{"id":71636,"date":"2021-11-18T18:16:14","date_gmt":"2021-11-18T17:16:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ellerepublic.de\/?p=71636"},"modified":"2025-07-16T20:03:25","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T18:03:25","slug":"vegetable-barley-soup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ellerepublic.de\/en\/vegetable-barley-soup\/","title":{"rendered":"Vegetable Barley Soup"},"content":{"rendered":"

This recipe for vegetable barley soup<\/strong> amplifies just how delicious a simple vegetable soup can be. It\u2019s loaded with seasonal vegetables, making it clean, nutritious AND super tasty. Chewy, nutty pearl barley makes every bite so much more interesting! The great thing about this recipe is that you could use it as a base for making your very own version, depending vegetables are in season and which vegetables you have on hand. Making it also a great way to use up any extra vegetables you have on hand.<\/p>\n

Barley Soup \u2014 an age old traditional comfort food<\/h2>\n

Traditionally barley soup is something you would find in Scotland (called Scotch broth) made with lamb, barley and vegetables like onions, carrots and other root vegetables. In Canada, we also have our version, which would contain beef, onions, celery, carrots, and sometimes even peas. Pure, old fashioned comfort food that\u2019s been passed along through the generations. My version is a vegetarian\/vegan barley soup<\/strong> and instead of meat to give it it\u2019s flavour, it relies on umami-rich vegetables, such as potatoes and tomatoes to give it that extra something that keeps you coming back for more!<\/p>\n

\"Ingredients<\/a><\/p>\n

Main ingredients for this vegetable soup with barley<\/h2>\n

Pearl barley:<\/h3>\n

One of my favourite grains! It has a nutty flavour and chewy texture that is the highlight of this simple vegetable soup. It\u2019s not to be confused with HULLED barley which is the whole grain form of barley. It has only the outermost hull removed and takes much longer to cook. Pearl barley, on the other hand, has been polished to remove some or all of the outer bran layer along with the hull, which results in a relatively quick cooking grain, that doesn\u2019t need to be soaked ahead of time. That\u2019s what\u2019s going in this soup.<\/p>\n

Seasonal vegetables:<\/h3>\n

A good mix of vegetables is what gives this easy to make barley soup depth of flavor. I like to add the aromatics (onion and garlic) and any vegetables that I want to cook for a longer time, right at the start of the recipe. For more delicate, short cooking vegetables, I add them once the barley is halfway through cooking. And for the greens, dependant on how hearty they are, they should be added near the end of the cooking time.<\/p>\n

\"Vegetable<\/a><\/p>\n

Using different types of vegetables for a barley soup<\/h2>\n

Root vegetables like carrots, sweet potato, winter squash\/pumpkin, rutabaga, turnip, golden beets, etc will need longer to cook, so if swapping one for another, add them at the beginning. I also add celery stalks (or celery root) and leeks, onions or garlic at the beginning as they infuse the soup with flavour.<\/p>\n

Vegetables such as broccoli, zucchini, asparagus, snow peas and even green beans, cook relatively quick in comparison to root vegetables, so can be added halfway through or even later, depending on preferred consistency. As for red pepper, it can be added early on or later, depending on how cooked you want it to be.<\/p>\n

Greens like spinach only take a minute to wilt, Swiss chard leaves 2-3 minutes, and hearty kale, cup to 5 minutes. Alternatively, a handful of freshly chopped parsley stirred in at the end, gives the soup some added freshness, colour and flavour.
\n\"Vegetable<\/a><\/p>\n

I hope you all LOVE this vegetable soup with barley! It\u2019s:<\/p>\n

Cosy and warming
\nTomato-y
\nVegetable-Packed
\nRich in fibre and good-for-you nutrients
\nVersatile
\n& oh so delicious<\/p>\n

\"Graupensuppe<\/a><\/p>\n

If you love this barley soup recipe, you might also like one of these recipes:<\/h2>\n