Paula Deen Lighter Vegetable Beef Soup

Paula Deen Lighter Vegetable Beef Soup is a filling pot of lean sirloin, pearl barley, and fresh vegetables. It feeds ten and simmers for about two hours. This is weeknight comfort from the Deen Brothers, built for a cold evening when you want something warm without the heaviness.

Browning the beef before it goes into the broth is what makes this soup work. Those dark bits on the bottom of the pot dissolve into the liquid and give it real body. Skip that step and the broth tastes flat, no matter how long it cooks.

Cut all your vegetables before you start. Once the beef is browned, things move fast. The barley and okra cook right in the pot, so there is nothing to prep on the side. This soup keeps well and freezes even better.

Paula Deen Lighter Vegetable Beef Soup

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: SoupCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

40

minutes

Calories

155

kcal

A lighter take on Southern vegetable beef soup with lean sirloin, shiitake and button mushrooms, pearl barley, and okra simmered together in a seasoned beef broth until tender.

Ingredients

• 1 lb cut into 1-inch chunks lean boneless beef sirloin
  

• 2 teaspoons Olive oil
  

• 1/2 lb tough stems removed and sliced shiitake mushrooms
  

• 1/2 lb sliced white button mushrooms
  

• 1 large cleaned and thinly sliced leek
  

• 2 sliced carrots
  

• 2 diced ribs celery
  

• 3 cloves minced garlic
  

• 6 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
  

• 2 cups canned diced tomatoes
  

• 2 cups or fresh sliced frozen okra
  

• 2 cups water
  

• 1/2 cup rinsed pearl barley
  

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  

• 3/4 teaspoon Paula Deen House seasoning
  

• 1/2 lb cut into 1-inch pieces green beans
  

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

• Brown the beef: Spray a nonstick Dutch oven with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
• Build the soup: Add the oil to the Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, leek, carrots, celery and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, okra, water, barley, Worcestershire and House seasoning; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Add the green beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle with the parsley.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, Cuisinart fine mesh strainer set, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use regular stew meat instead of sirloin?

You can, but the soup will be richer and heavier. Sirloin is leaner, which is the whole point of this lighter version. If you go with stew meat, trim off any large pieces of fat before browning.

How long does this soup last in the fridge?

It keeps for four to five days refrigerated and freezes well for up to three months. The barley absorbs liquid as it sits, so add a splash of broth when you reheat it.

Can I use quick-cook barley instead of pearl barley?

Yes, but add it in the last ten minutes of cooking instead of at the start. Quick-cook barley falls apart if it simmers too long. The flavor stays the same, just watch the timing.

Do I have to use okra?

You do not. Okra adds body to the broth and a bit of Southern character, but if the texture bothers you, swap it for corn or diced zucchini. Add either one in the last ten minutes so it does not turn to mush.

Why use two kinds of mushrooms?

Shiitake mushrooms give the broth a deeper, almost meaty flavor. Button mushrooms add bulk and a milder taste. Together they make the soup feel rich without extra fat, which is how this recipe stays lighter.