Description
Hearty vegetable barley soup packed with nutritious vegetables, tender barley, and creamy cannellini beans. This warming and satisfying soup is perfect for a cozy dinner and can be easily stored or frozen for later enjoyment.
Ingredients
Scale
Grains
- 1 cup pearl barley
Vegetables
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 large carrots, halved and sliced into disks
- 1 medium leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 celery rib, finely chopped
- 1.2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, grated or minced
Canned Goods
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed
Liquids and Oils
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cups water (for soaking barley)
Other
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (more to taste)
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Soak Barley: Place the pearl barley in a sieve and rinse thoroughly under running water. Transfer it to a bowl and cover with 2 cups of water. Let it soak for 30 minutes while preparing the vegetables.
- Prepare Vegetables: Finely chop the onion, slice the carrots into disks, thinly slice the leek, finely chop the celery rib, peel and dice the potatoes, grate or mince the garlic, and chop the parsley.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until tender and slightly browned, about a few minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen the flavor.
- Add Vegetables: Toss in the carrots, leeks, and celery, cooking until the leeks soften. Then add the garlic, diced potatoes, and parsley. Stir the mixture a few times and cook for about 1 minute until the garlic becomes aromatic.
- Add Liquids and Barley: Drain the soaked barley (retain the soaking water) and add it to the pot along with the soaking water, diced tomatoes, and 3 cups of vegetable stock. Stir the mixture well and ensure all the potatoes are submerged.
- Cook Soup: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cover. Let it simmer for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are soft and the barley is tender. Check that the soup is simmering throughout the cooking time.
- Add Beans and Season: Once cooked, turn off the heat and fold in the rinsed cannellini beans. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. If the soup is too thick, add more vegetable stock to your desired consistency.
- Serve: Optionally, sprinkle extra chopped parsley on top before serving. Enjoy your hearty vegetable barley soup warm. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, you can sauté the vegetables a little longer until more caramelized.
- This soup freezes well and can be reheated on the stovetop gently.
- Use low-sodium vegetable stock to reduce sodium content if desired.
- Substitute cannellini beans with any white beans of your choice.
- To make this gluten free, substitute pearl barley with gluten free grains like quinoa.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 1157 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 64 g
- Fiber: 13 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
