Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup
This Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup is a healthy and easy made-from-scratch recipe you will want to try! Hearty beefy flavor and savory garlic, onions and celery come together perfectly to complement the wholesome pearl barley and kale.
Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup
One of my favorite parts of this Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup recipe is that it's all in one dish! Slow cooker recipes are great, but many of them require browning the meat or sauteing vegetables in advance, and let's face it,
I'm too busy (and lazy) for that and I usually just end up cooking it all in the pan (defeating the purpose of a slow-cooker recipe) or finding a different recipe for dinner. This is all cooked in the slow cooker and it's really easy to make.
Another thing I love about this Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup recipe is that it's healthy and uses real food ingredients – no canned soups or sauces. If you want to make it even healthier and cut down on the sodium, consider using low-sodium or even homemade broth. Either way, this savory dish is sure to please!
Pearl barley isn't something I cook with often, so I'm excited to have a go-to recipe that's not only nutritious and easy, but also something totally different from the type of recipes I normally see.
Although this Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup will be perfect for fall or winter when you're craving something warm and comforting, I love soup all year, especially on these warm days when the evenings are still chilly! It's also great to cook now to avoid heating up your kitchen with the oven or stove!
What You Need:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4 cups kale, washed
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 lb beef cut of choice, cut into 1″ cubes
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 2-32 oz cartons beef broth
- Salt, Dash- to taste
- Pepper, To taste
Can you freeze barley soup
Beef and barley soup is a hearty, filling meal that can be easily made ahead of time and frozen for later. To freeze the soup, simply allow it to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. When you're ready to eat, thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave. If you find that the soup is too thick after reheating, thin it out with a little water or beef broth. Enjoy your delicious beef and barley soup!
Print Your Recipe Here
Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup
This healthy beef soup is perfect for cold weeknights. No canned vegetables included, so great for those on a heart healthy diet. Use low sodium or homemade broth for a low-salt option!
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4 cups kale, washed
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 lb beef cut of choice, cut into 1" cubes
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 2-32 oz cartons beef broth
- Salt, Dash- to taste
- Pepper, To taste
Instructions
- Place oil, onion and garlic in a slow cooker over high heat and allow to heat up until the onion is transparent.
- Add remaining ingredients, except the kale, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low setting for 4-6 hours, until beef shows an internal temperature of 160F.
- Stir in the kale and allow to soften, about 20 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper before serving.
Notes
This recipe can be adapted to instant pot, using slow cook setting.
Check out our other slow cooker Recipes:
This Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup is a great hearty soup that works for a weeknight or even a lunch, with the tortellini pasta adding a fun surprising addition!
This Slow Cooker Turkey Enchilada Bake is a delicious and easy entree for any night!
This Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup is sure to warm you up and fill you up!
If you love this recipe, try my 5 Day Slow Cooker Aldi Meal Plan! Perfect for busy fall, and winter weeks. No need to eat out during week with slow cooker meals on the menu!
