Beef & Barley Vegetable Soup Soups, Stews & Chilis

Ingredients

• 1 lb. lean ground chuck
• vegetable cooking spray
• 4 cups water
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes
• 1 can (6 ounces) low-sodium cocktail vegetable juice
• 1/3 cup barley
• 1/3 cup dried green split peas
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 can (10 ounces) beef broth
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 tsp. dried whole oregano
• 1/4 tsp. dried basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 3/4 cup celery, chopped including leaves
• 1/2 cup carrot, sliced

Instructions

Coat a large Dutch oven with cooking spray. Place over medium-high heat until hot. Add ground chuck and cook until browned, stirring to crumble meat.

Drain meat on paper towels and pat dry. Wipe pan drippings from Dutch oven with paper towel.

Return meat to Dutch oven. Add water, tomatoes (undrained), vegetable juice, barley, split peas, onion, beef broth, pepper, oregano, basil, and bay leaf.

Bring mixture to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer for 45 minutes.

Stir in celery and carrots. Cover and simmer additional 30 minutes.

Remove and discard bay leaf and serve soup hot.