Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup Recipe
A hearty and comforting Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup packed with tender beef, fresh vegetables, and wholesome barley. Perfect for a nourishing meal that cooks effortlessly over hours in your slow cooker, delivering rich flavors and satisfying textures.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 to 8 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high plus 30 minutes for barley
- Total Time: 7 hours 45 minutes to 8 hours 45 minutes (low) or 3 hours 45 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes (high)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Vegetables
- 2 lbs. beef stew meat cubes (or chuck roast cut into cubes)
- 3 carrots (peeled and sliced)
- 1 large white onion (diced)
- 2 large yellow potatoes (peeled and diced)
- 3 celery ribs (sliced)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
Liquids and Seasonings
- 14 oz. tomato sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. dried rosemary
- 6 Cups beef stock
- 2 bay leaves
Grains
- ½ Cup quick cook barley (e.g., Quaker Oat Brand)
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: Place the beef stew meat, carrots, diced onion, yellow potatoes, sliced celery, minced garlic, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, black pepper, dried rosemary, beef stock, and bay leaves into a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir well to combine all the ingredients evenly.
- Cook Slow Cooker Soup: Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Cook the mixture on the LOW setting for 7 to 8 hours or on the HIGH setting for 3 to 4 hours. This slow cooking process allows the beef to become tender and the vegetables to soften, infusing flavors throughout the soup.
- Add Barley and Continue Cooking: Once the beef and vegetables are tender, add the quick cook barley to the pot. Continue cooking on HIGH for an additional 30 minutes or until the barley has absorbed liquid and is tender.
- Remove Bay Leaves and Season: Carefully remove the bay leaves from the soup. Taste and adjust the seasonings with additional salt or pepper as needed to suit your preference.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the hot beef barley soup into bowls. Optionally, garnish with fresh parsley and serve with crusty bread for a complete, comforting meal. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- Use quick cook barley to reduce cooking time; regular barley will require longer cooking.
- For a thicker soup, reduce the amount of beef stock slightly or cook uncovered in the last hour.
- Feel free to substitute beef stock with low sodium broth for a healthier sodium content.
- The slow cooker times may vary depending on your model; check tenderness before adding barley.
- This soup freezes well; store in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Keywords: beef barley soup, slow cooker soup, hearty soup, comfort food, beef stew, barley recipe
