Southwestern Slow Cooker Barley Casserole with Ground Turkey

This Southwestern slow cooker barley casserole with ground turkey is healthy, flavorful and couldn’t be easier to prepare! Even my 4-year-old devours it.

Sometimes when I develop a recipe, I really want to share it with you guys but I’m reluctant to share it because the recipe is homely and kind of plain.

This slow cooker barley recipe is NOT FANCY AT ALL. But, it’s delicious! Warm, comforting, and easy to make. There’s my dilemma: it doesn’t look gorgeous but I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t share this recipe with you.

I also had a difficult time naming the recipe. Casserole? Stew? It’s somewhere in between the two, I think. It’s hearty, warm, full of flavor, cheesy…basically everything you love in food, right?

E loved scooping this up onto chips and eating it that way. So did Ben for that matter. N continues to survive on breakfast alone — little stinker. I was still recovering from oral surgery when I made this so no chips for me, but it really hit the spot.

About this slow cooker barley stew

And it’s unbelievably simple to make. Start like you’re going to make turkey tacos. Sauté ground turkey with peppers and onions. Add taco seasoning. Throw the meat, onions, and peppers in the slow cooker with beans, corn, pearl barley, and chicken stock.

Stir in a generous amount of cheese when it is all said and done and you’re presented with satisfying, filling comfort food. With really minimal effort. This slow cooker barley casserole is perfect if you’re just had oral surgery, or if you’re just human and hungry.

Serve it with a nice kale salad or warm bread. Or both.

More barley recipes

Barley is so nutritious! If you’re looking for more great recipes like this slow cooker barley casserole, try these:

• Barley, Bulgar and Vegetable Vegan Casserole
• Barley Salad with Cucumbers, Tomato and Parsley
• Chicken Barley Soup with Kale and Butternut Squash
• Slow Cooker Barley and Chickpea Risotto from Foxes Love Lemons
• Toasted Barley and Shrimp Salad from Cookin’ Canuck

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

Get the Recipe: Southwestern Slow Cooker Barley Casserole with Ground Turkey

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 8 hours hrs

Total Time: 8 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

6 servings

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This slow cooker barley casserole is healthy, flavorful and couldn’t be easier to prepare!

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 pkg. (20 ounces) lean ground turkey
• ▢ 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• ▢ 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• ▢ 1 tablespoon taco seasoning (more to taste)
• ▢ 1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained
• ▢ 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• ▢ 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1 cup uncooked pearl barley
• ▢ 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• ▢ 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
• ▢ Optional ingredients for topping and serving: Sour cream, salsa, diced tomatoes, avocado, fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, tortilla chips.

Instructions

• Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add turkey, onion, and pepper and saute until turkey is cooked through. Add taco seasoning and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
• Add meat mixture along with corn, tomatoes, beans, barley, and chicken broth to a 6 quart slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until barley is tender and most of water is soaked up into the barley.
• Stir in 1 and 1/2 cups of cheese and sprinkle the remaining half cup on top. Cover until melted. Serve with tortilla chips if desired as well as any desired toppings.

Notes

• 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning (as called for in the recipe) yields a pretty mild casserole. If you like it spicier, feel free to bump up the amount you use.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1of 6, Calories: 483kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 535mg, Fiber: 12g, Sugar: 5g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk

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