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This crock pot beef and barley stew is incredibly filling, easy, and delicious. The “set it and forget it” method is what makes this my busy family’s favorite!

Beef and barley in a bowl

Beef and barley stew is a yummy hearty dish of stewed beef, tender barley, and a plethora of veggies. It’s actually one of my husband Tim’s favorite meals! The meat becomes tender and the plump barley soaks up all the juices — it’s soo tasty! I love how it’s super easy to make (with the help of a crockpot/slow cooker!). Plus, it’s perfect for meal prepping to have something ready to go for the busy week.

I feel like in America, people don’t cook much with barley. Give this recipe a try and trust me — you’re about to be hooked. Barley is pretty frequently used in Slavic cooking. I remember my mom always telling us how it was packed with nutrients and fiber and important for us kids to eat! In case you’ve never bought it, look for it in the rice and grain aisle at your grocery store.

How to Make the Best Beef and Barley Stew

Making beef stew with barley is a no-brainer when you use a crockpot. Here’s a quick summary of the process.

  • Prep the veggies & beef: Slice the mushrooms into fourths and dice the onions and carrots. Then, slice the beef into one-inch cubes. This knife makes it a breeze.
  • Brown the beef: In a deep skillet preheated with olive oil, brown the beef. Remove the first batch from the skillet and transfer it into the slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining beef. My favorite large skillet to use is this Staub one.
  • Sauté the veggies: Sauté the carrots and onions in the beef drippings and transfer them to the slow cooker. Here’s the slow cooker I have and love! Next, brown the mushrooms in the juices. Pop them into the slow cooker, too.
  • Add the remaining ingredients: Add the barley, bay leaves, broth concentrate, black pepper, and salt into the slow cooker. Fill it with water, then slow cook on high for 2-4 hours until the beef is tender or to your preference. Serve in a big soup bowl and enjoy!

Serving tip: Beef barley stew can stand as a meal on its own, but it’s also really good served with a fresh baguette or cornbread (who doesn’t like sopping up broth with a slice of crusty bread?!). If you’re trying to keep things light, pair it with a classic garden or Caesar salad.

Beef browned in a pan
Browned carrot and onion in a pan
all the veggies with beef in a slow cooker
barley added to all the slow cooker

Tips for Making Crock-Pot Beef Barley Stew

You all deserve to know all the tips to ensure success with each recipe. So, here you go!

  • Cook the veggies in the beef juices: Browning the beef pulls out a ton of flavor from the meat and creates flavorful drippings for you to sauté the veggies in.
  • Feel free to use cheap beef cuts: The slow cooker works its magic with even the toughest cuts of beef. It’ll easily make them tender, so save yourself the money and get chuck or stew meat. My favorite however, is chuck roast!
  • Periodically check the doneness of the stew: Every slow cooker is different, so some may cook the stew faster or slower than others. After two hours, check the stew (especially the meat) for doneness and adjust the cooking time as necessary.
  • Make sure to brown the meat: I highly recommend you brown the meat and sauté the veggies because it adds so much flavor to the stew! However, in a pinch, you can skip browning the beef and sautéeing the veggies before popping them into the slow cooker.
  • Heed these barley tips: Use pearl barley as it has a neutral cereal-like taste and gives a creamy texture to the stew. Also, there’s no need to cook it before adding it into the crock-pot!
  • Add more flavor (optional): Make the beef and barley stew even more flavorful by adding in fresh herbs or spices such as garlic powder, dill, parsley, chives, thyme, and basil. More veggies like garlic and celery can be added to the vegetables, too! You can also add a tablespoon or so of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce.
  • Use a dutch oven (optional): If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can easily make this in a Dutch oven. Cook on medium low and keep an eye for when the meat is cooked to your preference!

Instant Pot hack: If you want to speed up the process, you can make this entire stew in an Instant Pot. Simply cook the beef and veggies on sauté mode and hit the stew setting!

Beef and Barley in a slow cooker

Storing & Reheating Beef and Barley Stew

This recipe makes about 15 servings, which means there’s likely to be leftovers to enjoy for a few days! Here’s how I store my beef and barley stew leftovers.

  • Refrigerator: Store leftover stew for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge. I find it actually gets more flavorful as it stands.
  • Freezer: Freeze leftover stew for up to three months in a freezer safe container. Remember to let it cool completely before storing! Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to enjoy again.
  • Reheating: Reheat the stew in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through.

More Barley Recipes

Recipe

Beef and barley in a bowl

Beef and Barley Stew (Crock Pot)

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Servings
15 Servings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin
This crock pot beef and barley stew is incredibly filling, easy, and delicious. The "set it and forget it" method is what makes this a busy family's favorite!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs beef any fatty cut, cut into one inch cubes
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 medium carrot chopped
  • 1 1/2 lbs mushrooms sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups barley
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon broth concentrate beef or chicken base
  • 1 tbsp salt adjust to taste
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper adjust to taste
US Units – Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat a deep skillet over high heat. Brown the beef cubes on all sides. Remove the meat from the skillet and place it into the slow cooker.
    Beef browned in a pan
  • In the same skillet, sauté the carrots and onion and cook until they are lightly browned. Place them into the slow cooker.
    Cooked onion and carrot in a pan
  • Next, brown the mushrooms in the same skillet and add to the slow cooker.
    raw mushrooms in a pan
  • Add barley, bay leaves, Better than Bouillon broth concentrate, salt and pepper to the crock pot. Fill it with enough water to cover 2/3rds of the ingredients (about 2.5 cups).
    barley added to all the slow cooker
  • Depending on the size and power of the slow cooker, cook on high for 2-4 hours until the meat is fully cooked through and tender. Check the stew periodically to gauge doneness. Serve hot and enjoy!
    Beef and Barley in a slow cooker
Nutrition Facts
Beef and Barley Stew (Crock Pot)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 195 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 4g20%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 32mg11%
Sodium 503mg21%
Potassium 376mg11%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 4g16%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 12g24%
Vitamin A 686IU14%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 20mg2%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Updated November 5, 2025

About Author

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Natalya founded Momsdish to demonstrate that placing a homemade meal on the table is not hard at all. Natalya makes cooking easier and approachable, by simplifying the ingredients, while still producing the same great taste.