Print

Crockpot Beef Barley Soup

Crockpot Beef Barley Soup
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Rich and comforting slow cooker soup with tender beef, hearty vegetables, and chewy pearl barley. Perfect one-pot meal with minimal hands-on time.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 cup pearl barley
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil (for browning)
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish)
  • Crusty bread or rolls (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Pat the beef stew meat dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and black pepper.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef in batches and brown on all sides until nicely seared, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
  3. In the same skillet, add chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Saute over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until onions become translucent and softened.
  4. Add minced garlic and tomato paste to the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until garlic is fragrant and tomato paste deepens in color.
  5. Transfer browned beef and sauteed vegetables to the crockpot. Add pearl barley, cubed potatoes, beef broth, water, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, and bay leaf.
  6. Stir all ingredients to ensure they are well combined and the barley is distributed evenly throughout.
  7. Cover the crockpot and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours, or on high heat for 3-4 hours, until beef is fork-tender, barley is tender with slight resistance when bitten, and vegetables are soft.
  8. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
  9. Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired and serve with crusty bread or rolls.

Notes

  • Use chuck roast or round roast cut into cubes for best results. These cuts become incredibly tender during slow cooking.
  • Use pearl barley, not quick-cooking barley, as quick-cooking varieties become mushy in the slow cooker.
  • Browning the beef is optional but highly recommended for deeper flavor through the Maillard reaction.
  • Use low-sodium beef broth to better control the saltiness of your soup.
  • The barley will continue to absorb liquid as the soup sits. Add 1/2 to 1 cup extra broth or water when reheating if needed.
  • This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together.
  • This recipe fills a 6-quart crockpot to about two-thirds capacity, perfect for even cooking.
  • If cooking on low for full 8 hours, potatoes will become very soft and may start to break down.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.benefitiany.com/crockpot-beef-barley-soup/