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    Home / Quebec Kitchen / Soupe à l’Orge

    Soupe à l’Orge

    Soupe a l’Orge recipe: a hearty, rib-sticking barley soup simmered with beef, carrots and onions – the simple, frugal soup that warmed Quebec’s long winters.

    ⏱ 15 minPrep time
    🔥 30 minCook time
    🍽 4Servings
    🏷 Quebec KitchenCategory
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
    Soupe à l'orge, hearty Quebec barley soup with vegetables and beef in golden broth

    Soupe à l’orge has simmered on Quebec stoves for centuries, a frugal cousin of soupe aux pois that made the most of a soup bone, a handful of barley, and whatever vegetables the root cellar held. French-Canadian cooks knew that barley swells into a satisfying, gently nutty grain that turns a pot of broth into a full meal.

    What makes it great is its deep, honest flavor and that wonderfully chewy texture — tender barley, soft vegetables, and rich beef broth in every spoonful. It’s the soup you make on a Sunday and eat all week, getting better with every reheat, especially with a crusty loaf alongside.

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    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Brown the beef in a large pot in a little oil over medium-high heat until well colored on all sides.
    2. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook until the onion is soft.
    3. Rinse the barley and add it to the pot with the bay leaf, thyme, broth, salt, and pepper.
    4. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the barley is tender and the beef is falling apart.
    5. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then remove the bay leaf before serving.
    6. Ladle into bowls and serve hot with crusty bread.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Rinse the barley well and add it early — it needs a good hour to soften. For more flavor, brown the beef first in a little oil before adding the broth. The soup thickens as the barley swells, so add extra broth or water when reheating.

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    Recipe details

    Prep15 min
    Cook30 min
    Servings4
    CategoryQuebec Kitchen
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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