Name: Beef & Barley Skillet with Roasted Root Vegetables
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1½ pound ground beef; 1 cup pearl barley; 4 cup beef broth; 3 medium carrot; 2 medium parsnip; 1 large yellow onion; 4 cloves garlic; 2 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 2 teaspoon thyme; 1 whole bay leaf; 2 tablespoon olive oil; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Beef & Barley Skillet with Roasted Root Vegetables

weeknightheartyhigh-protein

15 minPrep50 minCook4Serves

Ingredients

1½ poundground beef
1 cuppearl barley
4 cupbeef broth
3 mediumcarrot
2 mediumparsnip
1 largeyellow onion
4 clovesgarlic
2 tablespoontomato paste
1 tablespoonWorcestershire sauce
2 teaspoonthyme
1 wholebay leaf
2 tablespoonolive oil
½ teaspoonsalt
¼ teaspoonblack pepper

Prep

01
Dice 1 large yellow onion.
02
Mince 4 cloves garlic.
03
Peel and cut 3 medium carrots into 1/2-inch chunks.
04
Peel and cut 2 medium parsnips into 1/2-inch chunks.

Method

01
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it into chunks, until deeply browned, about 8–10 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
02
Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to caramelize slightly. Add minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
03
Pour in beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add pearl barley, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer.
04
Toss diced carrot and parsnip with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Scatter over the broth mixture.
05
Cover and simmer gently for 40–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until barley is tender and vegetables are soft. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Spice Tips

For deeper savory warmth, add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika with the tomato paste. For earthiness, try 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano. A pinch of red pepper flakes at the end adds gentle heat without overpowering the cozy character.

Make ahead: this dish tastes even better the next day, as flavors deepen. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth. Ground beef with 15–20% fat yields the most flavor here.