Persian-Inspired Beef Barley Soup (Printable)

Persian-inspired soup with tender beef, barley, beans, lentils, fresh herbs, and mint-fried onions.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1.1 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 0.75 inch cubes

→ Grains & Legumes

02 - 1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed
03 - 1/2 cup dried lentils, rinsed
04 - 1/2 cup dried white beans or cannellini beans, soaked overnight and drained

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 medium carrots, diced
07 - 2 stalks celery, diced
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Herbs & Greens

09 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
11 - 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
12 - 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
13 - 2 tbsp dried mint for garnish and fried onions

→ Dairy & Garnishes

14 - 7 oz sour cream or Persian kashk

→ Pantry & Spices

15 - 2 tbsp olive oil
16 - 1 tbsp butter for fried onions
17 - 1 tsp ground turmeric
18 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
19 - 1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
20 - 8.5 cups beef or vegetable stock

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add beef cubes and brown on all sides for approximately 5 minutes. Remove beef and set aside.
02 - Add remaining olive oil to the pot. Sauté chopped onions until golden, approximately 6 minutes. Stir in garlic, turmeric, black pepper, and salt; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add carrots and celery to the pot and cook for 3 minutes.
04 - Return beef to the pot. Add barley, lentils, soaked beans, and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Add chopped parsley, cilantro, dill, and chives to the soup. Simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - In a small skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add a thinly sliced onion and cook until deeply golden and crisp, approximately 10 minutes. Stir in dried mint and cook for 1 additional minute. Remove from heat.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Swirl 1 to 2 tablespoons of sour cream into each serving and top with mint-fried onions. Serve hot with crusty bread or Persian flatbread.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen when you actually only spent two hours, and most of that is just simmering.
  • The contrast between the hot, silky soup and those crispy mint-fried onions feels like a small luxury in a bowl.
  • High in protein and fiber, so it actually keeps you satisfied, not just briefly full.
  • The Persian spice profile is warm and aromatic without being overwhelming or spicy.
02 -
  • Don't skip soaking the beans overnight, or they'll cook unevenly and some will still be hard while others are mushy.
  • If your sour cream is very thick, thin it with a little warm broth before swirling so it actually blends into the soup instead of just sitting on top.
  • The fried onions will lose their crispness if you add them too early, so make them last and add them right before serving.
03 -
  • If you don't have time to soak beans overnight, cover them with boiling water and let them sit for an hour, then drain and use them, though overnight is ideal.
  • Make the fried onions up to two hours ahead and keep them in an airtight container so they stay crispy, then warm them gently in a dry skillet for thirty seconds before serving.
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