Description
Do you have a store of leftover vegetables languishing in your refrigerator? Use them up with this scrumptious soup.
Ingredients
1 1⁄2 pounds
ground beef 2
onions (finely diced) 4
carrots (diced) 3
celery stalks (diced) 1⁄2 cups
barley 1 can
diced tomatoes (28 ounce can (680ml)) 2
bay leaves 4 cups
beef broth 1 teaspoon
garlic (minced) 1 can
tomato paste (optional) 1⁄2 teaspoons
dried thyme or Italian seasoning 1 pinch
chilli flakes (optional) 1 tablespoon
olive or vegetable oil 1 tablespoon
soya sauce (optional) 1 tablespoon
chopped parsley or green onions (optional)Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat and crumble in the ground beef. Cook and stir until the beef is evenly browned and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease.
- Stir in the onion, carrots, celery and barley and let cook for one minute. Pour in diced tomatoes, broth and the tomato paste (if using).
- Season with bay leaves, garlic, thyme, chilli flakes and salt and pepper. (Add half a teaspoon of salt now and taste the soup later to see if it needs more.)
- Add the parsley or green onions and stir in. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover the pot. Simmer for about 2 hours, stirring often.
- Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed. Let simmer a few more minutes if you add more seasoning.
- Remove bay leaves before serving. Garnish with more parsley or chopped green onion if desired.
Notes
- Instead of using barley you can use pasta. Cook some pasta shells in a separate pot and add to the soup bowls before serving. Don't add the pasta directly to the pot of soup as the pasta will soak up a lot of the broth and become soggy.
- You can also put shredded lettuce, bean sprouts or a handful of baby spinach in the bottom of the bowl before adding the soup for added flavour.
- You can add other vegetables to the soup or other preferred seasonings, such as a dash of chilli flakes.
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