Slow-Cooked Beef and Barley Stew with Root Vegetables

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-24 · Updated 2026-04-24

A comforting stew featuring tender beef, chewy barley, and a medley of root vegetables simmered to perfection. This French-inspired comfort-food recipe, ready in about 90 minutes, pairs stew beef, olive oil, onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 lb, cubed stew beef
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large, diced onion
• 2, peeled and diced carrots
• 2, peeled and diced parsnips
• 2 stalks, diced celery
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

The Dutch oven we’d braise this in → Best Dutch Ovens for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 lb cubed stew beef and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.
2. Step 2: Add 1 large diced onion, 2 diced carrots, 2 diced parsnips, and 2 diced celery stalks. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables soften slightly.
3. Step 3: Stir in 4 cups beef broth, 1 cup pearl barley, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
4. Step 4: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes until beef is tender and barley is cooked through.