Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup
This easy slow cooker beef barley soup cooks up into a hearty bowl of tender beef, chewy barley and sweet carrots—with plenty left over for another cozy meal!
This is the beef barley soup that dreams are made of.
Thick and filled with tender, slow-cooked beef, carrots and onion, with a little tomato flavor and plenty of freshly ground pepper, this is my favorite soup in the entire world.
And even better? Your slow cooker does almost all the work. Put it together in the morning, go about your day, and come home to that gorgeous beef barley soup smell. Instant supper happiness!
Jump to:
- 🔎 A quick look at this recipe
- ⭐️ Why this recipe works
- Ingredients you need
- Ingredient notes
- 💡 Ingredient substitution ideas
- How to make this recipe
- Recipe FAQs
- Equipment we used for this recipe 🥣
- What to serve with this recipe 🍽️
- Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup
- Other soup recipes we love
- 👩🏻🍳 Variations on this recipe
- ⭐️ We want to know what you think!
- 🥣 Come on into our kitchen!
🔎 A quick look at this recipe
- Ready in: About 8 hours and 20 minutes, with most of that time spent in the slow cooker
- Serves: 12
- Calories: 166 per serving
- Perfect for: Cozy suppers, easy meal prep and lunch leftovers
- What makes it special: Tender beef and chewy barley in a rich broth, with carrots added at the end so they keep their texture
⭐️ Why this recipe works
- 🥣 The slow cooker does the work: No browning required! A long, gentle simmer turns the beef into tender bites of comfort food.
- 🌾 Barley makes it hearty: Pearled barley adds a lovely chewy texture and helps thicken the soup as it cooks.
- 🥕 The carrots keep their texture: Cooking them separately at the end keeps them tender without turning mushy.
- 🏡 There’s plenty to go around: This generous batch gives you supper plus leftovers for another cozy meal.
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes
- Beef: Chuck roast is a great choice because it becomes tender during the long cooking time. Cut it into bite-sized pieces, trimming away any large pieces of fat. Precut stew beef also works—just cut any larger chunks down to soup-sized bites.
- Beef bouillon: You can use powdered beef bouillon or swap the water and bouillon for 5 cups of beef broth. Bouillon brands vary in strength and saltiness, so check the package directions and taste the finished soup before adding extra salt.
- Barley: Look for pearled barley, usually near the rice at the supermarket. Skip quick-cooking barley for this recipe, since it won’t hold its texture during the long cooking time.
- Carrots: We cook these separately and stir them in at the end so they stay tender instead of getting mushy. Chop them into small, evenly sized pieces so they cook evenly.
💡 Ingredient substitution ideas
Missing something or want to swap in something different? Check out the links below to find more ingredient substitution ideas. 👇🏻
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
How to make this recipe
STEP 1: Cut 2 pounds of chuck roast into small, bite-sized pieces, trimming away any large pieces of fat. Or recruit your favorite kitchen helper for this part (sending kisses to the Southern husband!). Add the beef to your slow cooker.
STEP 2: Peel and chop an onion and add it to the slow cooker along with 5 cups of water, 4 teaspoons of beef bouillon powder, an 8-ounce can of tomato sauce and ¾ cup of pearled barley. You can also use 5 cups of beef broth instead of the water and bouillon.
Give everything a good stir, cover and cook on low for 8–10 hours, until the beef is tender. Keep the lid on while it cooks so all that lovely warmth stays inside.
STEP 3: Just before serving, peel and chop 5 carrots into small pieces. Put them in a microwave-safe bowl with 2 tablespoons of water and cover with a microwave-safe lid or plate, leaving a small opening for steam. Microwave for 4 minutes, then check for tenderness. If needed, continue in 1-minute intervals until tender. Carefully drain any remaining water and stir the carrots into the soup.
STEP 4: Give the soup a taste and add salt and freshly ground pepper as needed. If it’s thicker than you like, stir in a little extra broth. Ladle into bowls and enjoy your cozy supper!
Recipe FAQs
Pearled barley has had its outer husk and bran layers removed. It cooks up tender with a little chewiness and helps make this soup hearty. Look for it near the rice and other grains at your supermarket. Choose regular pearled barley rather than quick-cooking barley for this slow cooker recipe.
Bouillon is soup stock that has been dehydrated into a powder, usually with some spices added. You can find it in the soup aisle. In this recipe, it’s going to give the soup broth a nice beefy flavor. And if you prefer, just swap the water and bouillon for 5 cups of beef broth – both will work just fine!
You can, but they will be much softer after cooking all day. I like to microwave them separately and stir them in just before serving so they keep a little texture. It’s a small extra step that makes a lovely difference!
Absolutely! Replace the 5 cups of water and the beef bouillon with 5 cups of beef broth. Either option gives the soup a lovely beefy flavor. Taste before adding salt, since broth and bouillon can vary quite a bit in saltiness.
Nope! The beef goes straight into the slow cooker, where the long cooking time makes it tender. One less pan to wash is always a good thing in my book.
I use a 6-quart slow cooker for this recipe. It makes a generous batch, so you’ll want plenty of room for the beef, broth and barley.
Barley absorbs liquid as it cooks and continues soaking up broth as the soup sits. If your soup gets thicker than you like, stir in a little extra beef broth when serving or reheating.
Pop it in the Comments section below and I promise to answer pronto!
This comfort food soup is just plain perfection when eaten on a chilly night out of your favorite soup bowl. But it’s not bad for breakfast, either….
Equipment we used for this recipe 🥣
These are some of my favorite kitchen tools! These are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little something if you buy through my links at no extra cost to you. (Which helps pay for all that bacon I keep buying! 😄) And I only share things I use and love. I’m so grateful for your support!
- Measuring Cup: We love these angled cups that show the measurements on both the inside and outside of the cup.
- Cutting Board: These sturdy, dishwasher-safe cutting boards come in all different sizes.
- Food Processor: This all-star kitchen appliance is one of the very few that gets to live on our countertop 24/7.
- Ladle: We love this perfectly shaped one for scooping out soup or stew.
- Measuring Spoons: These handy magnetic spoons are not on a ring, so you can just pick the one you need.
- Slow Cooker: We love this sturdy and reliable cooker for so many soups and stews!
What to serve with this recipe 🍽️
We always love a warm biscuit with our soup, or a scoop of Southern spoonbread. If you like a sandwich on the side, you can’t beat this ham and Brie cheese sandwich.
And for dessert, let’s have a slice of chocolate chess pie!
Let’s make a big pot of slow cooker beef barley soup and let supper take care of itself!
Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup
This easy slow cooker beef barley soup cooks up into a hearty bowl of tender beef, chewy barley and sweet carrots—with plenty left over for another cozy meal!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Microwave, Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
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2 pounds chuck roast, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
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5 cups water
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4 teaspoons beef bouillon powder
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1 onion, chopped
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1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
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¾ cup pearled barley (not quick-cooking)
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5 carrots, peeled and chopped
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Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
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Add the beef, water, bouillon, onion, tomato sauce and barley to a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir to combine, cover and cook on low for 8–10 hours, until the beef is tender.
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Just before serving, put the carrots in a microwave-safe bowl with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover with a microwave-safe lid or plate, leaving a small opening for steam. Microwave for 4 minutes, then check for tenderness. Continue in 1-minute intervals as needed until tender.
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Carefully drain any remaining water from the carrots and stir them into the soup.
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Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. If the soup is thicker than you like, stir in a little extra beef broth. Ladle into bowls and serve!
Notes
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Beef: Chuck roast becomes tender during the long cooking time. Precut stew beef also works; cut any larger chunks into bite-sized pieces.
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Broth option: Replace the water and bouillon with 5 cups of beef broth. Bouillon brands vary in strength and saltiness, so check the package directions and taste before adding salt.
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Barley: Use regular pearled barley rather than quick-cooking barley.
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Carrots: Cooking them separately keeps them tender without becoming mushy.
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Thicker leftovers: Barley continues absorbing broth as the soup sits. Add a splash of beef broth when reheating to loosen it up.
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Other soup recipes we love
👩🏻🍳 Variations on this recipe
- Add some mushrooms: Stir sliced cremini or white button mushrooms into the slow cooker at the beginning for even more savory flavor.
- Make it herby: Add a bay leaf before cooking and remove it before serving. A sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley at the end is lovely, too!
- Sneak in some greens: Stir a few handfuls of baby spinach into the hot soup at the end and let it wilt before serving.
- Add a little celery: Chop a couple of celery stalks and add them along with the onion for another cozy layer of flavor.
⭐️ We want to know what you think!
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section below.
I am so glad I saw this recipe. The Chef at the school my husband works at makes beef barley soup and my husband always raves about it. I want to start making more soups this winter and I think I’ll start with this one. I’ll let you know how it turns out!!
Hi Carol! I’m delighted that you are going to be trying this – I think it is the most beloved soup recipe on my site! Can’t wait to hear how it turns out for you. :)
I’m so glad you like soup and give us lots of great recipes for the warm and cozies as meals! I would go the broth route instead of water/boullion combo (that may be where some of the other commenters are finding the extra salt) and maybe sub in about a cup of red wine for some of that broth. It works in my beef stew….so why not in beef barley soup? It’s the same meat, afterall. :) Then I can just use that 4-cup box of broth and not have to open another one for that other cup. It’s all about efficiency! ;) Cheers to you, Kate, and your easy, no-fuss soups!
I think the red wine idea is a great one – and yes, efficiency RULES! :) xoxo!
Absolutely fabulous–made it last week but just added the carrots along with everything else (cause I’m lazy that way!) This recipe will be replacing my husband’s (fussy) family recipe of oxtail soup–so much better and easier! Thank you!!
Karen, I’m so glad! I think it is my all time favorite soup. Which is lucky, considering the quantity!
This soup is cooking now and my house smells delicious. I am cooking my soup in my iron pot simmering for about 4 hours. I hope it turns out as I am still slow cooking. Have you ever cooked it this way
Hi Ginny! I’ve never cooked this soup on the stovetop, only in the slow cooker, but I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t turn out just fine! If you get a chance, come back and leave another comment telling us how it came out! :)
It turned out great.. I added some mushrooms (because I love mushrooms) really only took three hours to cook and the meat melted in your mouth as if I cooked in a crock pot. I must say I love my cast iron pot.
I’m so glad! I feel the same way about my cast iron skillet. So glad to know there is an alternate way to make my favorite soup! Happy New Year to you and yours. :)
Found this recipe on Foodista a few days ago and decided to make it tonight since it’s a perfect cold weather meal. Absolutely delicious and so simple! I used an Angus chuck roast and though I’ve never made beef barley soup, I was surprised that the recipe did not call for browning the meat before adding to the crockpot.
So fabulous, I will definitely be making this again and again this winter. Perfect meal for suffering through this polar vortex!
Hurray, I’m so glad! And I think if ANYTHING can get us through the polar vortex it’s this soup. Brr!
Made this today and had it tonight for dinner. It was absolutely delicious!!! Thanks so much for a wonderful recipe which is a real KEEPER!!!!
My pleasure – I’m so glad you love it as much as I do!
I’m making this recipe today and can’t wait until tonight when it’s done!!!
sorry – found the answer on the carrots in the comments…..could you instead tell me what SIZE crockpot you used?
Hi Deb! I have a 6 quart crockpot. Hope you love the soup!
Could you explain to me why you put carrots in just at the end and don’t cook them all day in the crockpot with everything else?
Can you slow cook a whole roast with everything insteads of cutting it into bite size pieces then shred the meat after it cooks for the 10 hours? The reason I ask is my roast is usually frozen solid and I usually just toss it in the slow cooker before work and it cooks while I’m at work. I know I should take it out the night before, but I usually forget. So was wondering if I can do the same when making the soup?
Hi Barb,
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say it should probably be fine since it is in the slow cooker for so long and all the moisture is trapped. It will probably be a bit of a job shredding it into the smaller sized pieces you need for soup, but I’m guessing the end result will be fine. If you try it, will you leave another comment telling us how it came out?