There’s nothing like a bowl of old-fashioned beef and barley soup to warm you up on a chilly day. This hearty,
Table of Contents
- 🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- 🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
- 📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- 🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
- 🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat beef & barley soup
- Marye's Tip o' the day
- 💭 Insider tips: things to know
- 👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
- 📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- 🍽️ Perfect pairings: what to serve with beef & barley soup
- 📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- Hearty, budget-friendly soup with big chunks of beef, barley,and vegetables in every bite make this a cold weather favorite!
- Perfect for those chilly, deep winter days!
- Browning the beef before adding to the
slow cooker intensifies the flavor. You can skip this step if desired but I highly recommend it!
As far as I'm concerned one of the best things about winter is hearty soups. I love them all year long but in the winter they just taste better!
I've adapted an old family recipe to the crock pot so it's much easier and saves precious time in the kitchen. Be sure to read the time-saving tip in the post below to learn how to make up several batches for dump-and-go freezer prep and save even more time!
🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- Vegetarian Option: Swap beef with mushrooms and use vegetable broth.
- Add More Veggies: Include green beans, corn, or potatoes for more flavor and nutrition.
- Spice It Up: Use Rotel diced tomatoes with chiles to give it a little kick. Or, season with my copycat Tony Chachere's creole seasoning
- Substitute for Barley: Leave the barley out and add cooked rice 30 minutes before you're ready to serve.
🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.
Season the beef with salt and pepper, then brown it on all sides.
Place the beef, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, beef broth, diced tomatoes (with juices), barley, onion soup mix into the crockpot.
Stir to combine.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours until the beef is tender and the barley is fully cooked.
🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up -
Sprinkle the top of each bowl with chopped fresh parsley just before serving. It adds color and a pretty finishing touch.
zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive
🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat beef & barley soup
Let the soup come to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave until warmed through. Add a bit of extra broth if the soup has thickened.
To freeze
Let the soup cool completely before portioning it into freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stove or single servings in the microwave. You may need to add some water or broth to thin it down.
Marye's Tip o' the day
Take a few extra minutes to sear the beef in a hot skillet before tossing it into the
💭 Insider tips: things to know
- Be sure to add ½ cup of the broth to the hot pan after searing the meat. It will lift up the little bits that have stuck to the bottom - you may need to give it a scrape with a spatula. Pour the broth into the
slow cooker with the rest of this stock. This adds even more flavor and makes clean-up a breeze! - Use pearled barley for the best texture. It’s available in most supermarkets by the rice and beans.
- Dry onion soup mix adds convenience and flavor. You can find it in the soup aisle.
- Save time by buying pre-chopped fresh vegetables.
- Soup flavors develop over time, but salt and pepper can intensify as they cook. Taste and adjust the seasoning right before serving to get it just right without overdoing it.
👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!
Yes, you can use ground beef if preferred. Cook it first to drain off excess fat before adding it to the crockpot.
If the soup is too thick, simply add more beef broth or water until it reaches your desired consistency. Barley tends to absorb liquid, so you may need to adjust it even after reheating.
⏲️ Marye's time saving hacks -
Make this an easy "dump and go" freezer recipe by browning the meat then adding all the ingredients except the stock and oil to a freezer container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, dump in the
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
🍽️ Perfect pairings: what to serve with beef & barley soup
French onion garlic bread is the perfect crusty crunch with homemade beef and barley soup.
Dutch apple pie with streusel topping is the perfect ending to this cozy meal. Be sure to warm it up a few seconds in the microwave just before serving!
📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
When I was little girls wore dresses to school no matter how cold it was. Although I never had to trudge to school through 40 foot snow drifts, uphill both ways, I did walk in some pretty frigid weather when the skin above my knee socks and below my skirt would be bright red and numb by the time I walked in the door.
The best warm up in the world? A pot of this soup, hot and waiting for me to dip in a spoon for that first, soul-warming bite. Try it - and you'll see for yourself what I mean.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, optional, for browning beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, sliced or diced
- 2 celery ribs, sliced
- 2 pounds stew meat, cut into small pieces
- 8 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes, with juices - don't drain
- ¾ cup pearled barley
- 1 ounce onion soup mix
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- If you have time, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then brown it on all sides. This step adds flavor but can be skipped if you’re in a rush.
- Place the beef, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, beef broth, diced tomatoes (with juices), barley, onion soup mix into the crockpot. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until the beef is tender and the barley is fully cooked. I recommend cooking on low.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley if desired.
Notes
To freeze: Let the soup cool completely before portioning it into freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stove. Tips:
- Browning the beef before adding it to the crockpot will enhance the flavor.
- You can use ground beef if you prefer - cook before adding to slow cooker.
- If the soup is too thick, simply add more beef broth or water until it reaches your desired consistency.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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