This recipe uses a mirepoix base (2 part onion, 1 part carrot, 1 part celery). Use the recipe as a starting point. Mix up the quantity and variety of vegetables – just split them into “long-cooking” and “short-cooking”. Seasoning can vary as well. I used Herbes de Provence myself, but I imagine an Italian seasoning would be delicious.
Chock-full of healthy vegetables and hearty barley, this soup is filling yet nutritious. Play around with the vegetables and seasonings; once you get the basics down, the variations are endless. Pair it with some sourdough bread and a salad to round out the meal.
Have fun with it, and enjoy!
Vegetable Barley Soup
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Mirepoix Base
- oil to cover bottom of stock pan
- 1 1/2 cups yellow onion chopped
- 3/4 cup baby carrots chopped
- 3/4 cup celery finely chopped
- 1/2 cup white wine
Vegetable Barley Medley
- 2 cups baby carrots sliced into rounds
- 1 cup peas blanched or frozen
- 1.5 cups green beans cut into 3/4 inch pieces
- 2 medium red potatoes diced (1/2-inch thick)
- 1 zucchini sliced into rounds and quartered
- 1 can tomatoes diced, Italian style
- 1/2 cup pearled barley
- 2 quarts vegetable broth (adjust amount based on desired thickness)
- herbs (such as herbes de Provence) to taste
- salt to taste
Instructions
Mirepoix Base
- Heat up stock pot. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the stock pan.
- Add diced onions, diced carrots and diced celery to pot. Allow to sweat for 5 minutes.
- Add salt and herbs to taste
- Add carrot rounds and allow to cook for 10 more minutes. If needed, add water to keep from sticking.
- Add white wine and allow it to reduce by half (about 2 minutes).
Vegetable Barley Medley
- Add the vegetable stock, barley, tomatoes (including juice) and all long-cooking vegetables. Hold off on the zucchini and any short-cooking vegetables (such as frozen peas if you aren’t using fresh). Add seasoning to taste.
- Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cover.
- After it simmers for about 30 minutes, add the short-cooking vegetables. Taste the broth and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Bring to a simmer again and cover. Simmer for about 1 hour (or longer if desired). If it gets too thick, add more broth or water.
- Enjoy!