This leftover prime rib beef barley soup with mushrooms will leave you planning to make a lot more prime rib roast in the very near future! 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!
Best Prime Rib 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 during the holidays, and I enjoy making the usual leftover meals afterward.
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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) that I really should be striving for some pretty phenomenal meals and recipes to create from those prime portions of perfectly roasted prime rib beef.
🥘 Leftover Prime Rib Beef Barley Soup Ingredients
Don't let the ingredients make you think twice about making this soup! It's an amazing soup that really 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!
💭 Tips & 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! As a matter of fact, 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 Prime Rib Soup
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 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 to your satisfaction.
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 in!
>>>>See all of my recipes HERE<<<<
❓ FAQ
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.
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
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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
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.
Equipment You May Need
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!
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
Katie Katie says
Delicious! Prep time definitely longer than 15 minutes.
Anonymous says
This was delicious! I made my beef broth with the leftover 7 ribs from Christmas roast. Using my pressure steamer, set on high for 25 minutes and released the pressure naturally. This helped mature the broth and it allowed the meat to melt off the bone. I discarded the bone, cartilage and joint and then separated the broth from the fat with an OXO strainer after it cooled.
I added a couple of Yukon potatoes because I love stews with this creamy potato.
Colleen Perez says
I made this soup today using our leftover prime rib bones from Xmas dinner. I did not have parsnips, leeks or barley, so I added chopped potatoes to the vegetables and when the soup was done I stirred in the leftover mashed potatoes I had in order to thicken the soup. I’d like to make this with all the listed ingredients next time, but even with the substitutions, the soup was rich and delicious. My husband loved it!
Kim says
This was delicious and a great use of leftovers! Is the soup freezer friendly for single serving lunches?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Thanks Kim! Yes, you can freeze the soup in single serving portions. Allow the soup to thaw in the fridge overnight, then heat in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove top until warmed.
Karen says
I'm dying to try your recipe. I have two questions, I don't have access to fresh horseradish, so can I use prepared instead and if so, how much should I use? Second, why do you prepare the barley (to al dente) then add it to the soup as opposed to cooking it completely in the soup? Thanks for your response 🙂
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Hi Karen, yes, you can definitely use other forms of horseradish. I have a guide to help with that here on my horseradish substitute page. I cook the barley first to get the right consistency in both the barley and the soup. Cooking the barley in your soup will thicken the soup, therefore, it's best to cook it to al dente on its own. Thanks for asking!
Karen says
Thanks for your quick reply, Angela. I really appreciate it 😊
Nick P. says
Now retired, I putter around at the stove to stay out of my wife’s hair as well as feed my enjoyment of cooking. I made this soup and think only a goddess or devil can come up with this level of enjoyment. One of the few products of my kitchen that I was comfortable in sharing. Truly a concoction fit for the finest restaurant I have even visited. Well done! I am gathering the ingredients for another batch next week. Thanx!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I've tinkered with this soup, and after 15 heavy edits and a few small tweaks we are really satisfied with the results. 🙂 And it makes me unbelievably happy to know that someone else found it just as delicious as I do! Thank you for coming back and sharing your results!
Anonymous says
My father said it was the best soup he’s ever had! Thanks for the recipe.
Theresa Middlebrooks says
Love this recipe. Such a depth of flavor. I will make this again even if I don't have leftover beef.
Steph Wassmuth says
Question - where do the bones come in? I have two leftover with lots of meat on them but I’m not sure what step they belong in.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I need to add some more info on this, sorry! 🙂 Ok, so the BEST way to use bones for both is to peel off all of the meat and coat the bones with a nice tomato paste and herb mixture then roast at 450F for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and use to make your stock by starting with enough water to cover them and bring the pot to a slow simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes then strain and discard the bones. Use the broth as your soup base.
*You can also just bring the bones (with meat on) and water to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes to make your broth but roasting the bones gives more depth of flavor and better color to your soup.
Let me know if you have any other questions, thanks!
Anonymous says
This soup is delicious!! I will definitely be making this again!!
Kris says
What would you suggest I use as a substitute for the barley which I do not have on hand? Would you use rice or pasta, like penna or rigatoni?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I would use the smallest pasta grain you could find or have on hand. Orzo would be a great choice as would any other pastina, stelline, or even small ditalini. If you don't have one of the small pasta types on hand, you could use macaroni, small shells, or even rotini. Enjoy!
Anonymous says
Amazing soup!
Krista says
Amazing! Delicious❤️❤️ I have been craving beef barley soup for quite awhile!!! So yummy.
Just one question the soup was rather sweet. I had to leave out the horse radish (husband does not like to) is there anyway to cut the sweetness? I tried salt but did not want to over salt....
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Hi Krista! So glad you enjoyed the soup, to modify and reduce the sweetness I would substitute the tomato paste (the soup would be slightly thinner) with tomato sauce or diced tomatoes. The yellow onion is sweet too, you could use white onion instead. You could also let him know that I'm not a huge fan of horseradish by itself either, but it is not a featured flavor in the beef barley soup. The horseradish really does pull the soup flavors together 🙂
Landon LaPalm says
Can this be made in a slow cooker and do you have any recommendations on how to do that?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
You can, but this recipe really is best if the flavors are layered to create the best soup possible.
To make in a crockpot, combine starting ingredients (prior to the barley, it still has to be cooked as instructed before adding into your crockpot soup). Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours. Add the cooked barley and leftover prime rib portions and cook on high for an additional 15-30 minutes. Stir in the red wine before serving.
Caitlin says
This soup is fantastic! It hits every note!!! I added some of the bones and it was amazing! I will def make this again!
Samantha says
Can this be made in a slow cooker?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Hello Samantha, yes, this can easily be made in a slow cooker. Assemble the ingredients (minus leftover prime rib portions) and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or low for 6 hours, until all the vegetables are tender. Add the prime rib and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until completely warm. That should do it! Thanks for asking 🙂
*PS, I'd use any au jus that you have left over to enrich the beefy flavor.
Madison Bruce says
This is quite possibly the best soup I've ever made and I've been making homemade soups going on 40 years now. I was skeptical what with the leeks and parsnips, but dang, this soup was off the chart!! I'm sharing this recipe far and wide!
Ann says
Made it with the leftovers from a disappointing rib roast (choice quality, not prime, a mistake I will not repeat) and kept my fingers crossed. Whew! Soup received rave reviews all around. The beef was tender. I cut the mushrooms in chunks, not sliced, which added texture and depth of flavor. I used high quality organic pearled barley. My homemade stock from the disappointing roast was sour so I opted for boxed beef stock, one low sodium, the other no sodium. Paired the soup with a mixed tender greens, pear, pomegranate and salted cashew salad, rosemary olive loaf and a lovely Syrah red wine. Would not change a thing.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Ann, that is fantastic news that the soup helped turn a disappointing roast into something you all enjoyed!! Thank you very much for stopping in to let us know how it all turned out!
Casey Perna says
Great soup! Added bones of prime rib to the soup while cooking it for 75 mins. This added a lot of flavor. I also added more fresh horseradish and garlic as we like things a little more kicked up. I’ll make this every time I have leftover prime rib!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Casey, adding the bones is the one thing that would definitely make the soup better!! I know my husband would love the additional horseradish and garlic as well! So glad you enjoyed the soup 🙂
Ashley C says
I made this with our failed prime rib (ugh, it was delish but our guests arrived two hours late, by choice! RRrrrrr). My husband, who is a chef, usually snubbs his nose at simple fair, like soup, but he was in love with this. I think he went back for thirds. Woohoo, a win! I did leave out the horseradish and parsnips, simply because I didn't have any. And, I did take the time to brown some of my meat in a pan. I was hoping it would add some extra beefy flavor, but to be honest, I liked the tenderness of the pieces I didn't brown better. I'll pass on that added step and clean-up next time. Finally, because I was short on time, I did it with my pressure cooker. After sauteing the veg (and meat browning), I chucked it all in and let it rip at high pressure for 25 minutes. Voila, dinner done. Thanks for the great recipe!!
Mark says
Really Yummy!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Super!! So glad to hear that you liked it!
Debra C ROllins says
This soup will be the perfect one to use up my holiday bits. Have crudite, open red wine and just enough Prime rib. YEAH!!!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Yay! You're ready to go...and it is a fantastic, filling soup! Hope you love it as much as our family does 🙂
Debra C ROllins says
Angela,
I have to say this was one of the best soups I've ever made and being a chef, I've made a lot of soup. I didn't have barley but no matter, it was just amazing. Froze quite a bit and didn't want to share with my brother like I usually do, eating it all myself.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Thank you Debra for the wonderful compliment! We have always felt the same way about this soup, it really is so nice that it has been well received and enjoyed!