Rustic Vegetable Barley Soup (Printer View)

A nourishing blend of barley, mushrooms, and colorful vegetables for a warm wholesome meal.

# What you'll need:

→ Grains

01 - 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 8 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
08 - 1 large potato, peeled and diced
09 - 1 zucchini, diced
10 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
11 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
12 - 6 cups vegetable broth

→ Spices & Herbs

13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 bay leaf
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
17 - 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in garlic and mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes, allowing the mushrooms to release their moisture and reduce in size.
03 - Add potato, zucchini, green beans, and diced tomatoes with juice. Stir to combine all ingredients.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and add pearl barley, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir well to distribute evenly.
05 - Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until barley and vegetables are tender.
06 - Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under two hours, yet tastes like it simmered all day on the stove.
  • The mushrooms give it a depth that makes you feel like you're eating something fancy, but you're really just throwing vegetables into a pot.
  • One bowl is genuinely filling—you won't need much else, which is its own kind of magic on a tired evening.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the barley or it'll release so much starch that your soup becomes gluey instead of brothy.
  • The zucchini will disappear if you add it at the beginning, so hold it back until step 3 or it becomes invisible.
03 -
  • Sauté your mushrooms in a separate pan first if you want them to stay distinct instead of melting into the broth—this gives you texture and presence.
  • Add a splash of good vinegar or lemon juice right before serving to brighten the soup and bring all the flavors into focus without tasting acidic.
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