This Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup is an easy crockpot meal perfect for fall or winter! Loaded with vegetables and tender chunks of beef.
See the step by step recipe video down in the recipe card.
Table of Contents
There is just nothing better for cold weather comfort food than this Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup.
It is cozy, hearty and loaded with flavor — plus the slow cooker means that it basically cooks itself!
This classic Beef and Barley Soup is another favorite, but sometimes you just don’t want to stand over the stove (or you can’t!). The crockpot is a great option for those busy days.
Why we love this Beef and Barley Soup:
- it’s thick and chunky — I don’t want to be hungry in an hour!
- It’s loaded with vegetables, which is one of my favorite ways to get them in
- it slow cooks most of the day, which means your house will smell amazing and you don’t have to worry about dinner at 5:00!
- it’s big on flavor — browning the meat adds a ton of flavor, so don’t skip that step if you’ve got a few minutes!
- it’s healthy! Full of protein, whole grains, fibre, vegetables all in a neat little delicious package.
Tips and Tricks for Making the best Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup:
- Normally, I’m not about adding extra steps to recipes. But in this case, I decided to brown my meat before adding it because it seals in the juices and I think you end up with a better texture to the meat after cooking for so long. It also adds extra flavour to the soup! You can skip this step if you need to.
- You can mix up the veggies here to suit your family’s tastes: You can leave some out or add in other favorites: peppers, spinach, mushrooms, kale, or throw in frozen peas or corn before serving.
- Sometimes slow cooker recipes can lack a little “oomph” by the end of cooking time — they are a little bland. You can add in a small amount of balsamic vinegar or even a little ketchup (don’t judge! It is sweet and tangy and savory) you really punch up the flavor! Feel free to taste and adjust as you go — everyone’s tastes are different!
What can I do with the leftovers?
We love soup leftovers! They usually reheat well and are perfect for quick lunches.
You can store leftover soup in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and in the freezer even longer!
Because this soup is made with barley, it freezes perfectly! You can freeze it all together or in individual servings in an airtight freezer-safe container or in zip-top freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months, and just place it in the fridge overnight to thaw before reheating.
More Slow Cooker Soups you’ll love!
- Slow Cooker Garlic Parmesan Chicken Stew — creamy and comforting!
- Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana — better than Olive Garden!
- Crockpot Chicken Taco Soup — made with 6 ingredients!
- Crockpot Potato Soup — thick and creamy.
Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup Recipe + VIDEO
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 lb beef stewing meat
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 large carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 1/2 cup pearl or pot barley rinsed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups low sodium beef broth
- fresh parsley for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add oil and let heat 1 minute.
- Brown meat in batches (allowing space around each piece) medium-high heat. Remove from pan and place in a 4-6 quart slow cooker.
- Add onions to the saute pan and cook over medium heat until translucent — they will pick up all the brown bits left by the meat! Stir in garlic, salt, Italian seasoning and pepper and cook 1 minute.
- Add the onions to the slow cooker on top of the beef, along with the carrots, celery, barley, tomato paste and bay leaves. Stir well, and then stir in the beef broth.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, until vegetables and barley are tender.
- Stir in fresh parsley as desired and season to taste. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Want to save this recipe?
Create an account easily save your favorite content, so you never forget a recipe again.
Tried this recipe?
Tag @thereciperebel or hashtag #thereciperebel — I love to see what you’re making!
Tag @thereciperebel
Cindy says
So do I put the barley in the very beginning and it cooks for six hours or I read one comment cooking the barley, separate not in the crockpot? Which way should I do?
Cindy says
I making this in about two hours, and I need to know quickly what to do with the barley
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Cindy! I would follow the instructions as written vs what others have commented. Step 4 is when you add the barley. Enjoy!
Jeff says
I noticed no mention of discarding the bay leaves before serving. Seems I remember they are actually poisonous.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Jeff! I have never heard that. You would remove it so you don’t eat it because it’s not edible. Hope you enjoy the soup!
Rosemary says
Love this recipe, it was delicious!!!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Rosemary! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Ann Brothers says
This recipe is absolutely delicious! I made it twice and followed the recipe both times. My family loves it! Thank you very much for the recipe! I will make it often! It’s definitely a 5 Star!
Tina says
Soooo good! Loved it! Gonna def make this again. Instead of potatoes, I used a couple spoons of quinoa. Delicious!!!! Also, def my go to blog and Instagram for recipes each week! Everything is always so good!!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Tina! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Pat Cody says
There are no potatoes in the recipe. Did you just add quinoa or add it in place of something else?
Juanita says
Excellent. Enjoyed it immensely. Served with homemade bread.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Juanita! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Kristen says
I have made this recipe several times now…we love it! Things I do a little differently…I season some flour (1/4 c or so) with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and toss the meat in it before sauteeing. I like to season each layer as I cook! When I add the onions, I also add a little of the stock…this definitely helps pick up the brown bits! I add the tomato paste at this time as well. Sometimes I toss the rest of the veggies into the pan, too.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Kristen! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this kind review and feedback on substitutions!
Larry Sprosty says
Very good recipe. Big beef eater so I used 2 1/2 pounds of stew meat, cutting each chunk in half and browned. Fresh celery, onion, carrots. Canned mushroom stems & pieces. Sauted all the veggies in the beef droppings. Used store bought chicken broth and beef bullion cubes cause it’s what I had. Added bag of frozen mixed veggies the last half hour of cooking. Awesomely delicious!!! First time ever making it and ran off your recipe. Thank you!!!
The Recipe Rebel says
Glad it worked out for you Larry!
Renee Schouten says
Hi,
I realized i do not have beef broth. Can I use water?
Renee
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Renee! Yes you can or chicken broth, but either will change the flavor of your soup.
Michael Anderson says
Does the barley soak up all of the liquid if you store the leftovers in the fridge?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Michael! I’ve not had any problems storing it in the refrigerator or freezer! Works great for me!
Claire Flynn says
Love beef barley soup, but everytime I make it the barley just isn’t right. Is there a trick to preparing the barley before adding it. Thanks
Jess Zellmer says
I always cook my barley, rice, pasta separate from my soup or this reason. I also find that starches soak up too much of the broth for my liking.
Debbe says
A wonderful hearty soup, perfect for a March dinner. Added some mushrooms and served it with hot sourdough bread.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Debbe! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
posipati says
Sooo… total time is NOT 15 min.
The Recipe Rebel says
Fixed it! Thanks!
SeafoamJade says
Could I substitute lean crumbled hamburg meat for the stew meat? Or if I wanted to turn it into a vegetarian soup, what could I substitute for the meat? Mushrooms? Canned cannellini beans? Green beans? All 3?
Shelley K Gilbert says
Made this soup this afternoon. Delicious!! I’ll be making it again. It has a very rich base. I added a cup of my homemade tomato sauce and 2 extra cups of broth. 1 TBS of balsamic vinegar. Super good.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Shelley! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
Laura says
Love this rich soup but did need to add more beef broth a half hour before serving. It was more like a stew without the extra cup.
The Recipe Rebel says
Thanks for the feedback Laura!
Connie says
Tried this recipe last night and I have to admit it was good. The next time I will add potatoes.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Connie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!