Description
A hearty and savory slow cooker beef barley soup that is perfect for busy weeknights, combining tender beef with chewy barley for lasting energy.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (canola or avocado)
- 1 lb beef stewing meat, cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 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, chopped (for serving)
Instructions
- Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Once heated, add the beef in a single layer and brown in batches for about 3 to 4 minutes per batch.
- Remove browned beef to a plate and transfer to a slow cooker.
- Add onions to the same pan and cook over medium heat until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes; scrape up browned bits.
- Stir in garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, and pepper, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the onion mixture to the slow cooker on top of the beef along with the carrots, celery, rinsed barley, tomato paste, and bay leaves.
- Pour in the beef broth, stir gently, and ensure ingredients are evenly spread.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours until vegetables and barley are tender and beef is fork-tender.
- Remove bay leaves, stir in parsley, and adjust seasoning as necessary before serving.
Notes
Serve with crusty bread or over cooked grains for a complete meal. Adjust saltiness at the end for best flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 360 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 16g
- Cholesterol: 50mg