My hearty leftover prime rib beef barley soup with mushrooms will leave you planning to make a lot more prime rib roast very soon. Save any rib bones for the best-ever prime rib soup bone broth that will make this soup even more amazing. It's hearty, delicious, and incredibly satisfying.
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Upgraded Beef & Barley Soup
My prime rib beef and barley soup is loaded with fantastic flavors and a wonderful assortment of complimentary vegetables; all made even better with tender leftover pieces from your prime rib roast holiday dinner.
Over the years, I have always prepared plenty of prime rib roasts during the holidays, and I enjoy making the usual leftover meals afterward.
However, I knew that with such an amazing roast (even if you use the less costly cross-cut portion or are preparing a standard roast beef or baron of beef) I really should be striving for some pretty phenomenal meals and recipes to create from those prime portions of perfectly roasted prime rib beef.
🥘 Ingredients
Don't let the ingredients make you think twice about making this soup. It's an amazing soup that deserves a few extra ingredients.
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
- Onion - 1 small yellow or white onion, diced. These are rich, flavorful, and aromatic which is what makes it such a good base for so many soups, sauces, and more!
- Garlic - 1 tablespoon of minced garlic.
- Rosemary - 1 sprig of rosemary. Another herb that makes great soups, and pairs well with beef and hearty proteins (or use a rosemary substitute).
- Bay Leaves - Use at least 3 leaves, up to 4, depending on their size (or use a substitute for bay leaves).
- Basil - ½ tablespoon of fresh, chopped basil.
- Butter - 2 tablespoons of butter. Use European butter for extra richness.
- Carrots - 4 small to medium-sized carrots, chopped.
- Parsnips - 2 small to medium-sized parsnips, chopped.
- Leek - 1 leek, cleaned and chopped.
- Celery - Three ribs of celery are part of the mirepoix or 'holy trinity' of vegetables used as soup and cooking bases - along with carrots and onion.
- Tomatoes - Two small tomatoes, chopped.
- Mushrooms - 8 ounces of mushrooms, rinsed and quartered. You can use buttons, bellas, crimini, or a combination of them.
- Tomato Paste - ⅓ cup of tomato paste. Builds that amazing tomato flavor in the soup base.
- Horseradish - ½ tablespoon of grated horseradish is added to this soup; hopefully, you have some in the refrigerator after serving my creamy horseradish sauce with your prime rib!
- Salt & Pepper - Adjust to taste.
- Red Wine - 1 cup of red wine. I used Malbec, but you can use any full-bodied red wine.
- Beef Broth - 9 cups of beef broth. Two portions, 6 cups, and 3 cups.
- Quick Barley - 1 cup of either quick or pearled barley.
- Prime Rib - 1 pound of leftover prime rib roast, chopped into 1" bite-sized cubes or strips.
- Red Wine Vinegar - ½ tablespoon of red wine vinegar.
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
🔪 How To Make Leftover Prime Rib Beef Barley Soup
There may be a few steps involved, but this prime rib soup is easily the very best soup you could use your roast leftovers in. All you need is a large stock pot, a cutting board, a knife, a saucepan, a wooden spoon, and your measuring utensils.
This recipe will make a hearty 8 portions of soup.
Make the Soup Base
- Heat and saute. Bring a large stock pot with 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of olive oil to medium-high heat. The oil should be shimmering when ready to sauté the onion and garlic. Add 1 onion, 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of garlic, 1 rosemary sprig(s), 3 bay leaves, and ½ tablespoon (7 grams) of basil then saute for 2-4 minutes until the onion and garlic are tender, no longer translucent, and fragrant.
- Add vegetables. Melt 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of butter with the sauteed onion and garlic, then add the remaining vegetables, including 4 carrots, 3 ribs of celery, 2 parsnips, 1 leek, 2 tomatoes, and 8 ounces (227 grams) of mushrooms. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in tomato paste and horseradish. After cooking, and the vegetables have softened, stir in ⅓ cup (87 grams) of tomato paste and ½ tablespoon (7 grams) of grated horseradish, then season with salt and pepper. Keep stirring the vegetables, tomato paste, and horseradish until the paste is evenly distributed throughout. The color of the tomato paste will also start darkening to a deep red color after about 3 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan. Stir in 1 cup (240 milliliters) of red wine, scraping the bottom of the soup pot to remove any stuck pieces. Continue cooking for about 3 minutes while the wine simmers off, reducing the wine by about half. *You can use more broth for this step for an alcohol-free alternative.
Add Prime Rib Leftovers
- Prime rib and broth. Add the cut portions of 1 pound (454 grams) of leftover prime rib (or roast beef, pot roast, or leftover steak) along with the first 6-cup (1440 milliliters) portion of beef broth. Stir, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 70-75 minutes.
- Wait to start the barley. Start cooking your barley (below) after about 45 minutes of simmering the soup.
How To Cook Barley For Soup
- Bring barley to a low boil. In a saucepan, bring the second portion of beef broth (3 cups / 720 milliliters) to a boil. Add 1 cup (184 grams) of barley and cook at a low boil over medium heat until al denté, or about 20 minutes.
- Transfer the barley. The liquid will not be absorbed completely; do not drain off excess broth. Add the broth and cooked barley to your soup.
Simmer & Serve
- Simmer and season. Finish cooking at a simmer after the barley and broth have been combined with the soup ingredients. The barley will be tender when cooked completely, about 10-12 minutes. *This is a great time to taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add a splash of red wine vinegar and serve. Remove the soup from heat when done, add ½ tablespoon (7 milliliters) of red wine vinegar, then serve immediately.
🥗 Sides
Garnish with more basil or fresh, chopped parsley if desired. Serve your soup on its own or pair it with a light garden salad and some butter herb Rhodes rolls. You can even serve it in a homemade bread bowl! Enjoy!
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💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- If you don't have any prime rib leftovers, you could cook some (try my grilled prime rib, oven-roasted prime rib, or smoked prime rib). On the other hand, you could also make this amazing soup using ground beef, some leftover steak, leftover pot roast, or even leftover brisket!
- If avoiding alcohol, you can substitute the red wine for an additional cup of beef broth.
- I highly recommend using the bones from your prime rib to make an incredibly delicious bone broth for this soup! If not, you can always use the storebought kind!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Leftover prime rib beef barley soup stores and freezes exceptionally well. The flavor has combined for an even more satisfying soup after a day or two.
Refrigerate any leftover prime rib soup in an airtight container. Your barley soup will last for up to 3-4 days when stored properly.
Freezing
Freeze your soup by storing it in an airtight freezer container. Frozen beef barley soup is good for up to 3 months.
Thaw any frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. *I do not suggest re-freezing the soup once it is thawed or reheated.
Reheating
The best way to reheat beef barley soup is on the stovetop. Place your desired portion into a saucepan and heat over medium-low until warmed.
Of course, the fastest way to reheat your soup is in the microwave. Portion your soup out into a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1-2 minutes; stir and continue heating in 30-second increments until fully heated.
🥩 What To Make With Leftover Prime Rib
Enjoy some of my other fantastic leftover prime rib recipes, including the wildly popular recipes for Leftover Prime Rib Beef Stroganoff or the post-Christmas breakfast dish, Leftover Prime Rib Hash, and my easy-to-make Prime Rib Pasta or Leftover Prime Rib Tostadas.
I'm always adding more, so be sure to check back often. Yum!
❓ Recipe FAQs
I find that using leftover prime rib truly makes this soup extra special! However, you may not have prime rib already ready to go. Instead, you could use stewing beef, leftover steak, chuck, or short rib.
If you've never used barley before, it is a grain that is similar to brown rice in both texture and size. There are a few different varieties of barley, so you can experiment and decide which one you like the best!
Absolutely! This is a fantastic make-ahead meal! Go ahead and make it completely, let it cool, and store it in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
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📖 Recipe Card
Leftover Prime Rib Beef Barley Soup with Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 yellow onion (small yellow or white onion, diced)
- 1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 3 bay leaves
- ½ tablespoon basil (fresh, chopped - more for garnish, if desired)
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 4 carrots (small to medium, chopped)
- 2 parsnip (small to medium, chopped)
- 1 leeks (cleaned and chopped)
- 3 ribs celery (chopped)
- 2 tomatoes (small, chopped)
- 8 oz mushrooms (rinsed and quartered - buttons, bellas, crimini or a mix all work)
- ⅓ cup tomato paste
- ½ tablespoon grated horseradish
- each, salt & pepper (to taste - we used about 1 ½ teaspoon salt & ½ teaspoon pepper)
- 1 cup red wine (we used malbec but also like syrah or cabernet sauvignon (any full-bodied red wine))
- 9 cups beef broth (2 portions - 6 cups/3 cups)
- 1 cup quick barley (quick or pearled)
- 1 lb prime rib roast (leftovers, chopped into 1 inch bite size portions)
- ½ tablespoon red wine vinegar
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, add the olive oil to the pot and bring the heat to medium high. Add the onion and garlic and saute with rosemary sprig, bay leaves, and basil for 2-4 minutes. Add the butter, then the rest of the vegetables (carrots, parsnip, leeks, celery, tomatoes, and mushrooms). Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once your vegetables have softened, add the tomato paste along with the grated horseradish and then season with salt and pepper. Stir until the paste is evenly distributed throughout the soup, stirring until it turns a deep red color (about 3 minutes).
- Add the red wine and stir into the vegetable base, removing any sticking vegetables from the bottom of the stock pot. Cook for about 3 minutes, reducing the wine by at least half.
- Add the cut leftover prime rib beef portions and the first 6 cup portion of beef broth. Stir to combine, cover, and allow to simmer on low for about 70-75 minutes.
- While the soup is simmering (about 40-45 minutes into the simmering period), bring a second sauce pan with 3 cups of the broth to a boil. Add the barley and cook at a low boil over medium heat until al dente, about 20 minutes. The liquid will not be absorbed completely, do not drain off excess broth.
- When the soup has simmered for about 70-75 minutes, and the barley has cooked, combine the barley and broth with the soup. Stir, cover and simmer for an additional 10-12 minutes or until the barley is tender.
- Remove the soup from heat. Stir in the red wine vinegar and serve immediately. Garnish with additional chopped basil (or parsley), if desired.
Notes
- If you don't have any prime rib leftovers, you could cook some (try my grilled prime rib, oven-roasted prime rib, or smoked prime rib). On the other hand, you could also make this amazing soup using ground beef, some leftover steak, leftover pot roast, or even leftover brisket!
- If avoiding alcohol, you can substitute the red wine for an additional cup of beef broth.
- I highly recommend using the bones from your prime rib to make an incredibly delicious bone broth for this soup! If not, you can always use the storebought kind!
Maura V says
Very good recipe! Have tried other leftover prime rib soup recipes which didn't come out well, will definitely make this again!
MKm says
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Kelly says
My family loved this! Best beef barley soup I have ever made!
JoAnna says
Lovely tasting soup. I was pleasantly please with the parsnips. Wish I would have put a little bit more barley in mine.
Deborah Olson says
Absolutely delicious, this has become my go to for the more well-done prime rib ends. I accidentally added an extra leek, but wow, what flavor!
I also used slow cooked garlic w/ hoisin sauce mushrooms that were made to serve with the prime rib, and that was great too.
Thank you for sharing, it has a permanent place in my recipe box.
Angela Latimer says
Thank you so much (to you and others) for the kind words after trying this much-loved family recipe. It warms my heart to know that others are trying it out and making it a part of their family's favorite soups too!
Melissa Steele says
YUM!!! Well worth the effort!
LJ says
Wonderful recipe. The horseradish is different, but adds depth. The only thing I would change is peeling the tomatoes. This is definitely part of my winter rotation. Thank you.
Tammy B says
I was looking for a soup recipe to make good use of leftover prime rib. This recipe was the first and only one I looked at. So glad I found it. I think it’s the best soup I’ve ever ate! Thank you for sharing it.
Anonymous says
This was $. Thanks.
Cathy A says
I have made this soup twice now. I use the meat leftovers and add the bone as well. Everyone I shared the soup with loves it! I have frozen it and just warm it from frozen and it is great! I keep some extra broth on hand for when the soup gets to thick. Getting ready to make it again, Thanks for the recipe!
Mary Dante says
I made Prime Rib for my husband and I at Christmas. While trying to find a recipe for the leftovers, I ran across this recipe, and fell in love! I also made my own beef broth from the bones. I made another Prime Rib yesterday, simply because I wanted to make this soup. So exited to make my soup tomorrow!
Thank you!
Maria says
I am about to eat this amazing dish. I made my broth before seeing yours, but it wasn't really to different. I must go dig in now. Amazing and thank.
Shane Stutzman says
I have been using this recipe for a couple of years now. Have a double batch simmering on the stove right now. Everyone I share it with says its the best beef barley they have ever had.
Tara says
This soup is so rich and delicious. Our local grocery store puts prime rib on sale right before Christmas every year. So now I look forward to the Prime Rib and the leftover soup as well. We follow the directions exactly as written and the soup is perfect. Thank you Angela for creating this recipe and sharing it.
A Gramma says
Fantastic soup. I didn't have parsnips so I added extra celery, mushrooms, and carrots. I did make bone broth the night before and it was amazing. One thing that I found a little strange was the 1/2 Tablespoon measurements? I personally don't have a 1/2 T measuring spoon in any of my many measuring spoon sets. 1 and a 1/2 teaspoons is equivalent and maybe a little easier for the novice chef to follow. Great soup recipe none the less. Am going to freeze single serve portions for grab and go work lunches. Thank you Angela. I look forward to trying some of your other recipes.
Kathy says
Where is the beef bone broth recipe
Angela Latimer says
It's linked in the notes, you can see the instructions for making bone broth here.
Christina B says
This is the second year I have made this recipe because it is so good. I used 4 leftover prime rib bones full of delicious meat to make your beef bone broth to use as the stock. The only thing I tried different this year was I added a few yukon potatoes all dices up. The richness in this soup is so spot on! Great job!
Katie Katie says
Delicious! Prep time definitely longer than 15 minutes.