This one-pot Vegetarian Barley Soup is loaded with veggies, tender barley, and a flavorful broth. Top with fresh herbs, Parmesan, and serve with crusty bread!
Author’s Notes
Currently Crushing On Grains!
I am obsessed with hearty grains. Quinoa was my go-to for years (and I still love it!), but once I tried farro, especially batch-baked in a pan for easy meal prep, and then barley…game over. I can’t get enough.
I love using these grains as a base to switch up my grain bowls. I usually start with a protein (baked chicken thighs are my go-to), pile on loads of roasted veggies, and finish with a good sauce.
And beyond grain bowls, these grains are phenomenal in soups. They bring this chewy, nutty-like texture that I can’t get enough of. This beef barley soup is one of my all-time favorites, and this sweet potato farro soup is another one I crave constantly! And now: Vegetarian Barley Soup. It’s been my go-to for lunch more days than I’d like to admit, haha!
Quick Tip
What is barley? It’s a delicious whole grain with a nice chewy texture and nutty flavor. A nice changeup from your typical rice or pasta in a soup!
Here’s What’s In This Soup:
| Ingredient | Tip |
|---|---|
| Pearled Barley | Rinse well in a fine mesh sieve to remove extra starch. |
| Veggies (onion, carrots, celery, squash) | Cut everything the same size so the veggies cook evenly. |
| Garlic, thyme, curry powder, red pepper flakes | Add these after the veggies soften to bring out more flavor. |
| Vegetable broth and bay leaves | Keep the heat at a gentle simmer so the barley cooks nice and evenly. Use a high quality vegetable broth for the best possible flavor. |
| Kale and finishing ingredients (olive oil, lemon juice, Parmesan, herbs) | Stir in during the last minutes to keep the greens bright and the flavors fresh. |
How To Make Vegetarian Barley Soup:
- Prep: Rinse the barley and chop the veggies.
- Sauté: Warm oil in a large pot and cook the veggies until softened.
- Season: Add garlic and spices and cook until fragrant.
- Simmer: Pour in broth, add barley and bay leaves, and simmer until the barley is tender.
- Finish: Stir in kale, add lemon and oil, adjust seasoning, and serve with toppings you like.
Quick Tip
Serve this Vegetarian Barley Soup with some crusty French bread, buttered artisan bread like my No Knead Bread, homemade Dinner Rolls, or soup crackers.
More Veggie-Filled Soup Recipes:
Soups And Stews
Vegetable Noodle Soup
Soups And Stews
Tomato Basil Soup Recipe
Soups And Stews
Vegetarian Split Pea Soup Recipe
Soups And Stews
Creamy Vegetable Soup
Vegetarian Barley Soup
Video
Equipment
- Fine mesh sieve or mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1-1/2 cups finely diced yellow onion 1 large onion
- 1-1/2 cups chopped carrots 1/2-inch, 3 or 4 carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery 1/4-inch, 3 ribs
- 2 cups chopped butternut squash peeled and diced to 1/2-inch
- Salt and pepper
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic 4 cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon yellow curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup pearled barley
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 2 (32-ounce) containers vegetable stock or vegetable broth, I love Swanson, 8 cups total
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups shredded kale
- 1 large lemon
- Parmesan cheese optional, for topping
- Fresh parsley optional, for topping
- hearty buttered bread optional, for dipping
Instructions
- Rinse the barley thoroughly in a mesh sieve under cool water. Shake off excess water and let it sit in the strainer until ready to use. Finely dice the onion. Cut the peeled carrots, celery, and peeled butternut squash into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Add 3 tablespoons olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. Once warm, add the onion, carrots, celery, and squash. Season to taste (I add 1 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp pepper). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies soften and the onion begins to turn golden, 6-8 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, curry powder, thyme, rinsed barley, and optional red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the vegetable stock and season again (I add 3/4 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp pepper). Add bay leaves. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer uncovered for 30–35 minutes, or until the barley is tender and the veggies are fully cooked. Add the kale during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
- Remove from heat and discard bay leaves. Drizzle in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and add lemon juice (I add 2 tablespoons) if using. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes. Serve with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan if you like, and don't forget a slice of crusty buttered bread for dunking!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How Long Does Barley Take to Cook in Soup?
Barley takes about 30 to 35 minutes to cook in a gentle simmer.
- Use pearled barley since the tough outer layer is removed. It cooks faster and soaks up the right amount of broth.
- Avoid quick cooking barley because it is thinner and turns mushy before the veggies finish cooking. If that is what you have, add it later, but it will not soak up as much flavor.
Quick Tip
Add a Parmesan rind for more flavor! It’s full of flavor; drop it in while the soup cooks, then take it out before serving. If you have one, try it!
Switch Up This Vegetarian Barley Soup
• Swap out veggies: Use sweet potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, or extra amounts of the veggies already in the recipe. You can also use spinach instead of kale.
• Try a different grain: Farro works well in place of barley and cooks in a similar amount of time. It may finish a few minutes sooner.
• Add beans: Stir in a can of drained and rinsed white cannellini beans or chickpeas for more plant based protein.
• Make Chicken Barley Soup: Use chicken stock instead of vegetable stock and stir in shredded rotisserie chicken at the end.
• Try Creamy Barley Soup: Make my Creamy Mushroom Soup and use barley instead of farro.
Super simple and delicious. It’s a keeper.
Thanks
SO thrilled to hear you loved this barley soup! Thanks so much!
I made this once and it was wonderful! Also used spinach vs kale, as I had it on hand. Wondering if anyone has tried using frozen butternut squash to speed up the prep?
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Laurie! 🙂
Since the first time I made this soup my
husband asks me to make it again. Every
Sunday for the last 2 months I have made this
soup. Easy and Delicious
What a compliment! I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Katherine! 🙂
Hi Chelsea , I made this last night and it was Very Good . I substituted kale w/ fresh spinach . Kale is little hard on my stomach. I’m a first time viewer and have enjoyed looking at all wonderful recipes . Very healthy cooking . I like that 🙂 Thank you very much
Delish! SO happy to hear this was a hit! Thanks Peggy! 🙂
I wanted to print this recipe, but clicking on ‘print recipe’ button just opened the recipe in another window. Useless.
I’m so sorry! I am paying someone to look into it right now, but they haven’t been able to find the issue quite yet! You could copy the recipe into a word doc and print it from there until it is fixed! Sorry again!
Chelsea – the link to print the recipe isn’t working. This looks delish & can’t wait to try it!
Thanks so much for the comment Karen! I’m so sorry it isn’t working. I have someone looking into it currently and hopefully it is fixed soon!