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.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
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.
Mo says
This soup turned out amazing! I only made a couple of tweaks but followed the recipe for the most part. I cut up stewing beef as I couldn’t fine the cut referenced and I also added a scant tablespoon of chili powder and a pinch of chili flakes. Best beef barley soup recipe I have tasted and my family loved it! Thanks so much for sharing!
Vicki Post says
I used marinated skirt steak which I browned first, added a can of mushrooms and a can of peas, had to use quick barley and put everything in the crockpot for about 6 hours. It thickened up before we ate it so I just added water but it turned out amazing. Definitely will make this again!
Suzyq says
I’ve made this once already, it was fabulous! I’ll be making it again tomorrow. I wait to add the potatoes and barley about half way through so they don’t get too soft. This soup is wonderful, it reminds me of my childhood, beef barley soup was always my favorite.
Lori says
Mine is in tbe slow cooker now! It looks divine! I love your blog!!
Lisa says
Just got everything in my crock pot now leave it be for 4-4 hrs can’t wait to eat it later on this cold day with a baguette
Mary says
What size crock pot is appropriate for the 6 servings?
Amanda says
A standard 6 quart slow cooker is best.
Michael says
I’m brand new to using the slow cooker that I was given for Christmas. This was my third dish that I have tried. The first two were pretty good, but using your recipe this third attempt turned out great! I was really proud of myself (that I didn’t mess it up!). I am definitely saving this recipe, to use it again.
Thank you so much!
Kristin Dennison says
Thank you so very much for your response! Can i use dried thyme instead of using fresh? And how much in comparison? Thanks so much!!! Promise this is the last question! Im gonna make it for my momma tomorrow. 💚
The Chunky Chef says
You’re welcome! I would do about 3/4 tsp of the dried thyme 🙂
Kristin Dennison says
I see the recipe is adjustable, cool! How many servings can i fit into a 3.5 crock pot? Thanks so much.
The Chunky Chef says
Glad you like that feature 🙂 I made this recipe in my 4 quart crockpot, so to be safe, I’d go for 4-5 servings in a 3.5 quart.
Sharon Lombardo says
This was delicious…what do you do if it becomes too thick?
The Chunky Chef says
Glad you enjoyed it! You can always add a bit of extra beef broth or water to thin it back out to your liking.
Terri says
Awesome soup! Flavours are terrific….real home cooking!
Linda says
I could only find quick cooking barley. Should I add it to the last 10 minutes of cooking? Or should I cook it and add when the soup is done? Thanks
The Chunky Chef says
Without testing it myself, I can’t say for certain. I would probably cook it separately, just so you know it’s cooked the way you like it 🙂
Laura Pallotta says
do I put barley in slow cooker in beginning
The Chunky Chef says
Yes 🙂
Fallon Turnboo says
This is delicious BUT the timing for everything was way off for me. The first time I made this I had to pull the carrots and potatoes out, they finished cooking after one hour on low. I can’t imagine leaving them in there for any more time than that. The barley also only took 2 hours to cook. If you want thicker broth like a stew you can take out half a cup of liquid, whisk in 2 tbs of corn starch and then add it back in.
Claudia says
If I double the recipe, should I change the cook time? Would double fit in a regular sized crockpot?
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve not tested doubling this recipe, but I would guess it’d take more time. I also don’t think double the amount would fit in a 6 or 7 quart slow cooker.
Raylene says
Made this today I added mushrooms . My BFF was very happy
Carrie Watts says
This was spectacular! I made no changes to the recipe the first time, but added mushrooms the second time. Both attempts were out of this world delicious and easy. New family favorite!
Cindy Gibson says
I made the soup yesterday and it was very good with some crusty sourdough bread. The flavor was just a little overpowering for me but that is personal taste. I will make it again but will use half of the recommended Better than Bouillion Beef base. I will also put the barley in half way into the cooking time. Overall this is a wonderful soup.
Mindy says
Made this for dinner today & followed recipe almost to the letter. Didn’t have fresh thyme, so i used dried. It was delicious & my whole family loved it. Great flavor, not too salty & my house smelled amazing. Also made yeast rolls to accompany the soup. Thanks for a great recipe!
Faye Armistead says
This recipe was so good. I’ve never tried to make any soup with barley at home before, but it was amazing and so easy in the slow cooker.