Rustic Vegetable Barley Soup (Printer View)

Hearty barley soup with mushrooms and colorful vegetables for a nourishing, comforting meal.

# Components:

→ Grains

01 - 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 8 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
08 - 1 large potato, peeled and diced
09 - 1 zucchini, diced
10 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
11 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
12 - 6 cups vegetable broth

→ Spices & Herbs

13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 bay leaf
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
17 - 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and sliced mushrooms. Cook for another 5 minutes, allowing the mushrooms to release their moisture and reduce in size.
03 - Add diced potato, zucchini, green beans, and diced tomatoes with juice. Stir to combine.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and add pearl barley, dried thyme, dried oregano, bay leaf, salt, and ground black pepper. Stir well.
05 - Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until barley and vegetables are tender.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like someone who knows you cooked all day, but takes less than an hour from start to finish.
  • The barley becomes creamy without cream, thickening everything into pure comfort.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup while you actually get to enjoy your meal warm.
  • Naturally vegetarian and flexible enough to change with whatever's in your pantry.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the barley at the beginning, or your soup will have a sticky, starchy mouth-feel that works against everything else you've built.
  • The vegetables continue softening even after you turn off the heat, so pull the pot off the flame when things are almost done rather than waiting for perfect tenderness, or you'll end up with mushy carrots.
03 -
  • For extra depth, sauté your mushrooms separately in a dry pan first until they're golden, then add them to the pot, because this concentrates their flavor instead of letting it dilute into the broth.
  • Toast the barley in a dry pot for two minutes before adding it to the soup, a step most recipes skip but one that adds a subtle nutty note that changes everything.
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