I love the simplicity of this slow cooker beef and barley soup. Chop up a few things in the morning and dinner will be waiting for you when you get home in the afternoon. This soup makes the house smell amazing and is perfect for the Fall.

Here’s a fun idea….

Want to surprise your family when they get home? Get this beef and barley soup going in the slow cooker in the morning so that when your kids (or spouse, or whoever) come home after a long day the house will smell warm and inviting. Bake a loaf of bread for an extra treat or grab a loaf of Italian bread and slap some butter on it. Your family will love it.

Invite the neighbors over or plan for leftovers the next day.

This recipe makes 8 servings, which means there may be enough to share, or there could be leftovers for lunch the next day. This works great for our family of five, but if you have a smaller family you can pare this recipe down by halving all the ingredients and just making 4 servings. I made mine the day my parents were coming over to watch our kids, right before my husband and I left for Florida. I wanted to fix them dinner before we left because they would be watching our kids for a few days while we were away. It was perfect because I could put it together quickly in the morning before heading out to work and when they came over in the evening the soup was waiting for them in the crockpot and the house smelled fantastic. Very welcoming.

What kind of barley should I use when making beef and barley soup in a slow cooker?

Quick cooking barley…

vs.

… Pearled barley

The winner is… PEARLED BARLEY!

I recommend using pearl barley for this soup because it cooks for a while in the slow cooker. I accidentally bought “quick cooking” barley, which would have been great if I was making the soup on the stovetop and wanted it ready in ten minutes. Pearl barley takes a little longer to cook, making it perfect for the crockpot. Having said that, I still made mine with the quick cooking barley because that is what I had. You could tell the barley was overcooked (soft and a little mushy) but the taste was fine. We still ate it and loved it.

And it’s good for you.

Did I mention that this soup is good for you? It is. Lots of fiber and protein. Plus, bonus… My family loves this stuff. I hope yours does too.

Are you ready for some great soup?

Here is what you need:

1-1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, lean and trimmed
2 cups sliced celery (about 5-6 stalks)
1 cup sliced carrots (about 3-4 carrots)
1 cup largely chopped onion (about 1 onion)
6 cups water
2-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 minced garlic cloves
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 cup pearl barley

Here is what you do:

Cut meat into 1/2-inch cubes and place in the slow cooker.

Coarsely chop onion and slice celery and carrots and put over top of the beef.

Stir in a bowl the water, salt, oregano, basil, pepper, garlic, tomato paste, and barley.

Pour the liquid mixture over top.

Allow to cook 6 hours on low or 3 on high. Soup is ready to serve when meat is fully cooked.

Makes 8 servings.
One serving is 1-1/2 cups.
One serving is 5 Green, 5 Blue, and 3 Purple points.

↓   Save on Pinterest for later.  ↓

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup

5 Green, 5 Blue, and 3 Purple points per serving

Makes: 8 servings

Calories: 206

Author: Alisha Hughes

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, lean and trimmed
• 2 cups sliced celery (about 5-6 stalks)
• 1 cup sliced carrots (about 3-4 carrots)
• 1 cup largely chopped onion (about 1 onion)
• 6 cups water
• 2-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup pearl barley

Instructions

• Cut meat into 1/2-inch cubes and place in the slow cooker.
• Coarsely chop onion and slice celery and carrots and put over top of the beef.
• Stir in a bowl the water, salt, oregano, basil, pepper, garlic, tomato paste, and barley.
• Pour the liquid mixture over top.
• Allow to cook 6 hours on low or 3 on high. Soup is ready to serve when meat is fully cooked.