This slow cooker beef barley soup only takes 10 minutes to prepare and is loaded with tender beef, veggies and barley. Beef and barley soup is a healthy & hearty meal your whole family will love.
In the container of a slow cooker, whisk together beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, and barley.
Add beef, onion, carrots, celery and barley and stir to combine.
Gently stir in bay leaves.
Cook on low for 7-8 hours (preferred) or high for 4 hours, or until beef is tender and barley is cooked.
Remove the two bay leaves and serve warm with fresh parsley.
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Notes
Ingredient Substitutions & Notes
Beef Broth. In a pinch you can use chicken broth or vegetable broth, but beef broth is the best choice.
Worcestershire sauce. you can omit this if you don't keep it on hand, although it really does add a great flavor.
Minced garlic. fresh or jarred both work well. You can substitute 1 tsp garlic powder for the 1 Tablespoon of minced garlic.
Stew Beef. Buying already cut beef stew meat makes this recipe so easy. You can purchase 2 pounds of chuck, round or sirloin and cube it yourself.
Onion. white, yellow or red onions all work well in this recipe.
Bay Leaves. Fresh or dried bay leaves both work well in this recipe.
Store/freezeStore leftover beef barley soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat on the stovetop, or in the microwave.