Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Quick Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, 1/2-inch dice
1 medium parsnip, diced (optional but recommended)
8 oz (225 g) cremini mushrooms, quartered
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup (190 g) pearl barley, rinsed
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 can (14.5 oz / 410 g) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with juices
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1 bay leaf
5 cups (1.2 L) low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup (240 ml) water
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp apple cider or red wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Do This

1. Heat oil in a 5–7 quart cast iron Dutch oven over medium campfire heat or stovetop. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery for 5–7 minutes until softened.
2. Stir in potatoes, parsnip, and mushrooms; cook 4–5 minutes until lightly browned. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
3. Add tomato paste, smoked paprika, cumin, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper; cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant.
4. Stir in barley, fire-roasted tomatoes, broth, water, soy sauce, and bay leaf. Bring to a strong simmer.
5. Move pot to a gentle part of the fire (or reduce stove to low). Simmer partially covered for 50–60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until barley and vegetables are tender.
6. Stir in vinegar, adjust salt and pepper, and add more water or broth if you prefer a looser stew.
7. Remove bay leaf, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve steaming hot straight from the cast iron.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Deep, smoky flavor that tastes like it simmered all day over campfire coals.
Loaded with barley and hearty root vegetables for a filling, stick-to-your-ribs meal.
Cook it right over the fire in cast iron, or easily adapt it to an indoor stovetop.
Make-ahead and freezer friendly, so it is perfect for camping trips or cozy weeknights.

Grocery List

Produce: Yellow onion, carrots, celery, Yukon Gold potatoes, parsnip, cremini (or button) mushrooms, garlic, fresh parsley.
Dairy: None required (use butter instead of part of the oil if you like a richer stew).
Pantry: Olive oil, pearl barley, tomato paste, canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, water, soy sauce or tamari, smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried thyme, dried rosemary, bay leaf, kosher salt, black pepper, apple cider or red wine vinegar.

Full Ingredients

Stew Base

3 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 medium carrots, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 medium celery stalks, diced (about 3/4 cup)
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 12 oz / 340 g total)
1 medium parsnip, peeled and diced (about 3/4 cup; optional but adds great earthiness)
8 oz (225 g) cremini or button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup (190 g) pearl barley, rinsed under cold water and drained

Smoky Broth & Seasoning

2 tbsp tomato paste
1 can (14.5 oz / 410 g) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with their juices
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (use 2 tsp for extra smokiness)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme or 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp dried rosemary, lightly crushed between your fingers or 2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
5 cups (1.2 L) low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup (240 ml) water (plus up to 1 extra cup as needed to thin)
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari (adds depth and savoriness)
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste (if using table salt, start with 1/2 tsp)
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

Finishing & Garnish

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Optional: extra smoked paprika or freshly cracked black pepper for topping
Optional: a drizzle of good olive oil just before serving

Smoky Campfire Barley and Root Vegetable Stew – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Get Your Pot and Fire (or Stove) Ready

Choose a heavy cast iron Dutch oven, ideally 5–7 quarts, so the stew has plenty of space to simmer without boiling over.
If you are cooking over a campfire, build a medium fire and let it burn down until you have a bed of glowing coals with some gentle flames.
You want an area that gives you roughly medium heat under the pot, and a slightly cooler area where you can move the pot later for a slow simmer.

If you are cooking indoors, place the Dutch oven over medium heat on the stovetop. Have all of your chopped vegetables and rinsed barley ready near the pot so the cooking flows smoothly.

Step 2: Sauté the Aromatics and Root Vegetables

Add the olive oil to the warm Dutch oven. When the oil shimmers, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–7 minutes until the onion softens and turns translucent and the carrots begin to brighten in color.

Stir in the diced potatoes and parsnip. Cook for another 4–5 minutes, allowing the vegetables to pick up a bit of color on the edges.
A light golden browning on the bottom of the pot is good; those browned bits will dissolve into the broth and add flavor.

Step 3: Add Mushrooms, Garlic, and Smoky Spices

Add the quartered mushrooms to the pot. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they release some of their moisture and begin to shrink and brown at the edges.

Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant. Then add the tomato paste, smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried thyme, and dried rosemary.
Stir constantly for 1–2 minutes. The paste should darken slightly and coat the vegetables, and the spices should smell deeply aromatic and smoky, but not burned.

Sprinkle in the initial 1 tsp of kosher salt and the 3/4 tsp of black pepper, stirring to distribute the seasoning evenly.

Step 4: Build the Broth and Add the Barley

Pour in the rinsed pearl barley, fire-roasted diced tomatoes (with their juices), vegetable broth, water, and soy sauce or tamari.
Give everything a good stir, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits.
Drop in the bay leaf.

Increase the heat to bring the stew up to a steady simmer. On a campfire, place the pot directly over the hotter part of the coals or flame; on the stove, keep it at medium to medium-high heat until you see active bubbling around the edges.

Step 5: Simmer Low and Slow Until Tender

Once the stew reaches a lively simmer, move the Dutch oven to a slightly cooler part of the campfire (or reduce the stove to low or medium-low).
You are aiming for a gentle simmer: a few small bubbles breaking at the surface, not a rolling boil.

Partially cover the pot with its lid, leaving a small gap for steam to escape. Simmer for 50–60 minutes, stirring every 10–15 minutes to prevent the barley from sticking to the bottom.
If the liquid level drops too low before the barley is tender, add up to 1 extra cup of hot water or broth as needed.
The stew is ready for the next step when the barley is plump and tender with a slight chew, and the root vegetables are very soft at the edges.

Step 6: Adjust Consistency and Seasoning

When the barley and vegetables are cooked, taste the broth. Stir in the vinegar to brighten the flavors.
Add more salt and pepper as needed, tasting slowly so you do not over-season.
If you like a thicker, almost “timber camp” style stew, let it simmer uncovered for another 5–10 minutes to reduce and concentrate.
If you prefer a looser, more soup-like consistency, stir in additional hot water or broth a little at a time until it looks right to you.

Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Step 7: Garnish and Serve Rustic-Style

Just before serving, stir in most of the chopped parsley, reserving a little for the top.
Ladle the steaming stew directly from the cast iron pot into warm bowls or metal camp mugs.
Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and, if desired, a pinch of extra smoked paprika or a drizzle of olive oil.

Serve with crusty bread, grilled sourdough, or simple campfire toast.
Enjoy the hearty barley, sweet root vegetables, and smoky, woodsy broth while it is piping hot.

Pro Tips

Barley choice: This recipe is written for pearl barley. If you use hulled barley, plan on adding 10–15 more minutes of simmering and a bit more liquid.
Campfire heat management: Think of your fire like a stove with multiple burners. Keep a hot zone for bringing the stew to a boil and a cooler coal bed for the long simmer.
Do not rush the sauté: Browning the onions, carrots, and mushrooms builds deep flavor. If they start to scorch, add a splash of water and scrape the bottom clean.
Make it smokier: For a more pronounced campfire flavor, use the full 2 tsp smoked paprika and char the mushrooms or parsnips briefly over the fire before adding them.
Texture control: The stew continues to thicken as it sits. If reheating later, be prepared to stir in extra broth or water to loosen it back to your preferred consistency.

Variations

Lumberjack (meat) version: Brown 6–8 oz of diced smoked sausage or thick-cut bacon in the pot first. Remove, sauté the vegetables in the drippings plus 1–2 tbsp oil, then add the meat back in with the broth.
Bean and barley timber stew: Add 1 can (15 oz) of drained and rinsed cannellini or pinto beans during the last 15 minutes of simmering for extra protein and creaminess.
Spicy campfire kick: Stir in 1 finely chopped chipotle pepper in adobo (plus a teaspoon of its sauce) along with the tomato paste for a smoky, gently spicy stew.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Let the stew cool to room temperature, then transfer to airtight containers.
Refrigerate for up to 4 days. The barley will continue to absorb liquid, so expect the stew to thicken in the fridge.
When reheating on the stove or over a low campfire, stir in additional water or broth as needed and warm gently until steaming hot.

For longer storage, freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
This stew is an excellent make-ahead meal for camping: cook it at home, chill it, pack it in a cooler, then reheat in cast iron over the fire at your campsite.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values per serving (1/6 of the recipe): about 290 calories, 8–9 g fat, 48 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 9 g fiber, and 750–850 mg sodium (depending on the broth and soy sauce you use).
These values are estimates and will vary with specific ingredients and brands.

Smoky Campfire Barley and Root Vegetable Stew