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Cozy Crockpot Fall Vegetable and Barley Soup

crockpot fall vegetable and barley soup - featured image
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A hearty, comforting slow cooker soup made with tender butternut squash, pearl barley, and aromatic vegetables in a savory broth. This dump-and-go recipe is perfect for busy fall days and delivers a deeply satisfying, nutrient-packed meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 2 stalks celery, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed (about 3–4 cups)
  • 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
  • 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups chopped kale or spinach
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
  • For serving: fresh parsley, grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

  1. Sauté the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3-4 minutes, until translucent and softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Transfer the cooked onion and garlic to your slow cooker.
  2. Prep the vegetables: While the aromatics are cooking, peel and dice the carrots and celery. For the butternut squash, cut off the top and bottom, peel it with a vegetable peeler, cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and cube it into ½-inch pieces.
  3. Add everything to the crockpot: To the slow cooker with the sautéed onions and garlic, add the diced carrots, celery, cubed butternut squash, rinsed pearl barley, fire-roasted diced tomatoes (with their juices), vegetable broth, dried thyme, smoked paprika, crushed rosemary, and the bay leaf. Stir to combine.
  4. Season and cook: Add a generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the barley is tender and chewy and the butternut squash is soft enough to be easily pierced with a fork.
  5. Add the greens: About 10-15 minutes before serving, stir in the chopped kale or spinach. If using kale, massage it with your hands before adding to soften the leaves. The residual heat will wilt the greens. Remove the bay leaf.
  6. Finish and serve: Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper as needed. For a final bright note, stir in a tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

For best flavor, do not skip sautéing the onion and garlic. Rinse barley before adding. Season in layers, adding salt at the beginning and adjusting at the end. If soup becomes too thick, add extra hot broth or water. Soup tastes even better the next day. Freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: crockpot soup, fall vegetable soup, barley soup, slow cooker soup, butternut squash soup, vegetarian soup, vegan soup, healthy soup, comfort food, meal prep

Find it online: https://evabake.com/cozy-crockpot-fall-vegetable-and-barley-soup-easy-comfort/