Barley and Bean Soup with Beef
You can substitute a 15-ounce rinsed and drained can of cannelini beans for the dried; if you do, you can add the tomatoes along with the other ingredients and omit the last hour of cooking time.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8
- ½ cup dried cannelini (white kidney) beans
- 2 pounds beef chuck
- ½ cup pearl barley, rinsed
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1 stalk celery, sliced
- 1 large onion, peeled and diced
- 1 cup baby carrots, sliced
- 1 parsnip, peeled and diced
- 1 turnip, peeled and diced
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Rinse and drain the dried beans. Put in a bowl and add enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches. Cover and let soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain the beans, rinse, and add to the slow cooker.
Trim off and discard any fat from the chuck roast and then cut it into bite-sized pieces; add to the slow cooker along with the rinsed pearl barley.
Remove the stems from the spinach; chop it and add to the slow cooker along with the garlic, beef broth, water or vegetable broth, celery, onion, carrots, parsnip, and turnip. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the beans are cooked through.
Stir in the undrained diced tomatoes. Cover and cook for an additional hour. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.
