Description
A hearty and nutritious vegetable barley soup packed with vegetables, pearl barley, potatoes, and cannellini beans. Perfect for a warm dinner, it offers a comforting blend of textures and flavors with a tomato base and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic (grated or minced)
- 2 large carrots (halved and sliced into disks)
- 1 medium leek (trimmed and thinly sliced)
- 1 celery rib (finely chopped)
- 1 bunch parsley (finely chopped)
- 1.2 pounds potatoes (peeled and diced)
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 can cannellini beans (rinsed)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (more to taste)
- Pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Soak Barley: Place the barley in a sieve and rinse thoroughly under water. Transfer to a bowl, cover with 2 cups of water and let it soak for 30 minutes while preparing the vegetables.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and cook until tender with some browning, about a few minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Add Veggies: Toss in the carrots, leeks, and celery and cook until the leeks are softened. Then add the garlic, diced potatoes, and parsley. Stir several times and cook until garlic becomes aromatic, about 1 minute.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the soaked barley along with the soaking water, canned diced tomatoes, and vegetable stock. Stir well to combine and ensure all potatoes are submerged.
- Cook Soup: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cover. Simmer for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are soft and barley is tender.
- Finish and Season: Turn off the heat and stir in the rinsed cannellini beans. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Add extra vegetable stock if the soup is too thick for your liking. Garnish with extra parsley if desired and serve.
- Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- This soup is packed with vegetables and barley, making it nutritious and filling.
- It freezes well and can be reheated easily for future meals.
- Adjust seasoning at the end to suit your taste.
- You can add more vegetable stock if you prefer a thinner soup consistency.
- Fresh parsley enhances flavor but can be omitted or substituted with dried parsley.
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
