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    Home » Recipes » Soups

    Barley Soup with Vegetables

    Published: Oct 1, 2021 / Modified: Oct 2, 2021 by Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN / This post may contain affiliate links / 10 Comments

    • 12
    Jump to Recipe Print
    barley soup with vegetables in a serving bowl with a spoon next to bread
    barley vegetable soup in a pot with a ladle and in a serving bowl separated by text box

    This easy barley soup with vegetables is a vegetarian and vegan soup option that’s perfect for chilly days. It comes together quickly for a nourishing lunch or dinner.

    barley soup with vegetables in a serving bowl with a spoon next to bread

    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see my affiliate disclosure.

    It’s October 1st and I’m posting about soup. Could a food blogger be any more predictable?!

    Even though it certainly doesn’t feel like soup season (we still have our AC on!), I’m ready for it. Soup is just so easy to make. AND it’s such a great way to pack more veggies into your diet. I eat it at least a few times a week in the winter.

    This barley soup with vegetables will definitely be a repeat recipe in our house this season. It’s ridiculously simple but still has a ton of great flavor. I even used quick cooking barley to shorten the prep time.

    So, what are you waiting for?! Grab a spoon, and whip this one up!

    carrots, celery, tomato paste, barley, garlic, celery, onion, and seasonings on a counter

    How to Make Barley Soup

    The full ingredients list and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Here’s a preview of the steps for this barley soup with vegetables recipe.

    1. Cook the veggies in some olive oil.
    2. Add minced garlic, tomato paste, and seasonings.
    3. Add barley and broth. Bring to a boil.
    4. Cover, reduce heat to a maintain a simmer, and cook until barley is tender.
    5. Stir in frozen peas, and cook for a few more minutes.
    6. Ladle into bowls, and enjoy!
    • celery, carrot, and onions cooking in a pot with tomato paste and seasonings
    • barley vegetable soup cooking in a pot with a wooden ladle

    Expert Tips

    • To make this soup in under 30 minutes, use quick pearled barley. I used Quaker brand and it worked great.
    • You can feel free to use other types of pearled barley, like Bob’s Red Mill or Good and Gather brands, but you will need to adjust the cooking time. Follow the instructions on those packages.
    • If you have a well-stocked freezer, you can actually use ALL frozen veggies for this barley soup with vegetables. For instance, if you followed my tutorials on How to Freeze Carrots and How to Freeze Celery, you may have these frozen veg on hand. You don’t need to adjust the cooking time if you use frozen vegetables, and you can add them directly to the pot from frozen.
    • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for two to three days. The barley will absorb liquid as it sits in the soup, so you will need to add some extra broth or water when reheating. Reheat in a saucepan until warmed through, stirring frequently.
    • Possible additions include white beans or chickpeas and shredded chicken or turkey. Add a sprinkle of shredded parmesan cheese before serving the soup if desired (and if you don’t need the soup to be vegan).
    barley and vegetable soup in a serving bowl with a large spoon on a counter

    More Healthy Soup Recipes

    If you love this barley soup with vegetables, check out the Slow Cooker Mushroom Barley Stew while you’re here! You may also enjoy the Veggie-Loaded One Pot Lasagna Soup, Vegan Stew with Winter Vegetables, and Broccoli Soup with Potatoes and Peas.

    I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.

    📖 Recipe

    barley soup with vegetables in a serving bowl with a spoon next to bread

    Barley Soup with Vegetables

    This 30-minute barley vegetable soup is a vegetarian and vegan recipe that's great for lunch or dinner. It's a hearty dish for a cold day!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 20 minutes mins
    Total Time: 30 minutes mins
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 295kcal
    Author: Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

    Equipment

    • Soup pot or Dutch oven

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 yellow onion - diced
    • 3 carrots - sliced
    • 2 stalks celery - sliced
    • 3 cloves garlic - minced
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 cup quick pearled barley
    • 6 cups vegetable broth
    • 1 cup frozen peas
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Warm the olive oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
    • Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add the barley and vegetable broth to the pot.
    • Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes until the barley is tender.
    • When the barley is finished cooking, take the cover off of the pot and stir in the frozen peas. Cook for 4 to 5 more minutes.
    • Ladle into bowls, and enjoy! I like to serve the soup with crunchy bread and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
    • Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!

    Notes

    • You can use other types of pearled barley that are not quick-cooking, but you will have to adjust the cooking time. Refer to the package instructions.
    • Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in a saucepan until warmed through. Since the barley absorbs liquid while it sits in the soup, you will need to add some extra broth or a little water when reheating.
    • You can bulk up the soup with some white beans, chickpeas, shredded turkey, or chicken.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2cups | Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 783mg | Potassium: 523mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 8843IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @its_a_vegworld_afterall and follow me today!

    Have a good weekend! – Lizzie

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    • 12

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Aunt Karen

      February 01, 2023 at 1:55 pm

      I’m that crazy “aunt” who makes/ eats soup all seasons! Barley soup is a favorite. I often use Quaker Quick Batley, I always add white beans, and sometimes diced tomatoes.
      Thank you for the yummy recipe!

      Reply
      • Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

        February 09, 2023 at 2:57 pm

        I love soup all year round too!! Sounds like you make a delicious version of barley soup!

        Reply
    2. Natalie

      January 22, 2022 at 8:34 pm

      It’s a good and easy soup if you have these staples in your fridge and pantry. Don’t be shy with the seasoning. Extra pepper, extra salt, extra oregano, extra garlic…literally however you want it (mild, medium, or even spicy).
      Thank you for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

        January 23, 2022 at 11:40 am

        I’m thrilled that you enjoy this recipe, Natalie!

        Reply
    3. Jwiltz

      November 10, 2021 at 7:10 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious! I added cumin, coriander, and sage. It reminded me of Chicken Soup. Yum😋

      Reply
      • Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

        November 10, 2021 at 10:06 am

        I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it! The additions you made sound delicious!

        Reply
    4. Pam

      October 27, 2021 at 7:52 am

      This is delious, but is the potassium right as there is only 1 tablespoon of tomato paste in this and all the veggies are low potassium? Please advise

      Reply
      • Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

        October 27, 2021 at 9:39 am

        Hi Pam, I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! The potassium calculation per serving (approximately 2 cups) is correct. One tablespoon of tomato paste has about 160 mg of potassium. The veggies also provide potassium, but some are not that high in potassium. So, spread out over the whole soup, the amount of potassium per serving makes sense.

        Reply
    5. Maggie Ornduff

      October 02, 2021 at 6:33 am

      Where is all the sodium coming from? Seems super high..

      Reply
      • Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

        October 02, 2021 at 8:27 am

        Hi Maggie, thanks for your question…and good catch! It seems that the nutrition calculator was inputting a very high amount of sodium for the vegetable broth. I have adjusted it to the correct amount, which is now visible on the recipe card.

        Reply

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