Description
This Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup recipe is a hearty and comforting meal perfect for chilly days. Tender beef stewing meat simmers slowly with carrots, celery, pearl barley, and aromatic seasonings in a rich beef broth. The dish is easy to prepare, requires minimal hands-on time, and delivers a flavorful, nourishing soup packed with protein and fiber.
Ingredients
Scale
Main 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 the Oil and Brown the Meat: Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add the oil, allowing it to heat for about a minute. Brown the beef stewing meat in batches to ensure even browning, leaving space around each piece. Once browned, remove the meat from the pan and transfer it to a 4-6 quart slow cooker.
- Sauté Onions and Add Seasonings: In the same pan, add the finely diced onions and cook over medium heat until they turn translucent, scraping up the flavorful browned bits left by the meat. Stir in minced garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, and black pepper, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
- Combine Ingredients in Slow Cooker: Transfer the sautéed onions and seasonings to the slow cooker, placing them atop the browned beef. Add the chopped carrots, celery, rinsed barley, tomato paste, and bay leaves. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
- Add Broth and Cook: Pour in the low sodium beef broth and stir again to evenly distribute everything. Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, until the vegetables and barley are tender and the beef is cooked through.
- Finish and Serve: Before serving, stir in fresh parsley to add brightness and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve hot for a delicious, warming meal.
Notes
- This slow cooker soup is an excellent make-ahead meal, as the flavors deepen when reheated.
- Using pearl barley adds a nice chewy texture and boosts fiber content.
- Be sure to brown the meat well to develop rich flavor in the stew.
- Adjust salt according to the sodium content of your beef broth.
- Great for chilly days and leftovers taste even better the next day.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups
- Calories: 338
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 1200 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
