Classic meat soup with pearl barley

Pearl barley—specially processed barley grains—is an excellent inexpensive side dish and a wonderful topping for a variety of soups, making them much thicker and more filling. Making classic pearl barley soup at home is quite easy—just remember to soak the pearl barley for a few hours, or better yet, overnight.

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1:

Place the meat in a saucepan, cover with water and cook for about an hour over medium heat.

Step 2:

Finely chop the onion and place in a clean saucepan.

Step 3:

Cut the potatoes into small cubes and the carrots into very small cubes.

Step 4:

Chop the dill very finely.

Step 5:

Add butter to the pan with the onions and fry, stirring.

Step 6:

Remove the meat from the prepared broth, remove the bones and cut into pieces.

Step 7:

Dilute tomato paste with water, stir until smooth, add to the onion and fry for about a minute.

Step 8:

Add the meat and fry for about two minutes.

Step 9:

Strain the broth through a sieve into a saucepan, add the pearl barley, pour in a liter of water and cook for 15 minutes.

Step 10:

Add potatoes and carrots, stir, add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 11:

Cook with the lid half-closed over medium heat until done.

Cooking tips

Pearl barley should be pre-soaked for 2-3 hours.

For pearl barley soup, you should use meat with the bone - the broth will be richer.

Don't overcook the onion, otherwise the soup will be bitter.