Vegetable Barley Soup Recipe - Budget Bytes (2024)

Can’t stop, won’t stop with the yummy soups over here! Soup is easy, soup is filling, soup is an easy way to pack some more vegetables into your day, and soup (usually) freezes well. This week I’m bringing you this awesome Vegetable Barley Soup that is packed with tons of color, texture, and flavor. And thanks to a healthy dose of barley, it’s also super filling. I’m so glad this recipe makes a huge batch because I’m going to be living off the frozen leftovers of this soup for the rest of winter!!

Vegetable Barley Soup Recipe - Budget Bytes (1)

What is Barley?

Barley is a short, chewy grain that is great in soups, stews, salads, pilafs, and more. You can usually find it in the grain section of your grocery store, near rice and dry beans. It’s usually labeled “pearled barley” which simply means the outer husk and some of the bran has been removed. Barley does contain a small amount of gluten, so it is not considered a gluten-free food.

Can I Substitute the Barley?

Yep! If you’re not into barley or can’t find it, you can use another grain, like farro or wheat berries, or even pasta. A small shape, like ditalini would be awesome.

Can I Use Other Vegetables?

The beauty of this Vegetable Barley Soup is that it is extremely versatile. You can add just about any vegetable to this soup, which makes it great for using up odds and ends of vegetables in your refrigerator and freezer. I used onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, carrots, potato, frozen green beans, frozen corn, and frozen peas, but you could also substitute or add in any of these vegetables:

  • Celery (add in the beginning with onion)
  • Zucchini (add at the end with green beans and peas)
  • Spinach (add at the very end, stir in until wilted)
  • Mushrooms (add in the beginning with onion)
  • Cabbage (add in the beginning with carrots)
  • Kale (add mid-way, with potatoes)
  • Beans (kidney, chickpeas, cannellini, add mid-way with potatoes)

Broth Matters

Vegetable broth carries a lot of the flavor in this soup, so make sure you use a quality vegetable broth, or one that you know you like. As always, I use Better Than Bouillon soup base to make my broth. It is full-flavored and I can mix up any amount I need when I’m cooking, without having leftovers go to waste.

Vegetable Barley Soup Recipe - Budget Bytes (2)

How Much Vegetable Barley Soup Does This Make?

This recipe makes a whopping 12 cups, which I would consider to be about 6 large 2-cup servings. Since the soup is mostly vegetables, I usually go with a slightly larger serving size. This is also a very thick soup once finished, so if you prefer it to be a little more brothy, you can add more vegetable broth and the yield will be even higher.

Can You Freeze Vegetable Soup?

Yes! This soup freezes great. Some people find that potatoes change in texture slightly when frozen and thawed, but it’s not something that I’ve ever noticed or that has bothered me, especially when in a soup.

What Do You Serve with Vegetable Barley Soup?

This soup is just asking for a nice piece of buttered crusty bread for dipping! I would go with something with a lot of texture, like a homemade no knead bread, cornbread, or sour dough. I wouldn’t even be against dropping a few cubes of Swiss cheese into this soup, for a little melty goodness in each bite!

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P.S. If you have leftover barley, you should totally make my Baked Barley with Mushrooms!

Vegetable Barley Soup

4.74 from 73 votes

Loaded with colorful vegetables and filling pearled barley, this Vegetable Barley Soup is a healthy, freezer-friendly staple recipe for winter!

Author: Beth – Budget Bytes

Vegetable Barley Soup Recipe - Budget Bytes (4)

Vegetable Barley Soup Recipe - Budget Bytes (5) Servings 6 2 cups each

Prep 5 minutes mins

Cook 50 minutes mins

Total 55 minutes mins

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Ingredients

  • 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
  • 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
  • 1/2 lb. carrots (about 4) ($0.45)
  • 1 28oz. can diced tomatoes ($1.59)
  • 1 cup pearled barley ($0.89)
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil ($0.05)
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
  • freshly cracked black pepper ($0.05)
  • 6 cups vegetable broth ($0.78)
  • 1 russet potato (about 3/4 lb.) ($1.22)
  • 1 cup frozen green beans ($0.271)
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn ($0.10)
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas ($0.19)
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice ($0.03)
  • 1 handful fresh parsley (optional garnish) ($0.20)

Instructions

  • Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion, garlic, and olive oil to a large soup pot and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent.

  • Meanwhile, peel and dice the carrots. Once the onions are soft, add the carrots to the soup pot, along with the canned diced tomatoes (with juices), barley, basil, oregano, some freshly cracked pepper, and vegetable broth.

  • Stir the contents of the pot to combine, place a lid on top, turn the heat up to medium-high, and bring the broth up to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low, and let the soup simmer, with the lid in place, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

  • While the soup simmers, peel and dice the potato into 1/2-inch cubes. After the soup has simmered and the barley is mostly tender, add the diced potatoes and continue to simmer for 10 minutes more, or just until the potatoes are tender.

  • Once the potatoes are tender, add the frozen green beans, corn, and peas. Stir to combine, and heat through (about 5 minutes in the simmering soup).

  • Finally, add the lemon juice to the soup and stir to combine. Taste the soup and adjust the salt or pepper to your liking. Serve hot, with fresh chopped parsley on top as a garnish, if desired.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cupsCalories: 277.37kcalCarbohydrates: 52.82gProtein: 7.43gFat: 5.9gSodium: 1180.28mgFiber: 9.1g

Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.

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Scroll down for the step by step photos!

Vegetable Barley Soup Recipe - Budget Bytes (7)

How to Make Vegetable Barley Soup – Step by Step Photos

Vegetable Barley Soup Recipe - Budget Bytes (8)

Dice one onion and mince two cloves of garlic. Add the onion and garlic to a large soup pot (mine is 6 qt.) along with 2 Tbsp olive oil. Sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent.

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While the onion and garlic are cooking, peel and slice 1/2 lb. of carrots (about 4 medium carrots). Add the carrots to the soup pot along with one 28 oz. can diced tomatoes (with juices), 1 cup pearled barley, 1/2 tsp dried basil, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, some freshly cracked pepper, and 6 cups of vegetable broth. Stir to combine.

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Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and bring the soup up to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and let it simmer, lid in place, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. While the soup simmers, peel and dice a russet potato into 1/2-inch cubes. After simmering 30 minutes, add the diced potato and simmer 10 minutes more.

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After simmering 10 minutes, the potatoes should be tender. Add 1 cup frozen green beans, 1/2 cup frozen peas, and 1/2 cup frozen corn to the soup. Stir to combine, and heat through (about 5 minutes).

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Finally, stir 1 Tbsp lemon juice into the soup. Give it a taste and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking (I added a touch more pepper, but no salt). Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.

Vegetable Barley Soup Recipe - Budget Bytes (13)

YUMMMM. Vegetable-y goodness got me all warm and cozy!

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Vegetable Barley Soup Recipe - Budget Bytes (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for barley in vegetable soup? ›

If you're not into barley or can't find it, you can use another grain, like farro or wheat berries, or even pasta. A small shape, like ditalini would be awesome.

What if I put too much barley in my soup? ›

As barley is a starch the best you can do is dilute it, or thin it out a bit. You may need to add a fair bit of broth and more of your vegetal ingredients. Possibly to the point of doubling your recipe. It will depend on when you find the taste and texture to have gotten back to acceptable levels.

What is the secret to soup? ›

7 Tips for Successful Soup Making
  • Use a Sturdy Pot. It is worth investing in a heavy pot with a thick bottom to use for making soup. ...
  • Sauté the Aromatics. ...
  • Start with Good Broth. ...
  • Cut Vegetables to the Right Size. ...
  • Stagger the Addition of Vegetables. ...
  • Keep Liquid at a Simmer. ...
  • Season Just Before Serving.
Oct 9, 2022

How do you keep barley from getting soggy in soup? ›

Since the barley can absorb too much of the liquid when made ahead, and get mushy, I find it best to cook the barley separately. Make as directed, just omitting the barley. Cool completely and refrigerate. Follow package directions for barley and cook it separately when you're ready to eat the soup.

Is barley soup anti inflammatory? ›

Research shows that barley helps to regulate blood pressure, boost immunity and provide anti-inflammatory effects.

Do you have to soak barley for soup? ›

Do you have to soak barley before cooking? Pearl barley does not need to be soaked prior to cooking because it cooks quickly. Hulled barley benefits from soaking in water for a few hours before cooking. However, you should still budget more time for the hulled grain to cook (about 35 to 40 minutes).

What to avoid when taking barley? ›

Therefore, if you have IBS or a sensitive digestive tract, you may want to avoid barley. Lastly, since barley has a strong effect on blood sugar levels, you may want to exercise caution while eating it if you have diabetes and are taking any blood-sugar-lowering medications or insulin ( 29 ).

Can you overcook barley in soup? ›

Overcooked barley will become mushy, while undercooked may have a thicker and chewier texture. You can make barley as a side dish, but you can also cook it into your food. Feel free to cook our pearled barley in your favorite soup or stew, but be mindful that it will absorb a lot of liquid.

What are the side effects of too much barley? ›

However, if you consume too much of it, its fiber content can cause stomach cramps, constipation, bloating, and gas. Unwanted weight gain. Barley water is high in calories per serving. You can further increase the calorie count if you add fruit juices or sweeteners like honey to your barley water mix.

What not to do when making soup? ›

The 7 Biggest Mistakes You Make Cooking Soup
  1. Boiling instead of simmering. You want a small bubble or two to rise to the surface of the liquid every few seconds. ...
  2. Not using enough salt. ...
  3. Ignoring water. ...
  4. Overcooking the vegetables. ...
  5. Adding tomatoes at the beginning. ...
  6. Neglecting to garnish. ...
  7. Not trying a pressure cooker.
Nov 19, 2014

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

What can I add to vegetable soup to make it taste better? ›

Fresh lemon juice squeezed into the soup at the very end wakens up the broth. The soup won't taste lemony, just brightened and lively. Fresh herbs and fat from a dollop of prepared pesto stirred into each bowl before serving is a real treat. I like my Vegan Pesto recipe, or Gotham Greens vegan pesto.

What happens if you don't soak barley? ›

The whole-grain barley soaked overnight cooked up the next day in 35 minutes (salting made no difference in timing or texture), while the cooked-from-dry grains took only five minutes longer. Flavor-wise, there wasn't much difference. The verdict? Don't bother soaking whole grains—the payoff is barley worth the effort.

How long should you cook barley? ›

Bring the pot to a boil, keeping an eye on it because it may become foamy at first and boil over. Then reduce to a simmer and cook, adding more water if the pan dries out, until done with a chewy but tender texture. For pearl barley this will take about 25 to 30 minutes and hulled barley 40 to 50 minutes.

What happens if you don't rinse barley before cooking? ›

Barley must be rinsed to remove any dust, dirt and debris just like you would with lentils for example. Preboiling removes any toxic substances that may be lurking on the barley and stops you from getting any of it.

What can I use to substitute barley? ›

In conclusion, there are several substitutes for barley that can be used in various dishes. Some of the best substitutes include quinoa, millet, brown rice, and sorghum. These gluten-free options are versatile and can be used in soups, stews, casseroles, and baked goods.

What is barley comparable to? ›

Because farro and barley are so similar, the comparison between barley and pasta is comparable to that of farro and pasta. A quarter cup of barley contains 6.5 grams of protein and around 8.5 grams of fiber. It also contains around 10% of the recommended daily intake of iron, copper, and various B vitamins.

What healthy grains can you add to soup? ›

You can even order harder-to-find items online.
  1. Amaranth. ...
  2. Barley. ...
  3. Bulgur. ...
  4. Farro. ...
  5. Millet. ...
  6. Whole Oats. ...
  7. Quinoa. ...
  8. Sorghum.

How to substitute rice for barley? ›

You can substitute barley in any recipe that calls for brown rice. For stove top cooking, use a ratio of 1 barley: 3 water. Bring barley/water mixture to a vigorous boil until water is almost gone.

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