Best 7 Slow Cooker Red Beans And Barley Low Fat Recipes

Indulge in a hearty and flavorful culinary journey with our delectable slow-cooker red beans and barley recipes, curated to tantalize your taste buds. These wholesome dishes, brimming with the goodness of red beans, barley, and an array of aromatic spices, promise a symphony of flavors that will warm your soul. From the classic Louisiana-inspired red beans and rice, infused with the Trinity of diced bell peppers, onions, and celery, to the hearty and protein-packed red beans and sausage, bursting with smoky andouille sausage, each recipe offers a unique taste experience. Vegetarian enthusiasts will delight in the meatless red beans and barley soup, where vegetables take center stage, delivering a rich and satisfying broth. And for those seeking a lighter option, the low-fat red beans and barley, brimming with fiber and lean protein, is a guilt-free indulgence. Explore our diverse collection of recipes, each promising a culinary adventure that will leave you craving for more.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

SLOW COOKER BEAN AND BARLEY STEW

Slow Cooker Bean and Barley Stew image

Provided by Katie Lee Biegel

Categories main-dish

Time 8h10m

Yield 10 to 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

8 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 pound mix of dried beans, such as navy and pinto, rinsed
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
A few sprigs fresh thyme
8 ounces dried barley
8 ounces baby spinach
Toasted crusty bread or baguette, for serving

Steps:

Combine the broth, bean mix, salt, pepper, celery, carrots, garlic, onions, bay leaf, thyme and 2 cups water in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours. Add the barley and, if the broth looks low, another cup of water. Cover and cook on low an additional 1 hour (8 hours total).
Just before serving, stir in the spinach to wilt. Serve in a big bowl with toasted crusty bread or baguette.

SLOW-COOKER BEAN AND BARLEY SOUP

Slow-Cooker Bean and Barley Soup image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories main-dish

Time 8h15m

Yield 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

1 cup dried multi-bean mix or Great Northern beans, picked over and rinsed
1/2 cup pearl barley
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt
2 teaspoons dried Italian herb blend
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, crumbled if large, optional
One 14-ounce can whole tomatoes, with juice
3 cups cleaned baby spinach leaves (about 3 ounces)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Steps:

Put 6 cups water, the beans, barley, garlic, carrots, celery, onions, bay leaf, 11/2 tablespoons salt, herb blend, some pepper and porcini mushrooms (if using) in a slow cooker. Squeeze the tomatoes through your hands over the pot to break them down, and add with their juices. Cover and cook on high until the beans are quite tender and the soup is thick, about 8 hours.
Add the spinach and cheese, and stir until the spinach wilts, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and drizzle each serving with vinegar and olive oil.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 463 calorie, Fat 16 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Cholesterol 4 milligrams, Sodium 2693 milligrams, Protein 23 grams, Sugar 11 grams

SLOW COOKER RED BEANS AND BARLEY (LOW FAT)

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Barley (Low Fat) image

I found this recipe on fatfreevegan.com some time ago and wanted to put it here so all my healthy recipes are in one place. They say this is a Weight Watchers recipes and that is 4 points per serving.

Provided by Sarah_Jayne

Categories Stew

Time 7h20m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1 cup barley, uncooked and rinsed (use long-cooking variety, not pearled barley)
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 large celery rib, chopped
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 bay leaves
3 cups fat-free vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Steps:

Place all ingredients, in order listed, in slow cooker. Do not stir.
Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours.
Stir and serve. Yields about 1 1/3 cups per serving.

RED BEANS AND BARLEY W/ HAM SLOW COOKER STEW

Red Beans and Barley W/ Ham Slow Cooker Stew image

Make and share this Red Beans and Barley W/ Ham Slow Cooker Stew recipe from Food.com.

Provided by marisa.johnson

Categories Beans

Time 8h15m

Yield 2 quarts, 6-8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

1 cup barley, uncooked
3 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans, undrained
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 -3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup cooked ham, diced
1 ham bone
1 cup bell pepper, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
2 bay leaves
2 dried hot chili peppers

Steps:

Toss it in the crock pot all day. Cook 4 -5 on high and then drop it down another 4 at least on low.
Take out the bay leaves and the chile peppers. It's better a day or two later.

VEGAN SLOW COOKER RED BEANS AND RICE

Vegan Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice image

This vegan version of New Orleans-style red beans and rice omits the sausage and ham hock, and instead adds smoked paprika, miso and soy sauce for a savory, rounded flavor. If you have a favorite Cajun or Creole spice mixture on hand, use 1 heaping tablespoon of it in place of the sage, cayenne, garlic, onion powders and sweet paprika, and taste before adding any salt, as seasoning blends contain a varying amount of sodium. These vegan beans are not as creamy as the ones made with pork, so smash a few against the side of the pot before serving to thicken the liquid. Serve with hot sauce, preferably a vinegary, cayenne-based Louisiana-style sauce like Crystal, Louisiana brand or Tabasco.

Provided by Sarah DiGregorio

Time 7h30m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 20

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
10 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 heaping tablespoon white or yellow miso paste
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cayenne, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground sage (optional)
1 pound dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
3 dried bay leaves
3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Cooked rice, for serving
Sliced scallions, for serving
Louisiana-style hot sauce, for serving

Steps:

Heat the oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium. Add the onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until the onion is limp and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the celery and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the chopped garlic, miso paste, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne and sage, if using. Grind in a generous amount of black pepper and add 3/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine until the miso has dissolved, then remove from the heat and scrape the mixture into a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Add the beans, bay leaves, thyme and 6 cups water. Cook on high until the beans are very tender and creamy, about 7 hours.
If your beans are not bubbling at all by the time they are done cooking, turn the heat up to high and let them bubble for about 10 minutes, to make them easier to digest.
Before serving, add the soy sauce, and season to taste with salt and cayenne. Using a fork or the back of a spoon, mash some of the beans against the side of the slow cooker to make the mixture slightly creamy. (It will continue to thicken as it sits.) Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Top the beans with hot cooked rice and scallions; serve with hot sauce.

SLOW COOKER RED BEANS AND RICE

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice image

Born and raised in Louisiana, this is a Monday staple. Red kidney beans slow cooked with smoked sausage served over rice with cornbread on the side. Yum!

Provided by DaleAnn82

Categories Side Dish Beans and Peas

Time 8h15m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

6 cups water
1 (16 ounce) package dry kidney beans
12 ounces smoked sausage, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped, or to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced, or to taste
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

Combine water, kidney beans, sausage, onion, green bell pepper, celery, garlic, and bay leaf in the bowl of a slow cooker and stir to combine. Set slow cooker to Low and cook for at least 8 hours. Remove bay leaf and discard. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 370.6 calories, Carbohydrate 39 g, Cholesterol 28.9 mg, Fat 14.2 g, Fiber 9.3 g, Protein 22.6 g, SaturatedFat 4.9 g, Sodium 675.6 mg, Sugar 3.7 g

SLOW COOKER RED BEANS AND RICE

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice image

This slow cooker version of New Orleans-style red beans requires about 20 minutes to toss together in the morning and can be ready to eat when you walk in the door after work. Creamy and comforting, it is traditionally flavored with a leftover pork bone, so if you happen to have one, feel free to throw that in instead of a ham hock. And if you have a favorite Cajun or Creole spice mixture on hand, use 1 heaping tablespoon of it in place of the sage, cayenne, garlic, onion and paprika powders, and taste before adding any salt, as seasoning blends contain a varying amount of sodium. Adding hot sauce at the end is key: The best kind to use is a vinegary, cayenne-based, Louisiana-style sauce, like Crystal, Louisiana brand or Tabasco. (Here is a vegan version of this recipe.)

Provided by Sarah DiGregorio

Categories dinner, beans, sausages, main course

Time 7h30m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
10 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cayenne, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground sage (optional)
1 pound dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
3 dried bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 ounces smoked pork sausage, preferably Andouille, sliced into 1-inch-thick coins
1 smoked ham hock (about 10 ounces)
Cooked rice, for serving
Sliced scallions, for serving
Louisiana-style hot sauce, for serving

Steps:

Heat the oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium. Add the onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until the onion is limp and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the celery and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the chopped garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne and sage (if using); grind in a generous amount of black pepper and add 3/4 teaspoon salt. Stir well to combine all the ingredients, then remove from the heat and scrape the mixture into a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker.
Add the beans, bay leaves, thyme, sausage, ham hock and 6 cups water. Cook on high until the beans are very tender and creamy, about 7 hours.
If your beans are not bubbling at all by the time they are done cooking, turn the heat up to high and let them bubble for about 10 minutes, to make them easier to digest.
Before serving, add salt or cayenne to taste. Using a fork or the back of a spoon, mash some of the beans against the side of the slow cooker to make the mixture slightly creamy. (It will continue to thicken as it sits.) Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs; you can pick the meat off the ham hock if you like. Top the beans with hot cooked rice and scallions; serve with hot sauce.

Tips:

Soaking the barley overnight helps to reduce cooking time and improves its texture.
Rinsing the beans and barley before cooking removes impurities and excess starch.
Using low-sodium or no-salt-added canned beans and tomatoes helps to control the sodium content of the dish.
Adding a bay leaf or two to the pot infuses the dish with a subtle, savory flavor.
Using vegetable broth instead of water adds extra flavor to the dish.
Cooking the dish on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours allows the beans and barley to fully soften and develop their flavors.
Seasoning the dish with salt, pepper, and other spices to taste enhances the overall flavor profile.
Garnishing the dish with fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro adds a pop of color and freshness.

Conclusion:

This slow-cooker red beans and barley recipe is a delicious, hearty, and healthy meal that is perfect for busy weeknights. With its simple ingredients and easy preparation, this dish is sure to become a family favorite. The combination of tender beans, chewy barley, and flavorful vegetables creates a satisfying and nutritious stew that is packed with protein, fiber, and vitamins. Whether you serve it as a main course or as a side dish, this slow-cooker red beans and barley dish is sure to please everyone at the table.