Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup
A hearty and comforting slow cooker beef and barley soup with tender beef, vegetables, and pearl barley simmered in a rich broth.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- Skillet
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1.5 lb beef stew meat cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup pearled barley rinsed
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 6 cups beef broth low sodium
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef cubes and brown them on all sides (optional but recommended for flavor).
- Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, barley, tomato paste, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker.
- Pour in the beef broth and stir to combine all ingredients.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or on HIGH for 4–5 hours until the beef is tender and the barley is cooked through.
- Remove the bay leaves and serve hot, optionally garnished with fresh parsley.
Notes
Searing the beef before slow cooking boosts flavor, but you can skip it to save time. This soup is delicious served with crusty bread or rolls. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}