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Hearty Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup: Easy Comfort Food Dinner

Close-up of a steaming bowl of beef barley soup, showing chunks of beef, carrots, peas, and barley.
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Make this hearty Beef Barley Soup in your slow cooker for a comforting, tender beef and barley meal. This easy recipe delivers rich flavor with minimal effort, perfect for a cozy winter dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed
  • 6 cups beef broth (savory beef broth recommended)
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup frozen peas (added near the end)

Instructions

  1. Pat the beef cubes dry and season them with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Remove the browned beef and set it aside.
  3. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the skillet. Cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic, thyme, and rosemary, cooking for one minute more until fragrant.
  4. Transfer the browned beef, cooked vegetables, rinsed barley, beef broth, diced tomatoes, and bay leaf to your slow cooker.
  5. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or on high for 3.5 to 4 hours, until the beef is very tender. This method creates tender beef and barley.
  6. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the frozen peas during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
  7. Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed before serving your homemade beef soup.

Notes

  • For an even richer flavor, sear the beef in batches directly in the slow cooker insert if it is stovetop safe, before adding the remaining ingredients.
  • If you prefer a thicker soup, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water and stir this slurry into the soup during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
  • This is a great freezer-friendly recipe for quick beef soup dinners later.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://miameal.com/beef-barley-soup-slow-cooker-recipe/