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Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup

A hearty, comforting slow cooker soup with tender beef, wholesome barley, and savory vegetables simmered to perfection.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American, Comfort Food
Calories: 320

Ingredients
  

Soup Ingredients
  • 1 lb beef stew meat cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 cup pearl barley
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 3 carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • 14.5 oz diced tomatoes 1 can
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil for browning
  • 1 cup frozen peas optional
  • 1 cup potatoes optional, chopped

Equipment

  • Slow cooker
  • Skillet (optional)
  • Cutting board
  • Knife

Method
 

  1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown beef on all sides, then transfer to the slow cooker.
  2. Add chopped onion, carrots, celery, garlic, barley, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, and Worcestershire sauce to the slow cooker.
  3. Pour in beef broth and stir to combine. Make sure all ingredients are submerged.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours until beef is tender and barley is cooked.
  5. Optional: Add frozen peas in the last 20 minutes of cooking.
  6. Remove bay leaf. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
  7. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley or grated Parmesan.

Notes

For softer barley, add it in the last 2 hours of cooking. This soup freezes well for up to 3 months.