Vegetable Beef & Barley Stew (SUPER Hearty!)

This Vegetable Beef & Barley Stew is made right in your crockpot and is full of flavor. It’s super hearty for a chilly night!

Vegetable Beef & Barley Stew

This stew is the perfect comfort food on a cold fall or winter evening. It’s packed full of flavor with a delicious, hearty broth and has a variety of nutrition (I love being able to sneak in some veggies for my kids!) with the vegetables and a fun kick with the barley.

This vegetable stew requires just a little bit of prep in the morning so that you’ve got a delicious, complete meal by dinnertime. Here’s how to make this yummy slow cooker dish.

MENU TIP: This Beef and Barley Vegetable Soup recipe is from week 3 of our slow cooker volume 1 menu planning made easy set! 

Ingredients needed for Beef and Barley Vegetable Stew

• Stew meat
• Olive oil
• Carrots
• Onion
• Celery
• Garlic
• Thyme
• Bay Leaves
• Beef stock
• Water
• Tomato Paste
• Whole grain Barley
• Salt
• Pepper

How to make Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef & Barley Stew

Start by heating 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add about half of your beef (about one pound) to the skillet and cook. Turn the beef over once, cook until browned – just take care not to over-cook. Add the beef to the slow cooker and repeat this process with the second half of your stew meat.

Next, you’ll prepare your veggies. Slice your carrots (you’ll need 4 cup), and chop one large yellow onion and one stalk of celery.

Add all your ingredients to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. (Note: you can follow the time conversion in our slow cooker secrets and cook on high instead if you’re short on time BUT I really recommend doing this stew low and slow if you’re able).

Print Recipe

Vegetable Beef & Barley Stew

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 lbs stew meat
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 4 cup carrots, sliced
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 large thyme sprigs or 1/2 tsp dry thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 32 oz carton low-sodium beef stock
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 cup pearled or hulled, whole grain barley (not quick cooking)
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add half of beef; cook until well browned, about 6 minutes turning once. Add beef to slow cooker. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and beef.
• Add remaining ingredients to slow cooker.
• Cover, and cook on low 6-8 hours.

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