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Easy One-Pot Barley Soup with Vegetables served in a ceramic soup mug.
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5 from 16 votes

Easy Pearl Barley Soup with Vegetables

Vegetable Barley Soup is a hearty, healthy, flavorful comfort food perfect for any time of the year. This pearled barley soup can be prepared in under 30 minutes and comes to 250 calories per serving.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American, European
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 211kcal
Author: Kushi

Equipment

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup Barley pearled
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil or Vegetable oil/Butter
  • 1 piece Bay leaf
  • 1 large Onion finely chopped
  • 3 cloves Garlic finely chopped
  • 1 inch Ginger chopped
  • 1 piece Green Chili chopped/slit (optional)
  • 1 medium Carrot chopped
  • 4 oz Mushroom chopped/sliced
  • 1 large Tomato chopped
  • ¼ cup Sweet corn frozen
  • ½ teaspoon Black pepper powder
  • 1 tablespoon Tomato sauce tomato ketchup/paste/marinara sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Dried Basil Leaves use fresh basil if available
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon Lemon zest optional
  • ½ teaspoon Salt adjust to taste
  • 4 cups Water or broth
  • 1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes optional
  • ½ teaspoon Cayenne or Red Chili powder, optional

Instructions

Step 1 - Saute aromatics

  • Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Add bay leaf, onion, garlic, green chili, and ginger.
    1 tbsp Olive oil, 1 piece Bay leaf, 1 large Onion, 3 cloves Garlic, 1 inch Ginger, 1 piece Green Chili
  • Saute till the onion becomes translucent for about 5 minutes.

Step 2 - Prepare the soup

  • Add the barley and saute it for about 1 minute till it is coated in oil.
    ¾ cup Barley
  • Add carrot, mushroom, cayenne powder, basil leaves, black pepper powder, red pepper flakes, tomato, sweet corn, tomato sauce, lemon juice, and lemon zest, and mix well.
    1 medium Carrot, 4 oz Mushroom, 1 large Tomato, ¼ cup Sweet corn, ½ tsp Black pepper powder, 1 tbsp Tomato sauce, 1 tbsp Dried Basil Leaves, 1 tsp Lemon juice, 1 tsp Red pepper flakes, ½ tsp Cayenne, ¼ tsp Lemon zest
  • Add about 4 cups of water/broth, salt and bring it to a nice boil.
    4 cups Water, ½ tsp Salt
  • Cover and reduce the heat to simmer. Cook it for about 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Check the texture of the barley and the taste of the soup. Continue cooking till you get the desired texture of barley.
  • Barley Soup with Vegetables is now ready. Serve hot and enjoy.

Notes

Expert Chef Tips

  • I have used a quick-cook pearled barley in the recipe. You can also cook this in a pressure cooker or an Instant Pot.
  • Vary the spices as per your taste.
  • Add a splash of cream, coconut milk/cream, cashew paste, etc., to make the soup rich and creamy.
  • Add proteins (chicken, beef, tofu, etc.) to the soup when sauteing the vegetables. This will give the proteins sufficient time to cook.
  • If you are using shrimp/prawns, add them to the soup at the very end. About 6 to 8 minutes before switching off the flame - ensuring the shrimp remains tender and not rubbery. The shrimp (with shell) will turn bright orange when cooked.
  • You can add serrano pepper or jalapeno instead of green chilies. The taste may vary slightly.

Storage Instructions

Pearl Barley has the ability to soak up a lot of liquid over time. Therefore, if there are leftovers, separate the barley+veggies from the liquid portion of the soup. Use a slotted spoon for this purpose. You can store them in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 389mg | Potassium: 556mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3231IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 3mg