Vegetable Barley Soup
This vegetable barley soup is a hearty soup my whole family loves! Adding grains to a simple vegetable soup makes it more substantial. You can make a batch of this bean and barley soup in about thirty minutes.
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cups chopped onions
- 1 ½ cups chopped celery medium dice
- 1 ½ cups chopped carrots medium dice
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 quart vegetable broth
- 6 cups water
- 1 ½ cups pearl barley
- 4-6 cups mixed veggies of choice I used green beans, yellow zucchini, and bell peppers
- 2 15 ounce can of white beans
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- ½ tablespoon basil
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- salt and pepper, to taste.
- Parmesan for topping
- 1 cup chopped spinach
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or enameled cast iron like I used, over medium heat. Add vegetables and stir occasionally for 5-10 minutes until veggies start to soften.
- Garlic is next. Cook this for about 2-3 minutes. Garlic burns quickly, so no need to saute for very long.
- Add barley and water. Bring it to a rolling boil and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add remaining veggies, beans, and spices. Continue to cook until all veggies and the barley are al dente, meaning they are cooked, but definitely not mushy.
- I like to top it with a little parmesan cheese for serving, but this is up to you.