I've been making some version of this Slow Cooker Southwestern Bean and Barley Soup for more than 15 years, and it's still my ideal slow cooker recipe - combine everything, walk away, and come back to a hands-off dinner at the end of the day.
This earthy, fiber-filled soup is on the lighter side, but it's still satisfying thanks to the beans and barley. It's naturally vegan, great for an easy dinner, and makes excellent leftovers the next day.
I first made this recipe in 2010 as #337 of my 365 recipe challenge. Originally a layered bean soup from Eating Well magazine that you could assemble as a gift, it didn't ship well - but it was tasty and worked its way into my recipe rotation. It was primarily a stovetop recipe, but I prefer this slow cooker version that's even simpler for my busy days.
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Why I Love This Soup
You'll also love this Southwestern Bean and Barley Soup, because it's:
- Easy and hands-off! Just mix everything together, cook, and dinner's ready hours later.
- Fiber-filled, with chewy barley and earthy beans.
- Inexpensive to make - dried beans and barley are very budget-friendly.
- Warming and spiced, without being spicy.
- Naturally vegan and made from everyday pantry and shelf-stable ingredients.
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Ingredients You'll Need
The beauty of this soup is that it takes all pantry or relatively shelf-stable ingredients.
Pearled barley: This cooks in about 45 minutes - less time than hulled barley, which I haven't tested. Avoid quick-cooking varieties; the long cooking time may make them mushy.
Dried beans: I use a mix of black, white, and red beans. You can substitute them interchangeably, but the mix adds nice flavor and color in the soup. No need to soak them if your slow cooker cooks reliably. Don't use canned beans.
Spices: Chili powder blend, cumin, and oregano add flavor. Be sure they're fresh and aromatic, and don't skip any of them.
Broth: Use chicken broth, or vegetable broth for a vegan soup. I typically use bouillon plus water in place of broth, as it's convenient. A mix of broth and water keeps the soup from becoming too salty.
Onion, celery, and carrots: These build upon the flavor the broth; don't skip them. Use frozen vegetables if you'd like.
A Quick Barley Fact
TIL in writing this post: Pearled barley is technically a refined grain, not a whole grain! Pearling is a polishing process that removes both the inedible hull and some of the bran. Barley remains fiberful since the fiber is spread throughout the grain (not just in the bran), and often some bran remains even after pearling. Source: Whole Grains Council.
How to Make Southwestern Bean and Barley Soup
This soup is my ideal slow cooker recipe. You just combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker to cook, and leave it alone until dinner time.
- Combine all ingredients except salt in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6-7 hours.
- Stir the soup, and sample a bean to see if it's done. Add salt to taste.
Serving and Garnishes
Serve soup warm. It would be especially good with some French bread or Italian bread on the side.
I usually don't add garnishes, because I like mine as it is - dark, earthy, and simple. That said, you can dress it up with any classic Tex-Mex or Mexican-style toppings - lime and cilantro, sliced radishes, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips.
Leftovers thicken over time, but they're still delicious. If desired, you can add a tablespoon of water to loosen up the soup when you reheat it.
FAQ and Troubleshooting
🫘Beans and barley continue to dry out as they age. Very old beans can be extra dry and may soak up extra liquid as they cook, leaving you with less broth.
🔥Your slow cooker may run hot.
♨️Check the lid fit. Steam can escape if it's ajar, or if you lift the lid during cooking time.
🍲Beans and barley continue to absorb liquid as they cool, so leftovers thicken naturally.
If your Southwestern Bean and Barley Soup is too thick, you can stir in extra water, ¼ cup at a time. You can also add a can of diced tomatoes with their liquid, which adds brightness and changes the flavor slightly.
Southwestern Bean and Barley Soup is pretty flavorful on its own, as long as you've used fresh spices; chili powders in particular vary in intensity and lose flavor over time. If you wanted to brighten up or change up the soup, you could:
🧂Double the spices
🍅Add a can of diced tomatoes, and their liquid
🌶️Add salsa (but go lightly, or your soup will taste like salsa)
🍋🟩Add lime juice, cilantro, or sliced radishes for sharpness and freshness
Yes! If you don't have a slow cooker, you can make Southwestern Bean and Barley Soup in a large pot. Saute the chopped vegetables in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add 7 cups of water (instead of 2). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until beans are tender, around 1 ¾ to 2 ½ hours. You may need to add more water as it cooks, depending on how thick the soup becomes.
Yes. If you make the same quantity of Southwestern Bean and Barley Soup in a 6-quart slow cooker instead of a 4-quart, you may need to add more water at the end since the larger surface area allows more liquid to evaporate. To make a larger batch in a 6-quart slow cooker, increase all ingredient amounts by 50%; doubling the recipe won't fit. Either way, cooking time stays the same.
Other Slow Cooker Recipes
Here's some of my other favorite slow cooker recipes for feeding my family with minimal fuss.
Other Vegetarian and Vegan Dinners
Here's some of my other go-to vegan, plant-based meals for hearty, low-fuss weeknight dinners.
Interested in other recipes? I save and share recipes I like or want to try on my Pinterest page - follow me there! You can also check out my Facebook page for more recipes and helpful tips. I'm also happy to try to help troubleshoot my recipes there.
Have you tried this recipe? Or have a question about it? Rate it or leave a comment below! (PS: rating my recipes helps other people find them, too!)
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Southwestern Bean and Barley Soup
Equipment
- 4 quart slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 onion (120 grams; diced)
- 1 stalk celery (40 grams; diced)
- 3 carrots (180 grams; diced)
- ½ cup pearl barley (95 grams)
- ⅓ cup dried black beans (65 grams)
- ⅓ cup dried northern or navy beans (65 grams)
- ⅓ cup dried red beans (65 grams)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 4 cups broth (960 grams/32 ounces) (bouillon plus water)
- 2 cups water (480 grams/16 ounces)
- table salt (to taste; up to ¾ teaspoon)
- garnishes like lime, sliced radishes, cilantro, crushed tortilla chips, or shredded cheese (optional)
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except salt and garnishes in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 6-7 hours.
- Stir, and taste a bean for doneness. Add salt to taste, ¼ teaspoon at a time. Serve warm.
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot. Saute onion, celery, and carrot until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add barley, beans, chili powder, cumin, and oregano, broth, and 7 cups water (instead of 2 cups). Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until beans are cooked, 1 ¾-2 ½ hours. Stir occasionally and add water ¼ cup at a time if it seems dry. Add salt to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
[Originally reviewed in 2010 and republished in 2018. Completely redone and revised in January 2026.]
Leona Konkel says
I pull this recipe out whenever I'm going to be too busy to cook and haven't planned ahead. It still satisfies, every time. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!
Jenn says
I made this in the slow cooker today and topped it with cilantro and avocado. It was delicious (though I liked my second helping better without the avocado and cilantro). I debated on adding tomatoes and ended up skipping them because I didn't think they'd fit in the pot (I did double the recipe). The kids all liked it too!
Leona Konkel says
I'm glad you liked it! I'm with you; I prefer it without the toppings, too!