Crock Pot Turkey Barley Soup

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 02/23/22
Turkey barley soup recipe

The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 6 hrs
Total: 6 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

Wondering what to do with leftover turkey? Look no further than this deliciously hearty soup! Grab the leftovers and add some fresh herbs and broth and head to your slow cooker for a nearly effortless dish that the whole family will enjoy. Or take a look at the stovetop instructions if you need a faster soup.

Serve the soup with crusty French bread or biscuits. It's an excellent lunch soup as well. Add a sandwich or salad for a well-balanced meal.

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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1/2 cup chopped onion

  • 1/2 cup chopped celery

  • 3 carrots, thinly sliced

  • 6 cups chicken stock, or turkey stock

  • 1 to 2 cups diced cooked turkey

  • 1/2 cup pearl barley

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, or 2 teaspoons dried

  • Kosher salt, to taste

Steps to Make It

To Make in a Crock Pot

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for turkey barley soup
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  2. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and sliced carrots to the hot oil and cook until the onions are softened, stirring constantly.

    Add carrots
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  3. In the slow cooker, combine the cooked vegetables, chicken or turkey stock, turkey, barley, bay leaf, thyme, marjoram, and pepper.

    Combine ingredients
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  4. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the carrots are tender and the barley is softened. Taste and add the chopped parsley; adjust seasonings with salt, as needed.

    Cover and cook
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

To Make on the Stovetop

  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots. Cook until the onions are translucent, stirring constantly.

    Ingredients in pot
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  2. Add the chicken or turkey stock, turkey, barley, bay leaf, thyme, marjoram, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.

    Add chicken
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  3. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the vegetables and barley are tender.

    Reduce heat to low
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  4. Stir the chopped parsley into the soup. Taste and season with salt, as needed.

    Stir in chopped parsley
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

  5. Serve and enjoy!

    Serve with rolls
    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

Tip

  • Pearl barley cooks more quickly than hulled barley, but hulled barley is richer in fiber because it is the whole grain. Hulled barley retains its chewy texture but might need an extra 30 minutes to an hour of cooking time.

Recipe Variations

  • The soup starts with the typical mirepoix of onion, carrot, and celery. If you prefer Cajun and Creole flavors, add a chopped green bell pepper to the mixture and season the soup with Cajun or Creole seasoning. For Creole flavor, add a 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes. If you like more vegetables in your soup, add a cup or two of frozen green beans, corn, or lima beans about an hour before the soup is ready.
  • Feel free to replace the pearl barley with hulled barley, farro, or whole grain sorghum. All of these grains hold their shape well, even after long, slow cooking. 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
240 Calories
10g Fat
17g Carbs
20g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 240
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 13%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 56mg 19%
Sodium 473mg 21%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 20g
Vitamin C 5mg 26%
Calcium 40mg 3%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 521mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)