Ingredients
1 pound package lean ground beef (96%), see shopping tips
2 (32-oz) containers Swanson’s reduced-sodium beef broth or your favorite broth
1 (14.5 oz) can Swanson’s reduced-sodium beef broth
1 (14.5 oz) can tomatoes, diced
¾ cup dried pearl barley, see shopping tips
1½ cups carrots, sliced
1½ cups celery, sliced
1½ cups onions, chopped
1½ cups zucchini, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried sage
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
3 cups fresh spinach leaves
Directions for Stove Top:
1. In a large nonstick pot or pan, brown ground beef. Pour into a colander in sink and drain fat. Add beef back to pot. Pour in all the beef broth, tomatoes and barley. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer, cover pot and cook for 15 minutes.
2. Add the carrots, celery, onions, zucchini and garlic to the broth. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, thyme, sage and fresh ground pepper. Cook uncovered 50 minutes
3. Stir in spinach leaves and cook 2 minutes more. Remove the bay leaf.
4. This soup freezes great.
Makes 12 cups total: 8 main course servings (1½ cups each)
Directions for Crock Pot:
Note: You’ll need a large (6 quart) crock-pot. If you don’t have one this large, you can use a smaller crock=pot and cut the recipe in half.
1. In a large nonstick pot or pan, brown ground beef. Pour into a colander in sink and drain fat.
2. Place beef and all ingredients in the crock pot, except spinach. Mix together well.
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH heat for 3 1/2 hours until veggies and barley are soft. Stir in spinach, cover and cook on high for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
Nutrition Facts
for 1½ cups serving
172 calories
2g fat
1g sat fat
25mg chol
17g protein
21g carbs
4g fiber
704mg sodium
4g sugar
