Yum
And, just like that, it’s soup season. The beauty of soup? You can really make a soup out of anything you have on hand. It’s a great way to clean out your refrigerator or pantry and to get more veggies into your kids. And it can be made ahead of time or in your slow cooker which means less weekday stress over what’s for dinner! This recipe  for Beef Barley Soup uses simple ingredients and an easy preparation. Slow cooker directions are included below as well!

Beef  Barley Soup

What are some staples to keep in your pantry/freezer? Here are a few of the things that I always keep on hand to make meal prep and cooking so much easier:

-Low sodium Chicken broth, beef broth, and vegetable broth.

-Bay leaves

-Dried beans (Black Beans, Kidney Beans, White Beans, Chick Peas, etc)

-Organic Canned Beans (Choose No Salt Added when possible)

-Organic Low Sodium Diced Tomatoes

-Grains:  brown or wild rice, lentils, or quinoa cook relatively quickly, require no pre soaking, and all make great additions to soup. I happen to love barley, so I always have that on hand as well!

-Frozen spinach

-Frozen Peas

Having some basic ingredients in your pantry and freezer will make your life easier!

This recipe for Beef Barley Soup includes instructions for both the stove top and the slow cooker! The ingredients remain the same ,except that you will exclude the flour since you will not be browning the meat

TIP:  If you are looking to get a slow cooker, buy one that is programmable in the biggest size you can! Bigger is always better. You can always make less , but having the option to feed large crowds or to double recipes to freeze for a second dinner is everything! I love my All Clad  7 quart from Amazon

Enjoy these other soups:

Lentil soup with sausage and acorn  squash 

Chick Pea and Bean Soup

Slow Cooker Gluten Free Chicken Soup

Disclaimer: This post contains an affiliate link.

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Beef Barley Soup for Stove Top and Slow Cooker

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This Beef Barley soup is perfect for those cold days.Instructions for both stove top and slow cooker versions included

Ingredients

• 2 lbs stew meat
• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 Cup Barley
• 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 Teaspoon Dried Parsley
• 8 cups low sodium beef broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 bunch fresh spinach, torn into pieces (You can substitute frozen spinach)
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Stove Top Instructions:
2. Cut the stew meat into small pieces and season with sea salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and toss to combine. Set aside.
3. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute until softened.
4. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add celery and seasonings and cook until softened.
5. Add the meat to the pot and cook for 4 minutes, or until browned.
6. Add in broth, barley, and bay leaves and Bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
8. Add in the spinach and stir until wilted. Check for seasonings and add more sea salt and pepper if desired.
9. **To make ahead, store in refrigerator or freeze. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until heated through.

1. Slow Cooker Instructions:
2. Add the meat to the slow cooker pot and season meat with sea salt and pepper (there is no flour included when making this in the slow cooker)
3. Add in all other ingredients, except for the spinach. Set slow cooker to Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours.
4. Add spinach in last 15 minutes of cooking

Recommended Products

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• 
  All Clad Programmable Slow Cooker