Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup
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This beef barley soup with carrots, celery, and herbs is full of flavor and one of the easiest slow cooker recipes you can make. It's perfect for winter chilly days, or whenever you're in the mood for a hearty meal!
What I Love About this Slow Cooker Soup
I adore cooking with barley. Ancient grains are a delicious way to add nourishment to your favorite foods. While I will always love my Vegetable Beef Soup, adding grains like barley makes it ever heartier.
Packed with good-for-you ingredients, it's a meal I love serving the family during the cold months. It's easy to prepare, and wonderful to come home to. Add a crusty loaf of bread, perhaps a seasonal salad ... and dinner is served.
If you love nourishing barley soups, try this Barley Lentil Soup or this Mushroom Barley Soup too!
Key Ingredients
- Beef: beef shoulder or other beef stew meat, cut into ½-inch pieces
- Aromatics: onion, leek, and garlic add delicious, savory flavor
- Carrots and celery: a classic combination and the base of this soup
- Herbs: Fresh thyme and bay leaves provide fragrant, fresh flavors but dried thyme and leaves work equally well.
- Pearled Barley: add dry into the soup and let it slowly cook and soften
- Liquid: beef broth with water provide delicous flavor and essential broth
How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup
- Brown the Beef: Melt butter in a large skillet and add the beef in batches. Season with salt, pepper, and dried herbs if using. Cook, turning the beef until all sides are browned.
- Add the Vegetables & Broth: Add the beef, onions, vegetables, barley, broth, and water to the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Add fresh herbs to the slow cooker during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
More Easy Slow Cooker Meals
- Classic Osso Buco Milanese (Tender Braised Veal or Beef Shanks)
- Crockpot Apple Cider
- Crockpot Buffalo Mac and Cheese
- Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
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Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 pounds beef stew meet cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 leek chopped, white and light green parts
- 4 medium carrots sliced
- 2 celery stalks sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups beef broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup pearled barley
Instructions
- Heat butter in a large pot or skillet over medium-high heat. Season beef with salt and pepper and brown -- 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker.
- Add onions to the skillet and cook until caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes, and add them to the slow cooker along with the leeks, carrots, celery, garlic, dried thyme, bay leaves, beef broth, water, and barley.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the beef, vegetables, and barley are tender.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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