Slow Cooker Vegetable Barley Soup

[Shoshanna]

Vegetable Barley Soup




prep time15 minutes

cook time3 hours 30 minutes

total time3 hours 45 minutes

8 servings



equipment

6 qt Slow Cooker

ingredients

▢1 teaspoon butter

▢1 onion

▢½ cup pearl barley

▢14 ½ ounce canned diced tomatoes with juice

▢1 large potato cubed or sweet potato

▢1 carrot chopped

▢2 ribs celery chopped

▢1 cup frozen corn defrosted

▢1 green bell pepper chopped

▢1 teaspoon garlic powder

▢1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

▢½ teaspoon smoked paprika

▢1 bay leaf

▢2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

▢1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

▢8 cups beef broth or vegetable broth

▢2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped


instructions

Heat butter in a medium pan and cook onion until it is slightly tender, 2-3 minutes.


Combine all ingredients in a 6qt slow cooker.


Cook on low 7-8 hour or on high 3-4 hours until barley is tender.


Discard bay leaf, season with salt & pepper to taste, garnish with parmesan cheese and stir in the fresh parsley.


notes:
To keep this vegetarian, use vegetable broth and replace the Worcestershire sauce with a vegetarian alternative.


Fresh vegetables can be replaced with 2 cups frozen vegetables.


This veggie barley soup is made with pearl barley!


Quinoa, rice, pasta or lentils will also taste delicious if you don't have barley (cooking time may vary based on the grain added).


To Add a Little Protein:

Cooked ground beef can be added to this recipe before cooking.

Other meats can be added and if already cooked, add it in the last hour of cooking.


Add in canned and rinsed lentils, garbanzo beans or black beans to stretch this soup even father!

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