Print

Hearty Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup

Close-up of a white bowl filled with rich beef barley soup, featuring chunks of beef, carrots, celery, and barley.
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Prepare a filling and savory beef and barley soup using your slow cooker for easy weeknight cooking. This recipe yields tender beef and wholesome vegetables.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional, for searing)

Instructions

  1. If searing beef, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef cubes on all sides. Skip this step for simpler preparation.
  2. Place the browned or raw beef cubes into the slow cooker.
  3. Add the rinsed barley, chopped onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery to the slow cooker.
  4. Pour in the beef broth and water. Add the diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
  5. Stir all ingredients gently to combine.
  6. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3.5 to 4 hours, until the beef is very tender and the barley is cooked through.
  7. Remove and discard the bay leaf before serving. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.

Notes

  • For a thicker soup, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl. Stir this slurry into the soup during the last 30 minutes of cooking on HIGH.
  • You can substitute quick-cooking barley for pearl barley, but reduce the cooking time by about 1 hour.
  • If you prefer a stronger beef flavor, use only 5 cups of broth and add 1 beef bouillon cube.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://spoonfulsnap.com/beef-barley-soup-slow-cooker-recipe/