Vegetarian Barley Soup at Home

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 straightforward meal prep, and then barley…game over. I can’t get enough.

It is satisfying to 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 satisfying 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)	mix in during the last minutes to keep the greens bright and the flavors fresh.

How To Make Vegetarian Barley Soup:

1. Prep: Rinse the barley and chop the veggies.
2. Sauté: Warm oil in a large pot and cook the veggies until softened.
3. Season: Add garlic and spices and cook until fragrant.
4. Simmer: Pour in broth, add barley and bay leaves, and simmer until the barley is tender.
5. Finish: mix 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, from-scratch 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

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: mix 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 mix in shredded rotisserie chicken at the end.
• Try Creamy Barley Soup: Make my Creamy Mushroom Soup and use barley instead of farro.

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
• 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 (skippable)
• 2 (32-ounce) containers (or vegetable broth, It is satisfying to Swanson, 8 cups total)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups shredded kale
• 1 large lemon
• Parmesan cheese (skippable, for topping)
• Fresh parsley (skippable, for topping)
• hearty buttered bread (skippable, for dipping)

Method

1. 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.
2. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil to a large pot over a medium burner. 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.
3. mix in garlic, curry powder, thyme, rinsed barley, and skippable red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. 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.
5. 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. check the seasoning 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!