Tomato Beef Barley Soup

When my children were young, I needed a soup that everyone would eat—something filling but also something kids would enjoy. My sons really liked barley soup from a can, so I decided to try making it myself. My boys are now young adults, and this is one of the first things they ask me to make when they come to visit. —Karla Johnson, Winter Haven, Florida

• 

  Total Time

  Prep: 15 min. Cook: 7 hours 5 min.
• 

  Makes

  8 servings (2-1/2 quarts)

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 medium head cabbage, coarsely shredded (about 5 cups)
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1-1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 carton (32 ounces) beef broth
• 2 cans (8 ounces each) roasted garlic tomato sauce
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cups fresh or frozen corn (about 10 ounces), thawed
• 1/2 cup medium pearl barley

Directions

• In a large skillet, cook and crumble beef with onion over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef mixture to a 5-qt. slow cooker.
• Stir in cabbage, carrot, salt, pepper, broth, tomato sauce and tomatoes. Cook, covered, on low 6 hours.
• Stir in corn and barley; turn up to high and cook until barley is tender, about 1 hour.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/3 cups: 239 calories, 8g fat (3g saturated fat), 35mg cholesterol, 1372mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 6g fiber), 16g protein.

Taste of Home Editors