onions. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until just tender. Add in the garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Stir in the mushrooms with the butter. Let the mushrooms cook on medium-low heat. Do not fuss with the pot. You want the mushrooms to develop a browned edge- too much stirring prevents browning. Add the beef and brown with the vegetables until just barely cooked. Stir in the salt, pepper, thyme, celery salt, Worcestershire, and red wine.

Toss in the barley and coat well with the fat from the pot and the beef. Slowly pour in the vegetable or beef stock- add it in 4 cups at a time. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

Add in the potatoes. Cover and cook for another 15 minutes. Remove the thyme stems.

Stir in the kale and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes more. Test for seasonings. Add more salt, pepper, etc. if desired. Once the kale is tender and the potatoes are fork-tender, the soup is ready to serve.

COOKING NOTES

This soup will last in the fridge for up to 5 days. Add more water or stock to loosen it up.

You can omit the red wine and substitute tomato paste or tomato sauce to elevate the flavors in the soup.

Add dried mushrooms by reconstituting them in hot water. Save the mushroom water for the soup- it is rich in flavor.

Mushroom or hearty vegetable stock broth is a good substitute for beef broth 

Find this and more recipes by Meggen Wilson on her Whitefish-based food blog Pine and Palm Kitchen at www.pineandpalmkitchen.com.