This ultra comforting beef barley soup recipe is made so easily in the slow cooker, which also makes for incredibly tender beef and vegetables, with perfectly textured barley!
Recipes like my Crockpot White Chicken Chili and Crockpot Meatloaf are great for when you want a family pleasing meal with minimal effort. We love cooking in the crockpot, and this is one of my Slow Cooker Recipes you’ll definitely want in your recipe box!
BEEF BARLEY SOUP
Tender beef, hearty vegetables and plump barley… it’s the perfect beef barley soup! Get out the slow cooker and get ready to enjoy one of the best comfort foods, with minimal effort!
When the weather turns colder, it’s the time for some SERIOUS comfort food… and this is my all time favorite.
Soup is so perfect this time of year; especially slow cooker soups, since there’s not a lot of hands-on cooking time!
As I mentioned, beef barley soup is my favorite soup… ever! Despite loving it so much, for the longest time, I never made it at home. I was perfectly happy opening a can.
But now that I’ve been working on and perfecting this recipe… I’ll never have canned beef barley soup again!
HOW TO MAKE CROCKPOT BEEF BARLEY SOUP
You won’t believe how easy this soup is to make… seriously!
- Brown the beef cubes (this is optional, but I highly recommend it)
- Add all ingredients to slow cooker, stir
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or HIGH for 4-5
- Remove bay leaves and thyme stems and serve
COOKING TIPS FOR BEEF BARLEY SOUP:
- Use a tough cut of meat – this is a prime example of when to use a tougher cut of meat like a chuck roast or shoulder. No need to buy expensive sirloin tips or anything.
- Browning the beef adds flavor – but isn’t absolutely essential. I love to brown my beef pieces, since I love that extra deep flavor it adds… but I’ve made this several times without taking that extra step, and it still tastes delicious.
WHAT IS THE BEST MEAT FOR SOUP?
Since this soup cooks for a long time in the slow cooker, a tougher cut of meat is usually used. I like to use chuck roast or chuck shoulder. The low and slow simmer will turn these marbled cuts of beef into incredibly tender bites of meat that can be literally cut apart with a spoon.
WHAT DOES BARLEY TASTE LIKE?
Barley is such an underused grain. It’s texture is chewy with an almost nutty flavor, and it cooks perfectly in the slow cooker.
VARIATIONS OF THIS RECIPE
- Potatoes are optional – I always prefer some buttery potatoes in my soup, so I added them here… but if you’d rather not add them, no worries, the soup will still taste amazing!
- In fact, feel free to switch up the veggies to ones that you love. Mushrooms are a lovely addition as well!
- Prefer a different meat? Go for it! This soup can be made with ground beef if you’d prefer. Just fully brown and drain the beef before adding all the ingredients to the slow cooker.
- Other cooking methods – if you’d prefer another cooking method, please see the recipe notes section right below the written recipe for full details.
MAKING BEEF BARLEY SOUP AHEAD OF TIME
This soup is great to make ahead of time, with one modification. Since the barley can absorb too much of the liquid when made ahead, and get mushy, I find it best to cook the barley separately.
Make as directed, just omitting the barley. Cool completely and refrigerate. Follow package directions for barley and cook it separately when you’re ready to eat the soup.
FREEZING
Yep! Since this soup doesn’t contain any dairy, it freezes beautifully. Cool the soup completely (or any leftovers), then transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To thaw it out, place it in the refrigerator the night before you want to eat it, and reheat it in a saucepan on the stovetop.
STORAGE
Leftovers should be kept refrigerated for up to 4-5 days.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR THIS RECIPE
- Slow cooker with aluminum insert – I LOVE using a slow cooker like this, since you can brown the beef in the slow cooker without losing any of those browned bits of flavor!
- More economical slow cooker – This slow cooker has been a workhorse for me, and at the price, you can’t beat it!
- Plastic cutting boards – These are perfect for cutting up the chuck roast so you don’t have the juices running into your wooden cutting board.
BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN TO CHECK OUT OTHER READERS’ COMMENTS FOR TIPS AND REVIEWS.
AND DON’T FORGET, IF YOU’VE MADE THIS RECIPE, LEAVE A COMMENT AND PLEASE GIVE IT A STAR RATING LETTING ME KNOW HOW YOU ENJOYED IT!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 - 1 1/2 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces (Yukon gold or russets are preferred)
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 medium yellow or sweet onion, peeled and diced
- 2 ribs celery, sliced in half lengthwise, then cut into 1/2-1 inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp better than bouillon beef base (optional but recommended)
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups beef broth or stock reduced sodium
- 2/3 cup pearl barley
Instructions
- If desired, heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over MED HIGH heat. Add beef cubes and brown for 1-2 minutes per side.
- Add beef and all remaining ingredients to slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours.
- Remove bay leaves and thyme stems and serve. Goes perfectly with some crusty bread.
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Chef Tips
INSTANT POT (PRESSURE COOKER) DIRECTIONS
- Place 1 Tbsp oil in the bottom of Instant Pot and set to "Saute". Once hot, work in batches to brown the beef. Place on a plate once browned.
- Add additional 2 teaspoons oil to the Instant Pot and saute the onions and celery until softened. Add the garlic and cook 30 more seconds. Add the beef back in along with the carrots, tomato paste, beef base, potatoes, worcestershire, barley, broth, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf.
- Stir together, place lid on and set valve to "seal". Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 15 minutes with a 15 minutes natural release followed by a quick release. Remove lid when safe. Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
STOVE TOP DIRECTIONS
- Place 1 Tbsp oil in the bottom of a pot (a dutch oven works great!). Work in batches to brown the beef. Place on a plate once browned.
- Add 1 Tbsp butter to pot and saute the onions and celery over medium heat until softened. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add the beef back in along with the carrots, tomato paste, beef base, potatoes, worcestershire, barley, broth, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and let simmer 60-90 minutes or until beef is tender.
- Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
Video
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Kaye says
Delicious. Restaurant quality. I did use the Better than Bullion (lower sodium beef) in addition to 6 cups unsalted stock. I added a few handfuls of fresh cut green beans and some cayenne pepper. Cooked for 2.5 hours or so on top of the stove. Will definitely make again!
Holly says
This is an absolutely delicious recipe.
Angela says
I added fresh minced rosemary and about another half cup of the low sodium beef broth and simmered on low on the stove for about two hours. I added 2/3 cup of frozen peas with about 15 minutes left. It was absolutely delicious and perfect!!!
John says
Will a 3 quart crock pot be big enough for this recipe?
The Chunky Chef says
I think that might be a bit small.
John says
Would a large pot on the stove top work instead? I’m thinking the time would have to be adjusted slightly.
John says
Nevermind that last reply. I totally forgot about the new slow cooker I had picked up about 2 months ago. Haha. I’m just now getting into cooking. Trying to eat right and all that fun stuff. Beef barely soup was something my grandmother made that I loved as a child. Her recipe had been lost. I’m hoping this is close.
Brian says
So the potatoes are not soggy being in tge crockpot that long.
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t had that problem, no.
Martha Calkins says
Try using a waxy potato, like a redskin. They don’t get mushy as quickly as a russet does. (BTW, best suggestion ever re the Washington D.C. football team: don’t change the name. Change the logo to a redskin potato!)
Patricia Krause says
Best beef barley soup I’ve ever made! The Better than Boilion is a must. Gives it a bold beef favor.
I also added chopped kale.
Kris M says
I am making this soup recipe right now and it smells really delicious. I did double it, and because my husband is a hunter I put half beef and half venison meat. During the winter months I try to make soup every Sunday. This one will for sure be added to my soup collection!!
Michele Canale says
I followed the recipe mostly except added a bit more carrot and celery and garlic. I also didn’t fo 6 cups of stock because I had added the better than bouillon. So I added 6 cups of water instead. I did want it to be too salty.
Kevin says
My whole family loved it! Wish I made more, can I just double all the ingredients if I want a double batch?
The Chunky Chef says
So glad you loved it! Yes, you can double all the ingredients for a double batch… I’d test the meat after the directed cooking time to make sure it’s tender. If it’s not, add another hour 🙂
ShanaM says
Can I omit the potatoes?
The Chunky Chef says
Sure can 🙂
April Whitney says
My daughter is making this in a large quantity to provide meals to seniors. I know that it says 6-8 servings. What would you estimate this to be in ounces per servings? We got 16 oz containers and want to make sure that we are making enough. Thanks.
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t measured it exactly, but I would guess anywhere between 8-16 ounces per serving.
Donna says
How many people does this feed?
The Chunky Chef says
In the recipe, right below the recipe name, there’s a green box that says how many servings each recipe makes. This recipe makes 6-8 servings.
Caitlin says
What size of a crockpot do you use?
The Chunky Chef says
I used my 4 quart, so anything 4 quarts or more will work just fine.
Helen E Fountain says
This sounds yummy for a rainy day here in Calif. Question–can I use stew meat already cut up from the market. For some reason here pot roast is so expensive here. Thanks again. Can’t wait to make.
The Chunky Chef says
Yes, as long as it’s bite-sized, that should work well 🙂
Chris says
Have you tried making this in an insta-pot? If so how long and at what temp.
My wife made it in our slow cooker and it was delicious and my picky eater kids loved it too.
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t tested it personally, but I know another reader (Karen Flores-Perez) has commented saying that she made it in her electric pressure cooker… maybe you could comment on her comment and see if she’ll share her process? So glad you all loved this slow cooker version!
Natosha Hall says
We did it in the Instant Pot for 90mins and then let it cool naturally. We added 1/2cup of red wine and browned the meat and veggies as well. We bought 10min. Quick barley from Trader Joe’s as well and did that after the 90mins. We used boneless short ribs too!
Lorri says
This was delicious and my hubby was making happy grunting noises while eating it!! Kept it simple and served with warm crusty french bread for sopping up all that yumminess! This recipe is a keeper! Thank you!! 🙂
Kelly says
I wish I had made a double batch! Seriously, this recipe is fantastic. The only thing I added was a splash of red wine because the bottle was already open.
Enjoying it as we speak! (the soup, not the wine).
Karen Flores-Perez says
I made this soup last night on a whim for under $10 and under 30 minutes using an electric pressure cooker! I recently had a cup at a restaurant and I was inspired to find out how it was made cause it was so good! I didnt have a bay leaf and used dried thyme. I also added chunky mushrooms because my daughter loves them and it turned out delicious! This recipe is a keeper and will share with family and friends.
Elicea Webber says
Hi Karen! When you did this in the pressure cooker, did you brown the beef then just throw it all in and set it for 30 minutes? I’d love to actually make this tonight but wasn’t sure how well it would transfer over to my instant pot.
Lorri D says
Hi, I really love your recipes! On this one…you mention “If desired, heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over MED HIGH heat. Add beef cubes and brown for 1-2 minutes per side”. So, I’m guessing you can do it without precooking the meat?? How do you do it?? Which way is best? I’m going to do this recipe tomorrow and can’t wait to try it.
Thanks so much and Happy New Year!! 🙂
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Lorri! I normally brown the beef first if I have time, but it’s not essential for this recipe if you want to skip that step 🙂 Happy New Year to you as well!
Diane Bahrs says
Just made this for dinner. It’s a cold,rainy and windy day, and this was the hit of the day. Hot, tasty and filled up our belly. Only thing I did different was to thicken it up with some flour and some V eight juice. Very good. Will be making this again