A warm, comforting soup made with slow-cooked onions, tender beef, barley, and herbs in a creamy, savory broth. A fusion of French onion soup and classic beef stew in one hearty bowl.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
1½ lbs beef chuck or stew meat, cut into small pieces
4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
¾ cup pearl barley
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
6 cups beef broth
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, bay leaf, fresh thyme for garnish
Instructions
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In a large pot, melt butter with olive oil over medium-low. Add onions and a pinch of salt. Cook 35–45 minutes, stirring often, until deeply golden.
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While onions cook, sear beef in batches until browned. Set aside.
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Stir garlic and thyme into onions. Cook 1 minute. Add flour and cook 2 minutes.
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Pour in 1 cup broth to deglaze. Add remaining broth, barley, beef, and bay leaf.
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Simmer covered for 50–60 minutes until beef and barley are tender.
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Stir in cream and Parmesan. Simmer 5 more minutes. Season to taste.
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Serve hot with optional toppings.