Slow Cooker Beef & Barley Soup - What's For Dinner Challenge

Slow Cooker Beef & Barley Soup

Hearty, nourishing, and made for busy days, this Slow Cooker Beef & Barley Soup combines tender beef, vegetables, and pearl barley in a rich, savoury broth. With plenty of protein and fibre, it's a satisfying one-pot dinner that can simmer away while you get on with your day.

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours on High or 8 hours on Low

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 lb chuck roast, fat trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 onion, diced

3 carrots, peeled and diced

2 celery stalks, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups beef broth and/or water

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 cup pearl barley, rinsed

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

¼ cup fresh parsley, minced

Method

Sear the Beef

1. Place the cubed beef on a cutting board and season generously with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, sear the beef for 1–2 minutes per side, until nicely browned. The beef does not need to be cooked through.

Fill the Slow Cooker

3. Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker.

4. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and stir to combine.

5. Pour in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste. Stir until the tomato paste is incorporated.

6. Add the rinsed barley, thyme, bay leaf, and salt and give everything a final stir.

Slow Cook

7. Cover and cook on High for 3½–4 hours or Low for 7½–8 hours, until the beef and barley are tender.

Finish & Serve

8. Remove the thyme stems and bay leaf.

9. Stir in the fresh parsley.

10. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.

11. Ladle into bowls and serve warm.

Notes

Gluten-Free Option: Pearl barley contains gluten. Replace it with brown rice and make sure both the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce you use are certified gluten-free.

Ground Beef Option: Substitute 2 lb ground beef for the chuck roast. Brown and drain it before adding it to the slow cooker.

No Fresh Thyme? Substitute 1 teaspoon dried thyme.

No Fresh Onion or Garlic? Substitute 1 teaspoon onion powder for the onion and 2 teaspoons garlic powder for the fresh garlic.

Tomato Sauce Swap: Replace the tomato paste with ¼ cup tomato sauce and reduce the beef broth by ¼ cup.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe Inspiration

LEARN MORE > Virtual Fitness and Lifestyle Challenges