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The Ultimate Hearty Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup

Close-up of a white bowl filled with rich beef barley soup featuring tender beef chunks, bright carrots, and plump barley.
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Make a filling and savory beef and barley soup easily in your slow cooker. This recipe yields tender beef and wholesome barley perfect for a cozy dinner.

Ingredients

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

Instructions

  1. Season the beef cubes lightly with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef on all sides in batches; do not overcrowd the pan. Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker.
  3. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the slow cooker.
  4. Stir in the minced garlic, thyme, and rosemary.
  5. Pour in the beef broth and add the diced tomatoes (with their juice).
  6. Add the rinsed barley, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and the bay leaf.
  7. Stir all ingredients together well.
  8. 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.
  9. Remove and discard the bay leaf before serving.

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 on low.
  • Taste and adjust salt and pepper before serving.

Nutrition

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