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Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup

Slow cooker beef barley soup with tender beef chunks and sliced carrots in rustic bowl.
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This is the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it comfort food. Tender beef, chewy barley, and soft vegetables simmer all day in a rich, savory broth for a deeply satisfying meal that tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs chuck roast or stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Pat beef cubes dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear beef in batches until browned on all sides. Transfer to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
  2. In the same skillet, add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Scrape vegetable mixture into the slow cooker.
  3. Add beef broth, diced tomatoes with juices, rinsed barley, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary to the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until beef is fork-tender and barley is plump.
  5. Discard bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

For a thicker soup, mix 2 tbsp cornstarch with 3 tbsp cold water. Stir into the hot soup during the last 30 minutes of cooking on HIGH. For gluten-free, substitute barley with brown lentils or diced potatoes. Soup stores well in the fridge for up to 4 days and freezes for 3 months.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.stacksipsnack.com/slow-cooker-beef-barley-soup-2/