Creamy Beef Mushroom Barley Soup in a Slow Cooker

A wintertime comfort food at its best. I cook for 8 people with big appetites, so halve this recipe for a smaller group. If you like green bean casserole, try adding green beans and some fried onions on top for a tasty twist. Remember, homemade broth has the best flavor, but you can substitute store-bought or chicken or turkey broth.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 6 hr
• Total Time: 6 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 278 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon celery seed
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound ground beef
• 5 cups beef broth
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
• 16 ounces barley
• 1 cup heavy cream (Optional)
• 1 cup frozen green beans (Optional)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Cook and stir ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain excess grease, and transfer beef to a slow cooker.

Step 2

Place shiitake mushrooms into a food processor and pulse several times to cut the mushrooms into small pieces.

Step 3

Stir shiitake mushrooms, beef broth, barley, sweet onion, garlic, black pepper, salt, celery seed, and parsley with the ground beef in the slow cooker.

Step 4

Cook on Low for 5 hours.

Step 5

Stir heavy cream and green beans into the soup and cook 1 hour more.