Dr Mobeus
Budget Beef and Barley Soup
Beef mince is one of the most versatile budget ingredients, but a little goes a long way in soup. This recipe uses just 150g of mince – about 75p worth from a budget pack – stretched across four generous bowls with the help of pearl barley and root vegetables. The result is a thick, comforting soup that sticks to your ribs and costs 80p per portion.
Total cost: £3.20 (£0.80 per portion) – Serves 4 people. Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 40 mins
Budget Beef and Barley Soup
A thick, hearty soup that uses a small amount of budget beef mince stretched across four generous portions. Pearl barley adds body and fills you up for hours.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the beef mince and brown for 4-5 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon.
- Add the diced onion, carrots and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Stir in the tomato puree and dried thyme. Cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in the beef stock and add the pearl barley and bay leaf. Bring to the boil.
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes until the barley is tender and the soup is thick.
- Remove the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.
Tips and Variations
Use lamb mince instead of beef for a richer, slightly sweeter flavour. Add a handful of frozen peas or sweetcorn in the last 5 minutes for extra veg. This soup thickens as it sits, so add a splash of water when reheating if needed.
Is it cheaper to make this from scratch? Use our Cook vs Buy Calculator to compare the real cost of homemade vs shop-bought.
