Home Food & Nutrition Recipes Vegetable Barley Soup

Vegetable Barley Soup

This hearty barley soup is bursting with rich flavour and packed with texture

This vegetable barley soup hits all the right notes over the winter months. You can use this recipe as a canvas and throw in whatever veggies you like. I’m a fan of corn for a little sweetness and edamame for the great texture and the added hit of protein.

Hearty pearled barley has the best chew and it’s swimming around in a rich, super savoury broth with loads of chunky veggies. It’s all just so satisfying and then we top off each bowl with a rich and spicy chilli garlic drizzle and a smattering or bright, fresh green onion. It is truly the best.

Prep Time – 10 minutes
Cook Time – 30 minutes
Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

Soup

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, diced
3-4 carrots, diced
1 pepper any colour, diced
2 garlic cloves minced
2 Tbsp flour*
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Pinch red pepper flakes
Salt & Pepper
1 1/2 cup pearled barley*
8 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup edamame

Drizzle

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. Sriracha
1/2 tsp. salt
green onion, sliced for topping

DIRECTIONS

Soup

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and add in the onion.
Cook for several minutes, until softened.
Add in the carrots, pepper and garlic and stir well. Cook for two minutes.
Stir in the flour, thyme, red pepper flakes and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook two minutes more.
Add in the vegetable broth and the soy sauce and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook 20-30 minutes until the barley is tender.
Stir in the corn and the edamame. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Drizzle

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and add in the garlic and the red pepper flakes. Allow to sizzle for a couple of minutes and remove from the heat.
Stir in the Sriracha and salt.
Serve the soup and garnish with the drizzle and the green onion.

NOTES:

I like my soups hearty and thick and this one will thicken up even more as it sits, so add broth to loosen it if needed. If you like a thinner soup, you can omit the flour and/or reduce the amount of barley to 1 1/4 or even 1 cup.
There are different forms of barley, but I prefer the pearled. They look like little pearls when they’re cooked and have the most awesome chew when you eat them. That’s what I’m using here.

Nutrition facts per serving
Calories 608; protein 11.5 g; fat 52 g; carbs 38.4 g.