Description
A hearty and nutritious vegetable barley soup packed with carrots, leeks, potatoes, and cannellini beans. This wholesome and comforting soup is perfect for a filling dinner, featuring tender barley and a rich vegetable broth with fresh parsley and a touch of tomato paste.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic, grated or minced
- 2 large carrots, halved and sliced into disks
- 1 medium leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 celery rib, finely chopped
- 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
- 1.2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Soak Barley: Place barley in a sieve and rinse it thoroughly under water. Transfer it to a bowl, cover with 2 cups of water and let soak for 30 minutes while preparing vegetables.
- Cook Aromatics: In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook till tender with slight browning. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to enhance flavor.
- Add Vegetables: Toss in carrots, leeks, and celery. Cook until leeks soften, then add garlic, potatoes, and parsley. Stir and cook for about 1 minute until garlic is aromatic.
- Add Liquids and Barley: Add the soaked barley along with the soaking water, diced tomatoes, and vegetable stock. Stir to combine and ensure potatoes are submerged.
- Simmer Soup: Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for 50 minutes until potatoes and barley are tender, stirring occasionally and checking for simmer.
- Finish Soup: Turn off heat, fold in cannellini beans, and taste for seasoning adjusting salt and pepper as needed. Add more stock if too thick.
- Serve and Store: Garnish with additional parsley if desired and serve hot. Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- This soup is vegetable-packed and perfect for a wholesome dinner.
- Can be frozen and reheated easily without loss of flavor.
- Adjust the thickness by adding more vegetable stock as preferred.
- Soaking barley helps reduce cooking time and improves texture.
- Use fresh parsley for garnish to add brightness to the soup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 1157 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 64 g
- Fiber: 13 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
