To sear the beef, heat the olive oil in a big skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in the beef stew meat and brown it all over, stirring periodically. Take off the meat and put it to one side.
Toss in the chopped carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in the same skillet and sauté until tender. Once the veggies begin to soften, sauté for around 5 minutes.
Combine the barley and broth: Toss in the chopped tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, salt, and pepper with the beef broth. While the pearl barley is cooking, return the browned meat to the saucepan. Combine by stirring.
Simmer the Soup: After the soup comes to a boil, lower the heat to a low simmer. To make the barley soft and the meat cooked through, cover and simmer for around one hour.
Last Details: Take off the bay leaf and give the soup a taste. If it needs extra salt or pepper, add it.
Hot soup is ready to enjoy when ladled into bowls and topped with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Total Time: 1 hour and fifteen minutes (including 15 minutes for preparation and 1 hour for cooking).
Servings: 6 | Calories: 350
