Description
This Vegetable Barley Soup is a hearty, healthy, and nourishing one-pot meal packed with tender vegetables, chewy pearl barley, and savory broth. Perfect for meal prep, cold days, or weeknight dinners, it’s vegetarian, budget-friendly, and full of comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups vegetable broth (or low-sodium chicken broth for non-vegetarian)
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 3/4 cup pearl barley
- 1 bay leaf
- 1.5 teaspoons salt (adjust to taste)
- 2 cups chopped spinach or kale (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook 5–6 minutes until softened.
- Add Herbs and Broth: Stir in basil, oregano, thyme, and pepper. Add broth, diced tomatoes, barley, bay leaf, and salt. Stir well.
- Simmer: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 40–50 minutes until barley is tender.
- Add Greens: Stir in spinach or kale during the last 5 minutes of cooking until wilted.
- Adjust: Remove bay leaf, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and enjoy with bread or salad.
Notes
- Use pearl barley for quicker cooking and a tender texture.
- Rinse barley before cooking to reduce excess starch.
- If soup thickens while resting, add more broth or water when reheating.
- Barley absorbs liquid as it sits, so keep extra broth on hand.
- Customize with lentils, mushrooms, or seasonal vegetables for variety.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Soup, Main Course
- Method: Stovetop, One-Pot
- Cuisine: American, Vegetarian
Keywords: Vegetable Barley Soup, vegetarian barley soup, healthy barley soup, one pot vegetable soup, hearty barley recipes