Name: Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 5 h
Total time: 5 h 20 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch cubes; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 6 cups reduced sodium beef broth, divided; 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes; 2 carrots, peeled, halved and cut into 1-inch pieces; 1 medium onion, peeled and diced; 6 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; ¼ teaspoon dried thyme; 2 bay leaves; ⅔ cup quick pearled barley

Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup

October 18, 2014

This Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup is so hearty! Packed with flavorful and tender cubed beef, barley and vegetables. Pure comfort food!

soup in a ladle over a black slow cooker.

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soup in a white bowl with a spoon scooping.

This recipe was photographed and updated 8/2023.

Beef soup like this always reminds me of my dad. We loved his Vegetable Beef Soup growing up and he always made it in the middle of winter when it was freezing cold outside. The only difference, is he used acini di pepe pasta instead of barley.

Soup is a comfort food for me any time of the year, not just winter. Especially when you can make it in the slow cooker and not have to stand near a hot stove in the summertime.

This soup is salty, savory and the beef turns out so tender! The vegetables are perfectly cooked. I happen to LOVE barley, and feel like people don't use it enough. It's so underrated. The texture is amazing and it's high in fiber.

The only prep for this soup is browning the beef and chopping all the vegetables. You can skip cutting a chuck roast into pieces and just grab some beef stew meat instead. I'm all about time saving, and just happened to use a roast I already had on hand. Otherwise stew meat is my go-to for recipes like this.

Keep scrolling for tips, process photos and more slow cooker soup recipes!

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recipe ingredients displayed on a white background.

beef chuck roast
olive oil
reduced sodium beef broth
russet potatoes
carrots
onion
garlic
tomato paste
Worcestershire sauce
salt
black pepper
dried thyme
bay leaves
quick pearled barley

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for measurements and instructions!

Recipe tips:

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.

Browning the beef isn't mandatory, however it adds great flavor and is highly recommended!

You can use regular pearled barley, but you'll want to add the barley with the other ingredients and cook for the entire time.

If you want more of a stew, mix some cornstarch and warm water, add to the slow cooker and stir. It should thicken within 5-10 minutes.

some recipe ingredients shown in a slow cooker before cooking.

More slow cooker soup recipes you might like:

You can add or substitute with these ingredients:

use beef stew meat instead of chuck roast
use canned diced tomatoes with juice instead of tomato paste
use ground beef instead of chuck roast
use dried basil instead of thyme
use balsamic vinegar instead of Worcestershire sauce
add sliced celery
add quartered fresh white mushrooms
add frozen peas

ingredients mixed in a black slow cooker before cooking.

Our favorite kitchen equipment and supplies used with this recipe:

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!

Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup in a white bowl.

Yield 8 servings

Author Hot Eats and Cool Reads

Prep time

20 Min

Cook time

5 Hour

Total time

5 H & 20 M

Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup

Ingredients

2 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups reduced sodium beef broth, divided
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 carrots, peeled, halved and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
⅔ cup quick pearled barley

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Place the beef cubes into the skillet, seasoning with salt and black pepper as desired. Brown the beef for 1 to 2 minutes for each side.
Remove the beef and place in the slow cooker. Deglaze the skillet by adding 1 cup of beef broth and scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to remove the cooked pieces.
Add the broth to the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients except the quick pearled barley.
Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or until the beef is tender.
About 30 minutes prior to serving, stir in the quick pearled barley and remove the bay leaves.

Notes

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

354.31

Fat

15.08 g

Sat. Fat

6.02 g

Carbs

27.84 g

Fiber

4.26 g

Net carbs

23.59 g

Sugar

2.44 g

Protein

28.23 g

Sodium

779.48 mg

Cholesterol

78.25 mg

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You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful. I am not a certified nutritionist and make no claims to the contrary. Each individual's dietary needs and restrictions are unique to the individual.