Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup Recipe

Want to feel warm and cozy?

This slow cooker beef and barley soup recipe will keep you warm, happy and satisfied.

I had to take home economics when I was in 7th grade ( yes, I am that old). It was not my favorite class, in fact, it gave me quite a bit of stress. We covered a few different topics; cooking, laundry, and sewing. I could handle the cooking and the laundry, but I could not do the sewing.

I was so bad at sewing; I managed to tangle up my thread in every single machine I used. I never admitted to my twisted messes, I just moved to a new machine and started all over. Without fail, I’d tangle the thread in that machine as well. The pattern would continue, I’d move to a vacant machine and promptly ruin that one too. Eventually, my only defense was to pretend to be working until class was over. I knew early on that the best thing I could do as an adult would be to find a good seamstress.

When my daughter received a sewing machine for her birthday, I had to tell her straight away that under no circumstances would I be able to help her. Now if she wanted to talk about cookies, pasta or soup, well I could tell her everything she wanted to know! Boy, could I talk about this soup. This beef and barley soup recipe is the epitome of comfort food. Lean ground beef is cooked along with a little chorizo (I added this to change up of the flavor, you could leave this out if you’d like) until browned; It is seasoned with lots of fresh herbs then I placed that along with mushrooms, frozen veggies, beef broth and barley into my slow cooker. By dinner time, the veggies were tender; the flavors had blended and the kitchen was filled with the most enticing aroma.

I’m sharing this easy recipe as part of the Ohio Beef Council‘s Crocktober celebration. This October, thousands of families across Ohio will buy beef. Ohioans spend $4.1 billion each year on beef, which is a healthy, high-quality protein choice. And using the slow cooker to prepare healthy meals ahead of time can help avoid eating unhealthy foods on days you’re short on time. A 3-ounce serving of beef (about the size of an iPhone) provides more than ten essential nutrients and half the daily recommended value of protein for less than 150 calories.

Visit www.OhioBeef.org, and follow the Ohio Beef Council on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for beef nutrition facts, cooking tips recipes and to meet Ohio’s beef farmers.

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Yield: 6

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup

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This beef and barley soup is made right in your slow cooker so it will be ready right when you need it. This soup is warm, comforting and filled with flavor!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 5 hours

Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 2 chorizo links (casing removed), optional
• 1/4 cup onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 cup sliced baby bella mushrooms
• 1 cup frozen Italian mix vegetables
• 1 32 oz carton beef broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup pearl barley

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and chorizo if using. Heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Add onion and garlic to beef mixture; cooking until soft. Stir in slat, pepper and fresh herbs.
2. Transfer beef mixture to a slow cooker. Stir in mushrooms, frozen vegetables, beef broth and water. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours adding the barley during the last hour.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 341Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 85mgSodium 1067mgCarbohydrates 15gFiber 3gSugar 2gProtein 30g

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