Recipe for Vegetable Barley Soup, Recipe, Ingredients

$6.67 RECIPE / $1.11 SERVING

This week, I’m sharing this delicious Vegetable Barley Soup, which is full of color, texture, and flavor.

I can’t seem to get enough of these delectable soups! Soup is simple to make, hearty, and a great way to get more vegetables into your day.

It also stores nicely.  It’s also very filling, thanks to a hearty amount of barley. I’m so glad vegetable barley soup produces a big amount since I’ll be eating delicious soup for the rest of the winter!!

BARLEY – WHAT IS IT?

Barley is a short, chewy grain that can be used in a variety of dishes including soups, stews, salads, pilafs, and more. It’s commonly found near the rice and dry beans in the grain area of your supermarket.

The term “pearled barley” merely refers to the removal of the outer husk as well as some of the bran. Because barley contains a trace of gluten, it is not a gluten-free food.

CAN I MAKE A BARLEY SUBSTITUTE?

Yep! You can substitute another grain, such as farro or wheat berries, or even pasta if you don’t like barley or can’t find it. A ditalini-style tiny form would be fantastic.

WHAT OTHER VEGETABLES CAN I USE?

The great thing about this Vegetable Barley Soup is how adaptable it is. This soup can be made with almost any vegetable, making it ideal for using up scraps from your fridge or freezer.

I used onions, garlic, diced tomatoes, carrots, potato, frozen green beans, frozen corn, and frozen peas, but any of the following vegetables could be substituted or added in:

• Celery (add in the beginning with onion)
• Zucchini (add at the end with green beans and peas)
• Spinach (add at the very end, stir in until wilted)
• Mushrooms (add in the beginning with onion)
• Cabbage (add in the beginning with carrots)
• Kale (add mid-way, with potatoes)
• Beans (kidney, chickpeas, cannellini, add mid-way with potatoes)

MATTERS RELATED TO BROTH

Because the flavor of this soup is heavily reliant on the vegetable broth, make sure you pick a high-quality vegetable broth or one that you know you’ll enjoy.

To prepare my broth, I always use a Better Than Bouillon soup base. It has a strong flavor, and I can make the amount I need when I’m cooking without having leftovers.

HOW MANY SERVINGS OF VEGETABLE BARLEY SOUP DOES THIS SERVE?

This recipe yields a massive 12 cups, which equals roughly 6 generous 2-cup servings in my opinion. I normally go with a little larger serving size because the soup is largely vegetables.

This is a thick soup once it’s completed, so if you want it to be a little more brothy, add extra vegetable broth and the yield will increase even more.

CAN VEGETABLE SOUP BE FROZEN?

Yes! This soup freezes quite well. Some people perceive a minor change in texture when potatoes are frozen and thawed, but I’ve never noticed it or been troubled by it, especially in a soup.

WHAT DO YOU SERVE WITH BARLEY SOUP WITH VEGETABLES?

This soup begs to be dipped in a good piece of buttered crusty bread! Something with a lot of texture, like handmade no-knead bread, cornbread, or sourdough, would be my choice.

I wouldn’t mind putting a couple of pieces of Swiss cheese in each bite of this soup for a little melty pleasure!

P.S. If you have any leftover barley, Baked Barley with Mushrooms is a must-try!

VEGETABLE BARLEY SOUP

INSTRUCTIONS

1. The onion should be diced and the garlic should be minced. In a large soup pot, sauté the onion, garlic, and olive oil for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is tender and translucent.
2. Peel and cube the carrots as you wait. Add the carrots, canned diced tomatoes (with juices), barley, basil, oregano, freshly cracked pepper, and vegetable broth to the soup pot after the onions are tender.
3. Stir to incorporate the contents of the saucepan, cover with a lid, and bring the broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the soup has reached a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, covered, for 30 minutes, stirring regularly.
4. Peel and dice the potato into 1/2-inch cubes while the soup is simmering. After the soup has simmered for 10 minutes or until the barley is mostly soft, add the diced potatoes and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
5. Add the frozen green beans, corn, and peas when the potatoes are soft. Stir everything together and heat until it’s hot (about 5 minutes in the simmering soup).
6. Finally, toss in the lemon juice until everything is well combined. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh chopped parsley if preferred.

NUTRITION

• Serving: 2 cups
• Calories: 277.37 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 52.82 g
• Protein: 7.43 g
• Fat: 5.9 g
• Sodium: 1180.28 mg
• Fiber: 9.1 g

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING VEGETABLE BARLEY SOUP

1. 2 garlic cloves, minced In a big soup pot (mine is 6 quarts), combine the onion, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion is tender and translucent, over medium heat.
2. 1/2 pound carrots, peeled and sliced while the onion and garlic are cooking (about 4 medium carrots). Add the carrots, one 28-ounce can of chopped tomatoes (with liquids), 1 cup of pearled barley, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, freshly cracked pepper, and 6 cups of vegetable stock to the soup pot. To combine everything, whisk it together.
3. Bring the soup to a boil with the lid on the pot over medium-high heat. Once it has to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for 30 minutes with the lid on. Peel a russet potato and divide it into 1/2-inch pieces while the soup is simmering. Add the diced potato after 30 minutes of simmering and continue to cook for another 10 minutes.
4. The potatoes should be soft after 10 minutes of cooking. In a large soup pot, combine 1 cup frozen green beans, 1/2 cup frozen peas, and 1/2 cup frozen corn. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, then heat until hot (about 5 minutes).
5. Finally, whisk in 1 tbsp lemon juice. Taste it and season it with salt and pepper to taste (I added a little more pepper but no salt). If preferred, garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

YUMMMM. I’m feeling warm and fuzzy now, thanks to vegetable-y goodness!