Hearty Persian Beef Barley Soup (Printable)

Persian-inspired soup with tender beef, barley, beans, fresh herbs, and tangy sour cream topped with mint-fried onions.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Meats

01 - 1.1 lb beef stew meat, cut into 3/4 inch cubes

→ Grains & Legumes

02 - 1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed
03 - 1/2 cup dried lentils, rinsed
04 - 1/2 cup dried white beans or cannellini beans, soaked overnight and drained

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 medium carrots, diced
07 - 2 stalks celery, diced
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Herbs & Greens

09 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
11 - 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
12 - 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
13 - 2 tablespoons dried mint for garnish and fried onions

→ Dairy & Garnishes

14 - 7 oz sour cream or Persian kashk

→ Pantry & Spices

15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
16 - 1 tablespoon butter for fried onions
17 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
18 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
19 - 1.5 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
20 - 8.5 cups beef or vegetable stock

# Directions:

01 - In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add beef cubes and brown on all sides for about 5 minutes. Remove beef and set aside.
02 - Add remaining olive oil to the pot. Sauté chopped onions until golden, about 6 minutes. Stir in garlic, turmeric, black pepper, and salt; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add carrots and celery to the pot and cook for another 3 minutes.
04 - Return beef to the pot. Add barley, lentils, soaked beans, and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Add chopped parsley, cilantro, dill, and chives to the soup. Simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - In a small skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add a thinly sliced onion and cook until deeply golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Stir in dried mint and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat.
07 - Ladle the soup into bowls. Swirl 1 to 2 tablespoons of sour cream into each serving and top with mint-fried onions. Serve hot with crusty bread or Persian flatbread.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a complete meal in one pot—tender beef, hearty legumes, fresh herbs all working together to make you feel genuinely nourished.
  • The flavor deepens as it simmers, but the bright herbs at the end keep it from ever feeling heavy or one-dimensional.
  • Those crispy mint-fried onions are honestly what changed my life about this dish; they add a textural contrast that makes every spoonful interesting.
02 -
  • Don't skip the browning step with the beef; it's not about saving time, it's about building flavor that no amount of simmering can replicate later.
  • Taste the soup before you serve it and adjust the salt and pepper; the broth concentrates as it cooks, and store-bought stock can vary wildly in saltiness.
03 -
  • If your beef isn't browning properly, your pot temperature isn't high enough or you're crowding the pan; give the meat space and let the heat do the work.
  • The difference between good and great comes down to not rushing the simmering phase—those ninety minutes aren't just cooking time, they're flavor development time.
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