Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup

There’s nothing like a bowl of old-fashioned beef and barley soup to warm you up on a chilly day. This hearty, slow cooker recipe is pure comfort food—tender beef, wholesome barley, and plenty of veggies, all simmered together for rich, deep flavor. The best part? It’s easy to make! Just toss everything into the slow cooker and let it do the work while you go about your day. It’s the perfect cozy dinner for busy weeknights or lazy weekends, and it’ll make your whole house smell amazing.

Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.

🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite

• Hearty, budget-friendly soup with big chunks of beef, barley,and vegetables in every bite make this a cold weather favorite!
• Perfect for those chilly, deep winter days!
• Browning the beef before adding to the slow cooker intensifies the flavor. You can skip this step if desired but I highly recommend it!

As far as I'm concerned one of the best things about winter is hearty soups. I love them all year long but in the winter they just taste better!

I've adapted an old family recipe to the crock pot so it's much easier and saves precious time in the kitchen. Be sure to read the time-saving tip in the post below to learn how to make up several batches for dump-and-go freezer prep and save even more time!

🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need

This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.

📖 Make it your own: yummy variations

1. Vegetarian Option: Swap beef with mushrooms and use vegetable broth.
2. Add More Veggies: Include green beans, corn, or potatoes for more flavor and nutrition.
3. Spice It Up: Use Rotel diced tomatoes with chiles to give it a little kick. Or, season with my copycat Tony Chachere's creole seasoning
4. Substitute for Barley: Leave the barley out and add cooked rice 30 minutes before you're ready to serve.

🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success

This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.

Season the beef with salt and pepper, then brown it on all sides. 

Place the beef, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, beef broth, diced tomatoes (with juices), barley, onion soup mix into the crockpot.

Stir to combine.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours until the beef is tender and the barley is fully cooked.

🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat beef & barley soup

Let the soup come to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave until warmed through. Add a bit of extra broth if the soup has thickened. 

To freeze

Let the soup cool completely before portioning it into freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stove or single servings in the microwave. You may need to add some water or broth to thin it down.

💭 Insider tips: things to know

1. Be sure to add ½ cup of the broth to the hot pan after searing the meat. It will lift up the little bits that have stuck to the bottom - you may need to give it a scrape with a spatula. Pour the broth into the slow cooker with the rest of this stock. This adds even more flavor and makes clean-up a breeze!
2. Use pearled barley for the best texture. It’s available in most supermarkets by the rice and beans.
3. Dry onion soup mix adds convenience and flavor. You can find it in the soup aisle.
4. Save time by buying pre-chopped fresh vegetables.
5. Soup flavors develop over time, but salt and pepper can intensify as they cook. Taste and adjust the seasoning right before serving to get it just right without overdoing it.

👩‍🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs

Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!

📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love

🍽️ Perfect pairings: what to serve with beef & barley soup

French onion garlic bread is the perfect crusty crunch with homemade beef and barley soup.

Dutch apple pie with streusel topping is the perfect ending to this cozy meal. Be sure to warm it up a few seconds in the microwave just before serving!

📞 Wrapping it up: the last word

When I was little girls wore dresses to school no matter how cold it was. Although I never had to trudge to school through 40 foot snow drifts, uphill both ways, I did walk in some pretty frigid weather when the skin above my knee socks and below my skirt would be bright red and numb by the time I walked in the door.

The best warm up in the world? A pot of this soup, hot and waiting for me to dip in a spoon for that first, soul-warming bite. Try it - and you'll see for yourself what I mean.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup

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This Crockpot Beef and Barley Soup is an easy, hands-off meal that's perfect for busy days. Just toss all the ingredients into your slow cooker, and let it work its magic. The result is a hearty, comforting soup with tender beef, flavorful broth, and perfectly cooked barley.

Course Main Dish - Beef

Cuisine American - Vintage

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings:8

Calories:306

Author:Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil, optional, for browning beef
• ▢ 1 onion, chopped
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢ 2 carrots, sliced or diced
• ▢ 2 celery ribs, sliced
• ▢ 2 pounds stew meat, cut into small pieces
• ▢ 8 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
• ▢ 28 ounces diced tomatoes, with juices - don't drain
• ▢ ¾ cup pearled barley
• ▢ 1 ounce onion soup mix
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• ▢ Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

• If you have time, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then brown it on all sides. This step adds flavor but can be skipped if you’re in a rush.
• Place the beef, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, beef broth, diced tomatoes (with juices), barley, onion soup mix into the crockpot. Stir to combine.
• Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until the beef is tender and the barley is fully cooked. I recommend cooking on low.
• Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
• Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley if desired.

Notes

Storage:

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave until warmed through. Add a bit of extra broth if the soup has thickened.
To freeze: Let the soup cool completely before portioning it into freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stove.

Tips:

• Browning the beef before adding it to the crockpot will enhance the flavor.
• You can use ground beef if you prefer - cook before adding to slow cooker.
• If the soup is too thick, simply add more beef broth or water until it reaches your desired consistency.

You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 934mg | Potassium: 1341mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2854IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.